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Who thinks like me that the money we are putting into super funds would be better off channelled into buying/storing quality timber for use/sale in our retirement? I am becoming increasingly sceptical that I will ever see a return on that money that has already been put into a super fund to be invested by some multinational company in stock market/bonds.
Buy Tassie timber.
Good stuff, and wont be around for general sale for much longer.
Al :(
A guy down this way has been doing that kinda thing.
From all accounts he has a large shed filled to the rafters with recycled jarrah, he keeps buying it and just extends the shed when he runs out of space.
He reckons that he has 10 years before he retires and it should be worth a packet by then.
I used to laugh at him, now i go out of my way to keep on his good side;)
Old jarrah is pretty common over here....but as time goes by people are starting to realise what it is worth.
Amazing as it sounds, i must have burnt tonnes of the stuff in the lounge fire.:o :eek:
Definately a possibility i think and good luck to you.
Its allways got me wondering about this issue, someone who is starting their working life instead of investing in residentual property would it be better to buy up on land in a area of reasonable rainfall and grow several different tree types. By the time they'd retire in 40-50yrs the wood could be worth heaps...
For example my mother reckons the area above my town at the base of the flinders rangers sandalwood was the main type tree, its all gone now cleared for farming. Whats it worth near $20K a ton, plus you could prune a harvest in increasing amounts every year until its ready for a wood harvest, as they can use the whole tree for products(roots and all).
These guys have an interesting offer along the lines of investing in timber :
http://www.jarrahselect.com.au
Justin.
Its not such a bad idea. It's best to invest in a market that you have an intimate knowledge of. Timber is an appreciating asset, although theres some risk and associated costs in storing properly.
Would you be lookin at jarrah, tasoak etc or the cabinet timbers like sheoak, marri, myrtle etc?
Superannuation - what's that? I've been self employed for most of my life so all I have in the way of super is a few stacks of timber and some tools and machinery. :( Still collecting more timber though, hope to be picking up a Moreton Bay Ash log this week. :)
Mick
Thanks for some of the responses to my question. After giving it some thought I feel that Aussie cabinet timbers are the way to go (Typically Huon, Myrtle, Blackwood and many others) I have also started to stockpile veneers. These take up little space but the better one's (fiddleback, bird's eye, quilted type figure) will retain more value down the track. When you buy some timber for a project buy an extra 20% and stockpile it for the future. You will not notice the extra as you go along but you will appreciate the stockpile down the track. Especially when the gov't of the day says sorry but you can't have that superannuation in one lump sum anymore!
I've just started my first blackwood project and really love it, best thing it's still quite cheap,not sure for how long though. Jarrah seems to have really gone up in the last few years.
You would have to factor are storage costs, fire protection & pest protection !!
Nic
Good idea, but the way the QLD Government is by the time the timber is ready to harvest, they would have classified it as "remnant vegetation" under our Vegetation Management Act and wont be able to do anything with it!!!
Anyway thats enough about QLD's government.
I still have about 2m3 of white beech slabs stored from my old forestry days, there're money in the bank for me!