White enters tree climbing champs

Tim White, from Coolum, goes out on a limb.

BRETT WORTMAN

COOLUM’S Tim White can’t seem to get enough of climbing trees.

After spending his working weeks risking life and limb as a tree feller, Tim still had the energy and the desire to take on all comers at the Queensland Tree Climbing Championships at Eumundi last Saturday.

“The boss asked me if I wanted to go in it – I’ve never been in it before – and I thought I’d give it a go,” he said.

Though he didn’t go as well as he had hoped, the 32-year-old enjoyed the challenge.

“I thought I could have done a little better,” he said.

“I didn’t really do much training up to it, which I should have done, but I left it too long.”

Tim said he started his tree cutting when he left school.

“I just sort of fell into it,” he said.

He said the job was riskier than the competition, where climbers clambered tall trees, leaping from branch to branch and carrying 80kg dummies.

“It’s totally different because when you’re cutting trees down you’re using chainsaws and stuff like that,” Tim said.

Despite the dangers of his job, Tim has suffered no major injuries... touch wood.

Queensland Arboricultural Association spokesman Scott Hanley was delighted with the turnout and especially the involvement of women climbers.

“The girls do a fantastic job,” he said.

“They have a lot more finesse and the work they produce is fantastic, and to prove it they are competing here head to head with boys.

“We certainly encourage girls to get involved. It started with one and now it’s up to four, so we hope it’s going to grow.”

Brisbane woman Isabelle Morgan made her debut last Saturday, watched by her husband, Queensland champion and Australian runner-up Henk.

Isabelle said she had Henk to thank for her interest.

“I’ve spent a lot of years watching him,” she said.

“I came to support him initially but it looked like a bit of fun so I started doing it as well.

“I guess you get sick of just sitting around watching.”