Orbost and the surrounding East Gippsland region are navigating a major transition. With the decline of the native timber industry, the question is no longer if the region must evolve. But what comes next.
Industrial hemp is increasingly part of that answer.
Following a detailed conversation with local advocates and growers, this Q&A explores how hemp is being trialled, where the opportunities lie, and what still needs to happen for Orbost to become a functioning hemp hub.
Q: Why hemp, and why Orbost?
Garry Squires:
Orbost has been one of the main drivers for hemp in the region over the last few years. We’ve got the land, the climate, and importantly, the workforce. People here are used to outdoor industries.
With the timber industry gone, we’re looking for something that can replace that economic base. Hemp has the potential to do that.
Stan Weatherall:
We’ve also got existing assets – old sawmill sites, transport infrastructure, seed services, and farming capability. It’s not starting from zero.
Q: What’s been done so far on the ground?
Stan Weatherall:
We’ve had trial crops in the district. I have undertaken 2 trial crops. Both without irrigation. 3Ha and 4Ha. While another local crop had irrigation.
It’s been a real learning experience, understanding how hemp performs here, when it grows well, and where the challenges are.
We’ve had quite a few people from around the district come and inspect the crop, and there’s definitely interest from farmers.
Key takeaway:
The trials are already doing their job, building local confidence and sparking interest.
Q: What’s the biggest barrier right now?
Garry Squires:
Processing. That’s the issue.
Farmers can grow hemp. That’s the easy part. But you need somewhere to process it, and somewhere to sell it.
Stan Weatherall:
Decortication is the first step. Separating the fibre from the hurd. Without that, there’s no real industry.
Jeremy Thomas (HBD):
It’s a classic supply chain gap:
- Supply can exist (farmers growing hemp)
- But without processing, there’s no usable product
- And without demand, there’s no reason to invest in processing
Q: Could Orbost repurpose its timber legacy?
Garry Squires:
Yes, and that’s one of the biggest opportunities.
A lot of the machinery and processes used in timber mills—handling, moving, and processing material—are quite similar to what’s needed for hemp.
There’s real potential to convert or adapt existing infrastructure.
Q: Why focus on seed first?
Stan Weatherall:
At the moment, growing for seed gives us some flexibility.
We don’t yet have a decortication facility, so fibre is harder to process. Seed allows us to:
- continue learning
- potentially build a seed bank
- support future growers
It creates a pathway forward while the rest of the supply chain develops.
Q: How does hemp building connect to all of this?
Jeremy Thomas (HBD):
Building is one of the clearest demand drivers.
Hempcrete uses the hurd, 70% of the plant that comes out after processing. If you can grow demand for hemp buildings, you create a reason to process hemp locally.
That’s where it all connects:
- Grow hemp
- Process hemp
- Use hemp in construction
Without that end use, the system struggles to stand up.
Q: Why is building with hemp gaining attention?
Jeremy Thomas (HBD):
There are multiple drivers:
- Fire resistance: critical in bushfire-prone areas
- Energy efficiency: significant reductions in heating and cooling
- Carbon storage: locking emissions into buildings
- Healthy homes: low-toxicity, breathable walls
Garry Squires:
Given the housing shortage in Victoria, there’s a strong case for a locally grown building material.
Q: Is the market ready?
Jeremy Thomas (HBD):
It’s emerging.
Australia has around 600 hemp buildings. It’s not mainstream yet, but it’s growing steadily.
The market is diverse:
- Bushfire rebuilds
- Passive design projects
- Sustainability-focused homeowners
- Low-toxicity housing
Scaling that demand is key to unlocking regional supply chains like Orbost.
Side Story: A Chance Visit from Canada
In the middle of Orbost’s early trial phase, something unexpected happened.
Two Canadian hemp growers, visiting the region by chance, stopped in to inspect the local crop.
Canada, with its well-established hemp industry, is years ahead in terms of farming systems, harvesting, and processing. What followed was an informal but highly valuable exchange.
Stan Weatherall noted that the discussion quickly became practical:
- how to harvest hemp effectively
- machinery configurations
- handling both seed and fibre crops
One key insight stood out, the harvester already available locally was essentially the same as the one used by the Canadians.
This shifted the thinking:
- the challenge may not be equipment
- but rather knowledge, setup, and calibration
In a region still building confidence, that kind of validation matters.
It also reinforced a broader point, Orbost is not developing in isolation. There is global knowledge available, and when connections happen, they can accelerate progress significantly.
Q: Who else is part of the conversation?
Orbost’s hemp push is not happening in isolation. There are strong links forming across the Australian hemp ecosystem.
The group has engaged with key industry figures including:
- David Brian, Southern Hemp — working on scaling hemp construction systems
- Bob Doyle, Doyle Rural Services — long-time contributor to hemp building and materials
- Matthew Lariba-Taing, Australian Hemp Council — helping shape national direction through
- Andi Lucas, X-Hemp — providing insights from processing and supply chain development
- John Richardson, Gippsland Seed Services — experienced seed processing already in the area
These connections are critical. They bring:
- real-world experience
- lessons from other regions
- and a clearer view of what it takes to scale
Q: What needs to happen next?
Garry Squires:
We need a processing facility. That’s the big one.
There’s likely government funding available, but it needs someone to drive it—a proponent with the time, energy, and backing.
Stan Weatherall:
It’s a long-term play. We’re laying the groundwork now.
Jeremy Thomas (HBD):
And telling the story is part of that groundwork.
Trial results, farmer experiences, regional potential—these all help build the case for investment.
Conclusion: A Region in Transition
Orbost is not just experimenting with a new crop—it’s working through how to rebuild a regional economy.
The fundamentals are already in place:
- suitable land
- experienced farmers
- legacy infrastructure
- growing local interest
The missing link is processing.
If that can be solved, hemp has the potential to move from trial plots to a fully integrated industry—supporting agriculture, manufacturing, and construction.
And as Orbost is beginning to show, the pathway forward may not be built from scratch—but reshaped from what was already there.
Gallery From Timber to Hemp – Orbost’s Next Chapter
Disclaimer
HBD do not warrant the quality or experience of anyone listed on this directory.
We have relied on the information provided by the business and its representatives.
This site is not intended to provide and does not constitute building advice, or other professional advice.
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