THE CAPACITY TO INNOVATE — Leeson's Logging & Cartage — Servicing Gippsland's timber plantations for over 60 years.

Garry Leeson and Vicki Wright on their wedding day in 1974 (1)

1990s - Koehring Logma harvesting system was first used in Australia by the Leeson's (2)

In the 1990s the Koehring 266DL Logma harvesting system was first used in Australia by the Leeson's (3)

The Koehring Logma harvesting system was first seen when Garry went on a USA Canada tour with O Raymond. It was first used in Australia by the Leeson's (4)

Jessie Leeson Crawford pictured with her sons. She passed away from heart failure in 1981 aged 58 (5)

The empty site of Leesons new workshop before it was built in 1980 (6)

In the 1980s Leesons built a workshop at their new yard in Rosedale. The company has expanded the premises significantly (7)

In the 1980s Leesons built a workshop at their new yard in Rosedale. The company has expanded the premises significantly (8)

In 1980 councillor Vicki Leeson officially opened the extensions of Leeson's in Rosedale (9)

County 4 timberjack and 2 multijacks (10)

On the 23rd December 1980 the business became ANJORI (11)

A French/Welsh Sifer 644 in 1985 (12)

In 1985 Garry and Vicki Leeson became the owners of the Rosedale Hotel (13)

Leeson's Rosedale Hotel (14)

Timberjack Skidder and Multijack in wet conditions at Stockdale (15)

This modified timberjack was able to pull logs from the bush. It had a very big engine and wheels to deal with rough terrain (16)

This Timberijack 230 was converted to a fire tanker by Leesons. Leesons modified multijacks in order to deal with steep terrain and mud (17)

A Valmet 370 harvester at work in 2005 (18)

New tracked harvester for large piece sizes and steep slopes (19)

Rudys Rig Peterbilt truck being loaded with logs in 2006 (20)

Logs harvested and ready to load (21)

A Bell Feller Buncher tree feller machine in 1986 (22)

Leesons Western Start trucks Lil Jo and The Boss with folded skel trailers (23)

An article in 1987 showing Garry with the first fold a skel trailer to Mainland (24)

Garry Leeson with the first fold a skel trailer to Mainland (25)

Article in 1988 (26)

New article showing the Waltanna Forwarder arriving on the 4/1/1988 (27)

Logging Blockade News article cartoon (28)

Treever by Massey Ferguson (29)

Aerial shot of Burleigh Heads (30)

GN and VL Leeson signage on the Rosedale workshop (31)

Jessie and Lindsay Crawford purchase the family guest house at Burleigh Heads Queensland. Lindsay, Jessie and Murray Crawford moved to Burleigh Heads in 1972 with Lindsay flying back and forth to run the business (32)

Leesons supports the local Maryvale Pulpwood Loggers Association in the early 1980s because of a rate standoff between the contractors and APM forests. Garry served as president for 10 years (33)

Manufacturer was James Nagorka owner and developer of Waltana Tractors in Hamilton Victoria (35)

A picture of a Bell Super T Feller Buncher harvester brand new in the yard at Leesons in 1990 (34)

First B-Double in Victoria. Trailers built by Elphingstone Engineering (36)

A Kockums 880 arriving at Leesons (37)

A Kockums 880 tree king feller buncher harvesting machine at work (38)

The Kockums Logma 85-41 system at work in the bush harvesting trees (39)

A table showing the high cost of vehicle leases (40)

A table showing the high cost of vehicle leases (41)

Amcor expands plant article in 1995 (42)

In August 1995 Garry Leeson became the South Gipplsand Council executive (43)

Garry Leeson was Vice Chairman of the Australian Logging Council and assisted drawing up the inaugural Forestry Code of Practice (44)

Truck and Bus Transportation Magazine featuring the Leeson's Western Start 4694 Truck (45)

A Timberjack 1840 log forwarder in 2004 (46)

2006 - Rudy's Rig B Double Peterbilt Truck (47)

Rudy's Rig Peterbilt Truck in 2006 (48)

Shovel logging - A good example of the process where the machine on right shovels the fallen tree to the middle machine which merchandises the logs. The machine on the left then loads the logs onto the truck (49)

The APM required shorter logs for their machinery so logs were cut into shorter lengths (51)

Komatsu Harvester processing a log (52)

Automatic paint marking - Leesons helped develop this technology. The processor can identify which contractor's logs at delivery/process point which meant more efficient and accurate payment and ability to identify who sent problem logs (54)

Komatsu machine loading logs (50)

Valmet 820 forwarder with full rotation cabin (51)

Kennedy's drop deck trailer was for more volume capacity and better stability (52)

Leesons helped introduce the Timbrco TF820E processor which has a cabin able to rotate 360 degrees (53)

Leeson's requested that logging trailer manufacturer Elphingstone Engineering , from Triabunna in Tasmania, develop a system of keeping tension on the logs as trey were transported to the mills (54)