AGM & Members Meeting

Thank you to everyone who came along to our AGM last month. We always thoroughly enjoy the conversations with our members and the connections made on the night. We heard from Chris Ennis from Ceres Fair Wood, congratulated Ben Adams our 2025 Vic Wood recipients and last but not least, we introduced our new volunteer committee.

A big thank you to Chris from CERES Fair Wood for his presentation on the night about “Crafting Tomorrow.”

CERES Fair Wood is a not-for-profit social enterprise located in Preston, Naarm, on Wurundjeri Country. Launched in 2018 as part of the wider CERES community—an organisation dedicated to environmental education, sustainability and regenerative practices—Fair Wood exists to change the way we think about timber.

Their mission is to create a fairer, more transparent and ecologically responsible timber market in Australia. They work closely with small-scale growers, millers, regenerative land managers, and urban foresters across Victoria and Tasmania. Rather than relying on large industrial supply chains, CERES Fair Wood champions locally grown, ethically harvested and responsibly processed timber, all of which is available through their Preston warehouse.

By focusing on traceability, fair pricing, and low-impact forestry, they help support healthier forests, thriving regional communities, and more sustainable choices for makers, builders and designers.

A few interesting things we learnt from Chris:

• Around 10% of the timber coming into Australia is illegally logged.
• The greater Melbourne area is home to around 30 million trees.
• 500,000 trees die, fall, or are removed, mulched, or dumped each year in Victoria.
• Victoria is home to approximately 400 small-scale tree growers and members of the Otway and the Gippsland Agroforestry Networks.

Ben Adams – Vic Wood Scholarship recipient.

We were incredibly lucky to have Ben Adams join us on the night, travelling all the way from his home in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland to accept his Vic Wood Awards. Ben shared a heartfelt and generous speech that really resonated with the room, offering insight into his practice and the journey behind his award-winning work. It was a reminder of why we celebrate makers like him—thoughtful, skilled, and constantly pushing their craft. We’re looking forward to see the beautiful projects his scholarship will inspire.

Ben has been keeping busy crafting some stunning Travishers, and we thought you might like to take a look… 

See them here

Introducing our new committee

We enjoyed many conversations among members during the night, and the AGM ran smoothly. We’re welcoming some fresh faces alongside returning volunteers.

In big news, Stephen Ziguras is passing the presidential baton to David De la Cruz. We’re deeply grateful for the time, care, and energy Stephen has devoted to the organisation, and for the countless ways he has helped the VWA grow and thrive. David, who has been involved with the committee for several years, is now taking the lead, and we’re excited to see his direction for the VWA moving forward.

And finally… A Warm Thank You to Stephen Ziguras

At this year’s AGM, Stephen Ziguras decided it was time to pass on the baton of the role of President.‌ For the past five years, Stephen has led the VWA with generosity, steadiness, and a genuine passion for our community. 

Fortunately, Stephen will remain on the committee board, so we will continue to benefit from his knowledge and experience with the VWA.

The VWA is deeply grateful for the time, care, and energy he has devoted to our association.

Thank you Stephen!