Australia’s timber plantations are producing more wood per hectare than they did 15 years ago, according to new analysis from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES).
The report, released last month, updates ABARES’ 2011 estimates of Mean Annual Increment (MAI), a common measure of the amount of wood a plantation produces each year. While MAI is only a partial indicator of productivity, ABARES says it has become increasingly important as the sector faces growing climate and economic pressures. “Productivity growth is essential to offset the impact of climate change and drive the competitiveness of the sector,” the report states.
To update its figures, ABARES consulted plantation growers and key supply chain representatives. Those discussions, the bureau says, revealed “a dynamic industry, with a focus on harnessing technological improvements to at least maintain or improve plantation growth rates and wood quality.”
Softwood plantations have generally outperformed hardwood plantations.
ABARES found that Ssoftwoods have either held steady or improved, particularly in South Eastern Australia — including the Green Triangle, Tasmania, Central Gippsland and Central Victoria — where Pinus radiata dominates. ABARES reports that “softwood plantation MAIs have remained steady or shown moderate increases over the past 15 years,” highlighting P. radiata’s role as “the largest plantation footprint” and a key supplier to the housing and construction sector.
The latest data also shows the top end of softwood performance has lifted. In 2011, only two regions recorded an MAI of 21 cubic metres per hectare per year. In the 2024 update, four regions now exceed that level, with the Green Triangle reaching 24 cubic metres — the highest in the country. ABARES says the lower end of the range has also edged higher, pointing to uneven but genuine productivity gains.
The strongest softwood regions — the Green Triangle, Tasmania and Central Gippsland — now sit around 23 to 24 cubic metres per hectare per year and have improved by up to 20 per cent over the past decade and a half. Other regions, including the Central, Southern and Northern Tablelands, have seen only modest increases. ABARES attributes the differences to climate, soil, water availability and access to improved genetics and silviculture.
In addition, Queensland’s Southern Pine plantations show similar variation, with North Queensland recording growth rates about 30 per cent higher than South East Queensland. Hoop Pine and Pinus pinaster remain important in some areas, although P. pinaster continues to yield less than P. radiata and its plantation area has declined.
Hardwood plantations, however, tell a more mixed story.
ABARES says “trends in hardwood plantation MAIs are mixed,” reflecting the estate’s smaller size, younger age and the split between pulplog and sawlog regimes. Many early estimates were based on expected rather than harvested yields, making comparisons difficult. Where data is available, hardwood MAIs range from 8 to 21 cubic metres per hectare per year, with pulplog plantations generally growing faster due to shorter growing cycles.
Western Australia, the Green Triangle and Tasmania provide the clearest hardwood data. Western Australia shows a slight decline in Eucalyptus globulus growth rates, likely due to drying conditions. The Green Triangle has recorded a small increase, while Tasmania’s E. nitens plantations have seen a more significant lift.
Growers told ABARES they believe hardwood productivity has improved overall, though consistent long‑term data is limited due to changes in ownership and the rapid expansion of plantations in the early 2000s. Across both softwood and hardwood estates, growers pointed to improved silviculture, better genetic stock, advances in harvesting and processing, and ongoing research as key drivers of growth. Climate remains the biggest constraint, with growers emphasising the need for proactive adaptation.
