Softwood timber
produced in the region comes from Radiata pine and Southern pine plantations. Radiata pine is grown almost exclusively on
public land (State forests) while ownership of Southern pine plantations is
split between public and private. The region’s
softwood timber industry is concentrated in two localities - on the Northern Tablelands
between Walcha and Tamworth, where Radiata pine is grown, and on the Far North Coast
between Grafton and Casino where the plantations are all Southern pine. Together
these plantation estates yield around 450,000 tonnes of softwood log per year. Processing
of softwood timber mostly occurs in large mills located outside the region with
logs being transported by both road and rail.