Warren Fenner

Victoria’s timber towns are grieving as the state’s native logging industry officially shuts down on January 1. For many people who have worked in the industry, the date is merely a formality, as some sawmills and harvesters stopped operating months ago. But Warren Fenner, who lives in in East Gippsland’s Orbost and operates out of Club Terrace, has worked in the industry his whole life, along with multiple generations of his family. …”I worked very hard to get my business to where it is now, and I wanted to build that for my family,” Mr Fenner said. …The Victorian government has established a Forestry Transition Program to support businesses, workers and communities to transition out of native timber. …But in Orbost, which is largely made up of timber workers, locals are concerned for the town’s future as many workers may have to move away for new job opportunities.