Our Past

The Beginning

In 1882, Richard Matthews Hyne started National Sawmill on the banks of the Mary River in Queensland. Despite floods, the Hyne timber business progressed and R.M. Hyne as a Queensland Member of Parliament was responsible for initiating the replanting of forests and the creation of a Department of Forestry.

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1888 - 1929

R.M. Hyne’s eldest son, Henry James Hyne entered the business in 1888. H.J. Hyne took over the business on his father’s death in 1902. Through depression and war, the Hyne business continued with H.J involved with the Licensing of Sawmills and the introduction of a Timber Industry Advisory Committee.

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1921 - 1979

Lambert Hyne, joined his father in the company in 1921 and served Hyne until his retirement in 1979. During that long period, he expanded the production base of the Company acquiring a number of small country hardwood mills, and expanded the marketing operations with the establishment of a number of trade outlets from Townsville in the north and south into Brisbane.

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1979 - 1994

In 1979, Warren Hyne succeeded his father as managing director following a thorough grounding in all aspects of the business over a period of nearly 30 years. Hyne continued to grow strongly and Warren initiated the most significant development of his career when the company won a tender to cut 225,000 cubic metres annually of the Tuan Forest. and set about to building a pine sawmill. Warren Hyne was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for services to the forest and timber industries in 1997.

Warren Hyne passes away in March 2007 aged 77, after a long illness. At the time of his passing Warren was considered one of the real ‘captains’ of industry.

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