Jarrah, a unique Australian hardwood, is celebrated for its versatility, durability, and strength. Its diverse colour palette, ranging from deep red to blonde, makes it an ideal timber for a variety of structural and design applications.
Native to the iron and aluminium-rich plains in the South-Western corner of Western Australia, Jarrah trees are slow-growing giants, their roots often extending deep into the ground in search of nutrients and water. With long, straight trunks that can reach up to 40 metres in height and 2 metres in diameter, they produce beautifully coloured and grained timbers. The tree’s bark, rough and fibrous, covers the entire trunk and even the smallest branches. Interestingly, these trees do not germinate from seed but from lignatubers, large underground swellings that store energy and nutrients, allowing the trees to regenerate after bushfires.
Jarrah timbers embody the hues of the Western Australian landscape. The heartwood varies in colour from rich reds to browns, while the sapwood ranges from pale yellow to orange. The timber’s texture is moderately coarse and even-grained. Some may feature interlocked, wavy grain, creating an intriguing fiddle-back figure, making Jarrah an appealing choice for architectural and design materials.
Jarrah’s natural properties include high resistance to weather, rot, termites, and even marine borers, making it a valuable timber for outdoor uses. Its density also renders it fire-resistant. Jarrah can be utilized in various constructions like wharf and bridge construction, railway sleepers, cross arms, poles, and piles. It’s also suitable for general house framing, flooring, linings, joinery, and fencing. Owing to its decorative qualities, Jarrah is also sought-after for furniture, turnery, joinery, and parquetry.
