Australian Conifers of Economic Importance - HOOP PINE

Hoop pine (Araucaria cunninghamii) is the most important native conifer for wood production in Queensland [4]. It is native to the coastal rain forests from northern New South Wales to northern Queensland in eastern Australia and the Arfak Mountains of western New Guinea [3]. Its other common names are Moreton Bay pine or colonial pine [1].

[3]

This large tree grows to about 60 m, and due to its properties - knot-free timber of exceptional quality - hoop pine remains a species much in demand. Early pioneers exploited it as a resource for this reason (and to clear areas that were considered to have good potential for farming - both agricultural and pastoral), so Hoop pine is now grown in large plantations to ensure sustainable supplies [3].

Most plantations have been concentrated in the south-east Queensland forestry districts of Brisbane, Gympie, Maryborough, Murgon and Monto. Approximately 42 000 hectares of rainforest have been converted to hoop pine plantations in south-east Queensland [3].

In north Queensland, hoop pine planting was phased out during the 1970s, although successful plantations still exist at Gadgarra, Danbulla and Wongabel [3].

Uses: Hoop pine provides an ideal wood for plywood, cabinet work, furniture joinery, mouldings and linings and boat building. At one time also used for butter boxes and fruit boxes. It grows best on deep loams originally carrying true rainforest, with an average rainfall of more than 800 millimetres per year, and relatively frost-free. It is extremely sensitive to fire. Harvesting of Hoop pine plantations occurs at 40 to 55 years [4].

The tree’s name refers to the bark’s tendency to remain in huge hoops on the forest floor after the timber has decayed [3].

Both individual trees and small stands of Hoop Pine are readily found in any of the coastal areas shown on the map, above, by looking at the horizon for the tallest tree species.

Next >> As Australian as 'Bunya Pine'

More Online Information

For the Queensland Department of Natural Resources Tree Fact Sheet: Hoop Pine for Wood Production [Adobe Portable Document Format, 2 pages] [4] Click here.

For the Queensland Department of Natural Resources Forest Management Education Activity Series: Hoop Pine Plantation Management (Suitable for school years 6 to 9) [Adobe Portable Document Format, 21 pages] [3] Click here.

Follow this link for an article titled "Significance of Hoop Pine Rainforest" [5] Click here

Follow this link for a Lithographic Plate showing drawings of parts of the Hoop pine tree [2].

For more information and a photograph of Hoop pine, follow this link to the Australian National Botanic Gardens website [6].

For the Timber Research Unit, School of Architecture, University of Tasmania's datasheet detailing properties of Araucaria cunninghamii, follow this link [7].

Citations

[1] Britannica.com Inc (2000). ENCYCLOPÆDIA BRITANNICA ["Moreton Bay pine"] [WWW document]. URL www.britannica.com/

[2] Maiden J.H. (1902). (University of Sydney Library) Forest Flora of New South Wales [WWW Online Database] URL http://setis.library.usyd.edu.au/pubotbin/ebind2htmlbad/ff?seq=131

[3] Queensland (Australia) Department of Natural Resources (DNR) (1996, December). Forest Management Education: Activity Series ["Hoop Pine Plantation Management"] [Portable document format] URL http://www.dnr.qld.gov.au/education/activities/pdf_files/hoop_pine.pdf

[4] Queensland (Australia) Department of Natural Resources (DNR) (1996, December). Tree Facts: Hoop Pine for Wood Production [Portable document format] URL http://www.dnr.qld.gov.au/resourcenet/fact_sheets/pdf_files/T36.pdf

[5] Reif, M. (undated). Brisbane Rainforest Action & Information Network (BRAIN) ["Significance of Hoop Pine Rainforest"] [WWW Document] URL http://www.brisrain.webcentral.com.au/hoop.html (visited January, 2001).

[6] Australian National Botanic Gardens (undated). Australian Conifers ["Hoop pine"] [WWW Document] URL http://www.anbg.gov.au/anbg/conifers/araucaria-cunning.html (visited January, 2001)

[7] School of Architecture, University of Tasmania (Australia) (2000). Species Detail [WWW Online database] URL http://oak.arch.utas.edu.au/tech/species.html

Copyright D. L. Christiansen [Last updated February 2001] Images: respective copyright owners noted/cited.

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