Article by Brent Rodden

Members of the Barrabool Hills community at the December end of year celebration.

To the Landcare community, the traditional wood-fired Aussie bar-b-que fulfils the same function as the office water-cooler for city folk: a physical environment for people to gather. There’s also something about the fire, the odour of cooking food and the effect of the smoke which stimulates animated discussion, controversy, exaggeration and laughter. The old-timers had a word for it: yabber.

On a beautiful Barrabool Hills December evening the annual BHLG Christmas BBQ got off to a sizzling start. The old-fashioned half 44-gallon drum with solid iron grill produced some fine tucker laced with oodles of yabber to feed the 30 hungry souls present.

President, Kaye Rodden welcomed all members and guests, including retiring Geelong Landcare Network Facilitator, Elissa Ashton-Smith, and guest speaker, Rowan Reid.

In his address, Rowan highlighted the possibilities of converting a well-managed tree crop into a cash bonanza. He pointed out that new home builders in Melbourne were keen to source wall veneer and furniture made of local timber from farmers who could relate the genesis of the wood. He also stressed that it was not always necessary to supply indigenous timber. Exotic varieties were perfectly acceptable provided they were fit for the purpose.

In a note of caution, he stressed that farmers required a sound knowledge-base to select the best species for growing in the Hills.

Rowan Reid is an academic, founder of the Otway Agroforestry Network and an author. His latest book is “Heartwood: The Art and Science of Growing Trees for Conservation and Profit”. For details on Rowan’s contribution to agroforestry go to his website: www.agroforestry.net.au