About Us

Arbuthnot Sawmills Pty Ltd is a family company established on its present site in Koondrook, Victoria by Alexander ( Sandy ) Arbuthnot in the year 1889.

The name of Alexander Arbuthnot is synonymous with the days when Paddle Steamers were more than Tourist attractions. “Sandy’s enterprises included building of paddleboats and barges for the busy river trade along the Murray River. The “Alexander Arbuthnot” paddleboat, built in 1923 in Koondrook is still in service as a tourist attraction at the Port of Echuca, Victoria. At their peak “Sandy’s” enterprises employed Two hundred men, between the sawmill, ship building and timber getting.

Since 1889 Arbuthnot Sawmills have played a major role in the social and economic viability of Koondrook and surrounding area. Today the mill employs fifteen full time employees, plus six contractors who do our logging in both Victoria and NSW. The sawmill today is a modern timber processing plant with automatic equipment which is a far cry from the days of steam power and heavy manual work.

In 1994, the mill added a kiln drying plant to value add to the Redgum timber resource. With kiln dried timber, new products including furniture, flooring and benchtops are now readily available.

An educational and tourist walkway was built in 1998, this walkway allows the public safe access to view the processing of raw logs into high value furniture and a range of other Redgum timber products.

Arbuthnot Sawmills Pty Ltd, is now well into its second century of sawmilling on the same site where its founder Alexander (Sandy) Arbuthnot commenced this great enterprise. Sustainable harvesting of the regeneration Redgum forests of the Murray Valley, together with the continued sound management of the mill will see the legacy of “Sandy” continue in perpetuity.