Camphor Laurel: Beautiful Timber but a Bit of a Pest
Camphor Laurel, Cinnamomum camphora, is one of those trees that divides opinion. In the landscape, it spreads aggressively and pushes out native species. In the workshop, it becomes something else entirely, stable, workable, and well suited to everyday use.
Flickr photo by John Tann, shared under a Creative Commons (BY) license.
Camphor Laurel was introduced to Australia in the 1800s as a shade and ornamental tree. It established quickly across parts of New South Wales and Queensland and now appears widely in cleared and disturbed areas.
A fast-growing tree that takes over
Camphor Laurel spreads easily. Birds carry the seeds, new trees establish quickly, and dense stands form over time. Once established, it shades out native plants and limits regeneration beneath it.
Removal is often the only practical response. That creates a steady supply of timber that would otherwise be treated as waste.
What the timber is like to work with
Camphor Laurel is light to medium in weight with a fine, even grain. It works cleanly with tools and finishes well, which makes it suitable for smaller items and household pieces.
It carries a distinctive scent and contains natural oils that resist insects and microbial growth. These same properties carry through into use, particularly in kitchenware where the surface sees regular contact with food.
Turning removal into something useful
At Australian Woodwork, Camphor Laurel is sourced from trees that have already been cleared as part of control efforts. The timber is then kiln dried to reduce internal moisture and improve stability, before being shaped into products built for regular use.
The result is a material that holds its shape, finishes cleanly, and performs consistently over time.
Our Camphor Laurel products
These pieces show how the timber performs once it leaves the ground and enters daily use.
Long Multi-Purpose Wood Board
A single piece shaped for serving and preparation. The surface handles repeated contact with food, and the grain gives each board a different look.
Camphor Laurel 30cm Salad Bowl
Holds its shape with repeated washing and use. The weight sits well in the hand, and the surface resists holding onto odours.
Oval Trinket Boxes
Fine-grained and smooth to the touch, with a noticeable camphor scent that remains even in smaller pieces. Used for jewellery and everyday items where the timber itself stays part of the experience.
Removed from the landscape, then put back into use in a different form.