ALL ROADS will be leading to the Hinterland on May 5-6 as thousands of visitors converge on the Maleny Showgrounds for the 16th annual Maleny Wood Expo From Chainsaw to Fine Furniture.
These lovers of timber and woodwork come from everywhere to soak up the wonderful world of wood. They come from Bundaberg and Byron, from Toowoomba and Tweed Heads, from the north, the south and the west.
Loaded with ideas they haul trailers to take home that perfect slab, burl, plank or piece of hand-crafted furniture.
Although the Expo is small by comparison to the big city wood shows, Maleny Wood Expo visitors just love the country atmosphere. The beautiful surroundings and the friendliness of the volunteers bring them back year after year for a great day out in the Hinterland’s hills.
In preparation for the weekend, woodcrafters across the coast and further are hard at it putting finishing touches to the pieces they exhibit so proudly to the many visitors.
They are slabbing, cutting, joining, polishing and burnishing timber for the myriad of pieces that will go on
show. From fine furniture to bbq settings, these woodworkers produce an extraordinary range of furniture, sculptural pieces, artworks, and everything else that can be fashioned from timber.
And the Wootha Prize finalists are also hard at work – vying for first place and the $2500 up on offer. Rapidly becoming a prestigious award, the Wootha Prize will form the feature exhibition on the Main Pavilion stage at the
2012 event. Don’t forget to cast your vote for the People’s Choice Award on offer for the first time this year.
And all of this woodwork is created from sustainably harvested native timbers, weed or recycled timbers in line with the
Expo’s sustainability ethic and concern for ongoing availability of timber resources.
But it’s not only the woodworkers who are gearing up for the Expo. It’s also the local producers who display their gourmet goodies in the Taste Maleny Produce Store, and the businesses who share with Expo visitors tips on making their own homes more sustainable.
The Barung Nursery moves to town for the weekend – walking the talk and encouraging visitors with even the smallest backyards to take home native plants and create habitat for our native fauna. And displays by other groups will show just how much is being achieved across the region for our environment.
And last but definitely not least, the foodies and entertainers are gearing up to keep the visitors fed and happy. These artists will make sure that everyone – from small children to grandparents – has a day to remember at the 2012 Maleny Wood Expo.
For more information on the Wood Expo over the coming weeks visit www.malenywoodexpo.org.au
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