Let us tell you a story about Southern Pine and Araucaria
HQP is the largest plantation grower in Queensland, with almost 200,000 hectares in production.
We manage seed orchards and plantation forests of commercially important subtropical and tropical tree species, including Southern Pine and Araucaria cunninghamii, known commercially as Araucaria or commonly as hoop pine.
Our forest management practices are independently accredited to internationally recognised certification standards, providing customers, stakeholders, neighbours and other forest visitors with the assurance that our forest assets are managed sustainably and responsibly.
Learn more about the species we grow below.
We grow approximately 130,000 hectares of Southern Pine softwood species. Southern Pine collectively refers to improved varieties derived from species native to southern USA and central America. These include:
- Slash pine – Pinus elliottii var. elliottii (PEE)
- Caribbean pine – Pinus caribaea var. hondurensis (PCH)
- Our main species – the PEE x PCH hybrid
- Cuban pine – Pinus caribaea var. caribaea (PCC)
- Loblolly pine – Pinus taeda.
The hybrid combines the best attributes of both species, including slash pine’s excellent straightness, high wood density and tolerance of wetter sites and Caribbean pine’s fast growth, fine branching and evenly textured wood. Windfirm varieties are also being established in areas prone to cyclones.
Southern Pine production 
Southern Pines are grown for 25 to 30 years and have a long term sustainable cut of up to 1.8 million m3 a year, including a commercial thinning. We manage the harvest and processing of the trees into a range of log products that gives the best value recovery from each tree. The various log grades are then sorted and distributed from the forest to our various customers.
Southern Pine products
Southern Pine is well respected for its strength and versatility, typically yielding higher proportions of higher structural timber grade in comparison to Pinus radiata.
Southern Pine products include:
- structural timber - framing, flooring and decking, and poles
- veneers and engineered wood - plywood, cladding
- high-grade solid sawn timber - furniture and joinery
- mouldings - architrave and skirting boards
- particleboard and beams
- landscaping - fencing rails and posts, rounds and sleepers
- secondary products - pallets, crates, wood chip and paper.
Download the Southern Pine fact sheet for a product summary or the overview for more detailed information.
We grow more than 40,000 hectares of Araucaria (Araucaria cunninghamii or hoop pine), one of the few endemic rainforest species that has been successfully domesticated for timber production.
Over 50 years of genetic improvement through selective breeding, in combination with high stocking and pruning silviculture regimes, result in a highly desirable, aesthetically pleasing knot-free high-strength timber. Araucaria is drought, pest and disease-resistant, but is susceptible to fire, requiring careful management of rainforest buffers for protection.
Araucaria production
Araucaria is generally grown for 40 to 50 years, and has a long-term sustainable cut of 450,000 m3 per annum. We manage the harvest and processing of the trees into a range of log products that give the best value recovery from each tree. The various log grades are then sorted and distributed from the forest to our various customers.
Araucaria products
Araucaria is versatile and beautiful, ideal for appearance-grade applications. It has fine grain and texture, even colour and is easily painted or stained. Araucaria also has exceptional structural properties such as superior strength to weight ratios and dimensional stability.
Araucaria products include:
- high-grade solid sawn clearwood - floorboards, joinery and furniture
- structural timber - framing and internal and external beams
- veneers and engineered wood - plywood
- mouldings - architrave and skirting boards
- specialty products - musical instruments and boat manufacture.
Araucaria is also a food-grade timber, with no odour, saps or resins, ideal for items like ice-cream sticks, toys and baby cots.
Download the Araucaria fact sheet for a product summary or the overview for more detailed information.