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Early Logging
Photo: Vancouver Archives AM54-S4-: Out P878
From the time of its initial European colonization, the economy of the Sunshine Coast has sustained itself largely due to logging. In direct contrast to First Nations views, which valued the spiritual properties and sustainable harvesting of forests, European settlers began an extractive proccess tied to resource development.
Before any towns were developed, the discovery of valuable timber led to coastal logging outposts being established. In Gibsons, a strong industry emerged in the late 19th century as a result of the clearing of large areas of land for the purpose of
agriculture.
Between 1900 and 1930, multiple lumber mills were put into place, which accelerated the pace of logging in the region.
In 1906, a land clearing forest fire that started near Leek road in Roberts Creek got out of hand and spread more than 5 kilometers towards Gibsons. Although no lives were lost, the fire destroyed a sawmill near Payne Creek, along with the majority of the flume it used, as well as most of the standing timber in the area. This frightening event halted logging in the vicinity for almost 20 years, but also served to open it up for more settlement.
Up until 1914, horses, oxen and manual labor where the only means available to cut and transport logs on land throughout the Sunshine Coast. Yet, the initial abundance of old growth trees made even the often slow and physically exhausting methods of the day worthwhile. During this time, logs were commonly transported with oxen to the nearest ocean access point using tracks made of logs laid transversely about five feet apart, called skid roads.
After 1914, the logging industry began to mechanize. The mid 1930s saw the introduction of the steam donkey, a device with a spar pole that used cables to winch logs from the bush, as well as the advent of the mechanized chainsaw, which resulted in the gradual demise of the crosscut saw. It became easier to transport logs with the creation of open artificial channels of water, called flumes that were used to transport logs downhill. Truck logging later completed the removal of most of the old growth forest in the region.
Before any towns were developed, the discovery of valuable timber led to coastal logging outposts being established. In Gibsons, a strong industry emerged in the late 19th century as a result of the clearing of large areas of land for the purpose of
agriculture.
Between 1900 and 1930, multiple lumber mills were put into place, which accelerated the pace of logging in the region.
In 1906, a land clearing forest fire that started near Leek road in Roberts Creek got out of hand and spread more than 5 kilometers towards Gibsons. Although no lives were lost, the fire destroyed a sawmill near Payne Creek, along with the majority of the flume it used, as well as most of the standing timber in the area. This frightening event halted logging in the vicinity for almost 20 years, but also served to open it up for more settlement.
Up until 1914, horses, oxen and manual labor where the only means available to cut and transport logs on land throughout the Sunshine Coast. Yet, the initial abundance of old growth trees made even the often slow and physically exhausting methods of the day worthwhile. During this time, logs were commonly transported with oxen to the nearest ocean access point using tracks made of logs laid transversely about five feet apart, called skid roads.
After 1914, the logging industry began to mechanize. The mid 1930s saw the introduction of the steam donkey, a device with a spar pole that used cables to winch logs from the bush, as well as the advent of the mechanized chainsaw, which resulted in the gradual demise of the crosscut saw. It became easier to transport logs with the creation of open artificial channels of water, called flumes that were used to transport logs downhill. Truck logging later completed the removal of most of the old growth forest in the region.
