Sawdust and spectacle

SOME of the world’s best woodchoppers have descended on Brunswick Heads for the annual Woodchop Carnival.

More than 80 men, women and children are set to compete in the three-day event, which runs at Memorial Park from January 9 to 11.

They include world champions the Australian Chopperoos, who won their fifth STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Team World Championship in a row in France last year, and Murwillumbah woman Madeleine Kirwan-Edwards, who made the finals in the inaugural Women’s World Championship Woodchopping event at the 2024 Royal Easter Show.

Event secretary Glen Richardson said it was the biggest woodchopping event outside the Easter Show and the Brisbane agricultural show, Ekka, and the only standalone event of its kind in the country.

Participants compete in four disciplines. The underhand contest involves severing a block held horizontally in a cradle whilst standing on footholds at each end of the block.

The standing block event requires the severing of a block held vertically on a cradle while in tree felling, competitors climb a pole using specially-made boards and cut it in a similar way.

There are also single and double sawing contests, with ‘Jack and Jill’ mixed team events that are popular with husbands and wives and fathers and daughters.

The first woodchop competition in Brunswick Heads was held in 1928, with the aim of raising funds to build the footbridge linking the town to the beachfront, and ran until 1932.

The second series began in 1961 when Noel McGregor, who ran the carnival in Banner Park in December and January, sought sponsorship to bring it back

Sponsorship has become more important than ever, with woodchopping events facing pressure due to the timber shortage and high costs.

This year’s sponsors include Hotel Brunswick, John and Gloria Mills from Heathgrove Estate and Bayside Brunswick Heads, Bruns Bakery, Mullumbimby Bakery, Bruns Beach, Bait & Tackle, and Brunswick Heads Laundrette & Holiday Hire.