Tasmanian oak

Overview

"Tasmanian oak" is not an oak. It is a trade name for three eucalypts (mountain ash, messmate and alpine ash) grown in Tasmania and sold as a pale, straight-grained Australian hardwood; the same timber from Victoria is sold as "Victorian ash" (Wikipedia). It is lighter and softer than the red eucalypts such as Jarrah.

Pros

• Light, even colour and a mild grain that suits Scandinavian-style and contemporary furniture.
• Moderate hardness and density, so it machines far more easily than Jarrah or Spotted gum.
• Priced well below jarrah in Australian retail on the figures below.

Cons

• Lyctid borer: WoodSolutions says Victorian ash is not susceptible but Tasmanian oak is, so check the sapwood.
• Prone to collapse and internal checking in drying; reconditioning is standard practice (WoodSolutions), so buy kiln-dried, reconditioned stock.
• Eye, skin and respiratory irritation is reported for mountain ash, and asthma-like symptoms for messmate (Wood Database).
• Contested sourcing (below).

Variants and subspecies

• Mountain ash (E. regnans): the lightest and softest: 1210 lbf and 680 kg/m3 (Wood Database); 4.9 kN and 650 kg/m3 (WoodSolutions).
• Messmate (E. obliqua): heavier and harder: 1520 lbf and 750 kg/m3 (Wood Database); 7.3 kN and 770 kg/m3 (WoodSolutions).
• Alpine ash (E. delegatensis): sold in the same mix.
• Victorian ash: the same group from Victoria; WoodSolutions lists 5.0 kN and 650 kg/m3. Because the name covers a mix, ask which species you are getting; the hardness range is roughly 1100 to 1640 lbf (kN converted at 224.8 lbf per kN).

Working and finishing

Softer and lighter than the red eucalypts, so it should machine more easily, but take care with drying defects and acclimatise stock before cutting. Test any finish on an offcut.

Staining and finishing colour

Its light colour should take stain and clear finishes without strong contrast; test on offcuts.

Sustainability and handling

IUCN statuses (2019, via Wikipedia): mountain ash Least Concern, alpine ash Least Concern, messmate Near Threatened. Not listed in the CITES Appendices according to the Wood Database for the species we checked; checked 2026-09, but I could not query CITES/Species+ directly. Sustainable Timber Tasmania holds Responsible Wood (PEFC-endorsed) certification and says it is working towards FSC; the Wilderness Society (Dec 2019, an advocacy source) said it had failed full FSC assessment. Native-forest logging in Tasmania is contested; per ABC News, Victoria ended it in state forests on 1 January 2024, and Western Australia did the same, so the Victorian ash supply has changed. Ask for certification, plantation or salvage provenance. Use dust extraction.

Popular projects

Dining tables, shelving, stairs and handrails, flooring, joinery and panelling.

Buying notes

Sold as flooring and dressed lumber in Australia. Australian "from" prices run AUD 63.90 to 118.55 per square metre for Tasmanian oak and AUD 107.70 for Victorian ash, equal to roughly US$4.20 to 7.70 per sq ft; US retail is higher. Messmate lists from AUD 84. Beware cheap "Tasmanian oak" look-alikes and ask the species name.