Pomaderris Aspera (Pomaderris Hazel)
Owner: Gareth
The lovely solid piece of Pomaderris Hazel (Pomaderris aspera) was cut green as a sapling near the RSL memorial car park in Ferny creek Vic, right on the edge of Sherbrooke forest. There was a verdant patch of aspera regrowth and this very straight piece stood out as a candidate for a solid mountain hiking stick. My crafting notes suggest it was in November 2019, so it has been curing for some time.
I like this stick for its heft and the markings on the bark.
Pomaderris Aspera is a middle storey tree 3 to 25m tall with large soft egg shaped leaves with deep veins, dark green above, paler with rusty hairs below 4-12cm x 2 – 6 cm. The tree flowers cream between October and December. Whilst it attracts butterflies it does not attract birds. It likes moist well drained humus rich and acidic soils in sheltered forests. Tolerates frost and snow.
It is a plant from eastern and southern Australia, mostly seen south of the Barrington tops down to Wilsons prom and into Tasmania.
The Bark takes on interesting marks as lichens establish.
Pomaderris, from Greek poma, lid, and derris, skin/ fur/ leather covering, alluding to membranous capsule covering, in some species.
No real commercial uses however Nurseryman will sell it for screening or as a windbreak under established trees.
I began crafting this stick on the 1st of May 2021. No steam bending required. I used a veritas tapered tenon cutter 5/8th to shape the tip in preparation for an alpine spike. This would be a solid hiking stick. A 6mm hole was drilled for the leather lanyard. I started sanding at 120 grit, 240, 320 and then 600. The serial number oow#23 was engraved at the foot of the stick just above the alpine stick. The stick was finished with 2 coats of danish oil over 4 weeks. A final polish with Gilly’s Carnauba with a lambswool pad.
The completed stick length is 1410 mm with the rubber stopper and 1400 mm with the spike revealed. It has a top diameter of 34 mm and a bottom diameter of 25 mm and weighs 655 grams. It is suitable as a hand around hiking stick for heights of 170 cm to 190 cm. It was officially commissioned with serial OOW #23 on the 10th June 2021.
The Order Of Walkers 