|
Gidgee
(Acacia cambagei)
Also known as: Stinking Wattle, Gidyea
|
|
Mazeppa National Park near Clermont - 40 square kilometres of wall to
wall Gidgee. Gidgee is very susceptible to fire, the results of which is very noticeable where
the park meets the development road. This area experienced
a small fire a couple of years ago which killed off a lot of trees along this stretch.
|
|
The Central Highlands is just on the eastern edge of Gidgee's distribution which reaches west to the middle of the Northern Territory.
Growing to about 8 or 10 metres tall, it is difficult to find any of it that isn't hollow once it's over about 200mm diameter but it does get to around 400 or 500mm diameter.
|
|
Also called 'Stinking wattle' for good reason, at various times, particularly when flowering or when the humidity is up a bit, the trees
exude an unpleasant smell that fills the air for miles around. Fortunately, the
timber doesn't smell the same, having a unique 'spicy' aroma. Gidgee tends to take over an area so
that little else grows amongst it and is cut mainly for fenceposts as it lasts for a very long time in the ground.
|
|
|
|
Gidgee is a very hard and heavy timber and tends to split a lot during
drying, making thick turning blanks rare which is why I mainly use it for trim
and finials and so on. While it is a very hard timber, it machines really well, sands OK
and finishes beautifully. Green turning larger pieces then microwaving them
until dry
works OK for Gidgee.
|
|
Gidgee lamps and serving trays - some of the trophies for the Twin Hills Rodeo which the Emerald Woodworkers group
make each year.
|
|
The 'drops' on this box were turned and carved from gidgee. It is an excellent timber for this type of detail.
The body of the box is from Rough-barked Apple (angophora floribunda).
|
|
|
|
One of the most unusual requests I've had! A client wanted a funeral urn for a
bloke who had been a fencer in the Clermont region and had told many stories
about Gidgee. The brief was that it be as natural looking as possible, and this
is a close as it gets!
I had just one log 'in-the-round' which I had kept for the simple reason that it
was unusual for staying in one piece and not splitting to the heart which is the
'norm' for Gidgee. Hollowing it to a volume of over 3 litres was a major task,
and then the resulting voids in the sides had to be filled in such a way that
they weren't easily noticed. A brass cover was fitted to the opening in the
bottom which can just as easily be the top with some engraving added for detail.
Finished off with a coat of oil to keep the bugs out and avoid further cracking,
I was really happy with the result!
|
The client also wanted to be able to hang the old fella's hat on it when
finished and I think it turned out a very fitting epitaph for him.
|
|
