© Copyright 2011 Julianne Dodds
Timber, Veneer and Plywood
1901 - 1969
Expansion
After the Great War
The Great War (World War I) ended on 11th November 1918. Finally it was safe to travel the seas by
ship so in January 1919 Mac went to America. [3] Always keen to stay abreast of the latest trends in
sawmilling and improving production, he visited timber mills near San Francisco. Arriving back in
Brisbane with fresh ideas for expansion, he immediately increased his supply of logs again. He called
for tenders to cut and haul a total of 1,200,000 feet of pine from two properties near Canungra and
Beaudesert.
Over Kingfisher Creek to Coorparoo
A month later Mac purchased more land in
Woolloongabba. In John Street, on the northern
side of Annie Street, he acquired seven adjoining
blocks. Here he established Deshon Wood Veneer.
Over the creek in Coorparoo, he bought 21 acres,
bounded on one side by Kingfisher Creek with the
main railway line on the other side. This became
Coorparoo Plywood in December 1920. Located
between Coorparoo and Buranda railway stations,
Mac could bring in cut logs from his timber
properties south of Brisbane straight to his mill door.
Well…almost. The mills were separated by
Kingfisher Creek (later merged into Norman Creek)
and only a small foot bridge joined the
Woolloongabba and Coorparoo properties.
It certainly wasn’t large enough to transport timber
and supplies between the yards. So Mac drew up
plans to erect a bridge from a block of land he owned at the end of Cross Street, across the creek, to his
Coorparoo acreage. His submission was approved by both the Coorparoo Shire Council and the
Harbours and Rivers Board (now Harbours and Marine). Mac built his bridge. [4]
Shaded areas showing properties owned by Mac in 1920 and
the position of the bridge across Kingfisher Creek that he built.
‘The Roaring Twenties’ -1920 to 1929
During this period, the economy began to flourish. Automobiles, electrical appliances and furniture were
now affordable to the middle class man. This progress led to a growing demand for manufactured goods,
including plywood, as the subsequent demand for raw materials increased. Timber mills were having a
difficult job to get enough pine logs. The price had increased by 125 per cent. The Government was the
principal individual supplier in Queensland and they took full advantage of that position. On one occasion
when the Forestry Department called for tenders, the land was 135 miles from Brisbane. Fortunately Mac
had foreseen this shortage and had bought up land closer to his mills but this was quickly running out of
trees. In 1921 his acreage at Josephville, south of Beaudesert, had depleted its supply of timber. Mac
found it necessary to advertise for pine logs again.
