Small Business Development and Diversification grants: Manjimup’s ‘saw doctor’ establishes tourism business

Manjimup’s ‘saw doctor’ will pivot out of the timber industry and into tourism, feeling an extreme sense of relief for the first time since the State Government announced its contentious decision to end native logging by 2024. Alan Trease has been a pivotal part of the timber industry in the South West for more than 30 years, however, will step away from timber and into the tourism industry with a short-term stay accommodation project with the assistance of the Small Business Development and Diversification grants program. The South West Sharpening Service owner once serviced more than 20 mills but numbers have reduced to five major contracts in recent years, forcing Mr Trease out of the timber industry and his saw sharpening operation and into accommodation management. The Manjimup-Bridgetown Times spoke to Mr Trease after Forestry Minister Jackie Jarvis’ program announcement on April 26 — which saw eight Lower South West businesses received a share in $7 million in funding through the SBD&D grants program — who said it was “daunting” to have to make plans to move out of the timber industry but is ready to move forward. “It was pretty daunting but I’m happy now,” he said. “It’s a major relief to get this.” Mr Trease said the relief came from knowing that his retirement plan, while completely changed, was secured. “I’m relieved now that I’ve got this to start off with because this (SWSS) was my super so to speak,” he said. “So you build a business up to sell when you’re ready to retire, I’m 58 now I’d like to do that in a couple of years’ time. . . that’s just been blown out of the water. “So now this has come along which has made me feel better, I’m much happier that I’ve got something to fall back on.” Mr Trease — who was left in limbo for more than a year when the State Government first announced the end of native logging in 2021 — said his plan was to create two short-term stays on his property in West Manjimup, each containing three bedrooms and one bathroom. “It was a bit of a forced entry into it but we’re going to put a unit out on our block and turn it into a farm stay,” he said. “I’ve looked at other ones around and some of them are at like 80 to 90 per cent occupancy for the next two to three months. . . there’s definitely a market.” Mr Trease said the property has been in his family for more than 56 years and has fond memories of growing up on the site which was part of Premier James Mitchell’s Group Settlement Scheme from the early 1920s. “If you’d ask me five years ago if would I be doing this I’d have said no, I’d be doing that (sharpening),” he said. “It’s a change of life and complete change of career and life path. “It’s going to present its challenges but I’m always up for a challenge and I’ll cross the hurdles as I come to them.” Mr Trease said he would wind back operations at SWSS, however, his continued operations will be completely dependent on the rest of the industry. “It’s a bit like asking how long is a ball of string, I just don’t know,” he said. “I’ll still have customers that want saws done. . . I might be able to keep it going working out of here but it will only be a part-time job. “I won’t be able to keep my one employee employed part-time, I’ll be losing 90 per cent of my income due to the hardwood changes.” Mr Trease said he was feeling a sense of trepidation at the change in his life plan, however, was keen to continue to move forward. “You can’t be negative,” he said. “You can’t look back and go they should have done that. “The ball has been lobbed back into your court and you’ve got to go forward. “You can’t dwell on it — that’s my motto and always have been.”