Through Hoo Hoo a United Forest Products Industry 

Beginnings of Hoo-Hoo in Australia

After a meeting of Radiata Pine Association members at Mt Gambier during early 1960, following discussions on the dwindling sales of various items produced by some of the members, and of the future of competitive materials to wood, it was discussed that a combined Club be formed similar to Hoo-Hoo (a fraternal North American / Canadian Group) to assist in bringing together representatives from various companies representing various sections of the timber industry. The benefit of this was to have membership from a cross-section of the Industry across Australia.

The ideas were expanded to the meeting by Lindsay Le Messurier a well-known Timber Company Director and an executive of the RPA.

During the 5th All Australia Timber Congress held during the following year, Lindsay invited a large number of guests to a meeting held at his home to discuss what Adelaide potential members were planning to expand to other states. Lindsay introduced Al Gardner from the Hoo-Hoo International Vancouver Club who was to assist in gaining the assistance of that club prior to an approach to the Hoo-Hoo International group. Al was well known to a large number of Adelaide and Interstate representatives. Al facilitated the introductions to the Vancouver Club. (Don King).

Adelaide Club was formed at a meeting held at the Aurora Hotel, Hindmarsh Square, Adelaide on the 16th April 1962. The Club was formed under the Authority of "The International Order of Hoo-Hoo" a Fraternal Order of Lumbermen, having its headquarters in Milwaukee, USA.

The first Executives elected were from numerous sections of the South Australian Timber Industry:

·        President - Bruce Mackie; 

·        Vice President - Norton Ladkin,

·        Secretary - Colin McArthur;

·        Treasurer - Ken Paterson;  

·        Directors were:

o       Lindsay Le Messurier,

o       George Carr, 

o       Brian Gun,  

o       Don Ryan  

o       Bill Rees.

Activities of the club embraced the First "Timber Industry Dinner" was held, "Tree Selling for Charities" in the main shopping street of the city; "Miss Industry Quest " was introduced; Prominent Guest speakers addressed monthly meetings; A "Toy Committee" was formed and through the State Education Department we were able to supply off-cuts of timber and plywood to be manufactured by students into toys for presentation to various charities at Christmas. The first year, 1,590 toys were painted by our members and distributed by the Lion's Club, Rotary etc.

Other Clubs such as Mt Gambier 214, Sydney 215, Melbourne217, Brisbane 218, having now been formed along similar lines and these clubs meet annually to discuss various programs and achievements at an Annual Convention.

A meeting of five Clubs was held and they discussed applying to HHI that a Jurisdiction be allocated to the South Pacific area. We were then increasing our overall membership numbers at a good rate. This was discussed with Al Gardner and Don King and as a result application was made to Hoo-Hoo International.

Mr Des Gill was travelling to Canada the UK and Europe and he agreed to visit Boston where the Hoo-Hoo International Clubs were to hold their Annual Convention for 1970. Whilst overseas Des met Don and AL in Vancouver and  Don travelled to Boston with Des. At the meeting Des presented an application to the Board subject to specific conditions which were our membership cost for a minimum of five years be no greater than US $1.99 each per annum and that any air travel requested by Hoo-Hoo International for our Board representative would be paid from our first point of entry in the US to the nominated meeting site. There were numerous other items of a minor nature.

The Hoo-Hoo International Board accepted our proposals. The first office was in Adelaide with:

• Norton Ladkin becoming the 1st President;
• Des Gill - Secretary and
• Ian Marks - Treasurer.