Moreton
Bay Ash can be found all over the Central Highlands. Growing to around 30
metres tall with butts to about 600mm diameter, it is often found in pure
stands like the patch pictured here which is near German Ck Mine.
Very
easy to spot with its distinctive 'sock' of darker tessellated bark.
The trees are prone to 'welding' together when the branches/trunks are
rubbing together like this example near Capella.
Moreton Bay Ash is not a timber we go looking for due to its tendency to
split badly while drying and the ever present gum veins. Historically it has
been used in bridge construction and the likes and apparently the indigenous
peoples also used the tree for medicinal purposes and making spears.
This natural-edged bowl was turned from the piece of branch timber pictured
above. Fairly typical of eucalypt timbers, it turns and finishes a lot like
'Vic Ash / Tassie Oak' - easy to machine and sands OK. I also found the
sapwood quite brittle/crumbly.
