April 26th, 2025That’s not an axe…this is an axe, a Superaxe

Coming up four years since the shocking 2021 storm ripped through the Wombat State Forest area, devastated landholders are still clearing up the damage.

Many were traumatised to see beautiful and much loved mature trees torn down, and many elderly locals struggled to know how to cope with the physical aftermath.

But thanks to some help from some noteworthy quarters many impacted locals have been able to clean up and get on.

The Daylesford Foundation and the Lions Club of Trentham both have lent a significant helping hand in the shape of a Superaxe wood splitter, chainsaws and a large tandem trailer plus accompanying safety equipment.

These items, together worth about $61,000, were funded through state government Disaster Recovery Program dollars secured by the Hepburn Shire Council with the Daylesford Foundation and Trentham Lions club also contributing some of the dollars.

The arrangement initially saw the Daylesford Foundation take possession of the equipment and oversee its application where needed in the community by those struggling to cope with the storm aftermath.

The Daylesford Foundation’s Jim Foster recalls how their board eventually realised it was time to hand the equipment over to another community organisation better placed to see its ongoing, long-term application in the community as intended.

That organisation was the Trentham Lions Club which accepted the generously donated equipment and now continues to oversee its lending out to community members in need.

“They’ve down a fabulous job,” says Daylesford Foundation secretary Jim Foster, one year on since the equipment hand-over took place.

“It had become clear to us that the Lions Club would do a far better job then us.”

The Lions Club’s John McLaren is at pains to make it clear this is no commercial arrangement.

Instead, he says it’s very much a volunteer “working-bee type” arrangement and The Lions Club volunteers help with transportation and setting up of the equipment where it’s needed out in the community.

John says that even now the equipment is still being used by property owners still striving to fully recover, clean up,  and move on following the devastating storm.

He says that the Lions Club will continue to make sure the equipment is there for use by the community when and if needed.

“It’s about a year since the Daylesford Foundation passed the balance of ownership of the Superaxe wood splitting machine to the Trentham Lions Club,” said John McLaren of Trentham Lions Club

“The machine and trailer were purchased to facilitate the clean up of fallen timber on private land following the Great Storm.

“The Tandem trailer was purpose built in Victoria and is fully galvanised and capable of carrying five cubic metres.

“When in operation, the Superaxe is quite an impressive piece of equipment.”

“In essence the machine addressed the problem of clean up after the great storm.

“We’ve done 100 hrs of work on the machine on about 17 different properties in the area.

“It’s generally been around the Trentham and district area but it’s not confined to that and it’s available for use shire wide.

“But its not a commercial operation. We don’t hire the machine. It’s available on loan. In essence it’s a working-bee based program. At least one of us in the Lions Club would supervise the transport and setting up of the machine and we like to sort of stick around a bit.

“We’ve tried to address the fact that so many property owners in the district are in their senior years and being able to call on volunteers to help them seemed to be a really practical way of addressing the trauma of the storm.

“It is a means of practical help for people faced with the overwhelming difficulties of massive timber fall on their properties.

“It’s ongoing as long as the machine is viable. It will be available as long as there will be volunteers to staff it.”

John says the equipment continues to be available for use by arrangement with the Trentham Lions Club.

Words: Eve Lamb.