Published: Monday, 1 July 2019 at 11:29:54 AM
When Mid West Ports Authority upgraded part of the Geraldton Fishing Boat Harbour last year, dozens of timber piles were destined for the skip bin.
Determined to salvage part of Geraldton’s history and promote sustainable practices, MWPA set out to give the dilapidated wood a new lease on life.
MWPA team member Julie Higgins had the vision of upcycling the old timbers and piles into a board table for our recently opened West Perth Office.
“The Fishing Boat Harbour has always been a staple of Geraldton history and we wanted to connect our Perth office to the area’s culture and its maritime past,” Julie said.
With the idea given the green light, local furniture designer Max Royce was commissioned to undertake the unique upcycling project.
With the help of the MWPA Maintenance Team, Max was able to sift through the large pieces of timber and deliver the finds to his Greenough workshop.
After coming up with a concept design, Max set to work restoring the pieces of timber and transforming them in to a 5.5m x 1.7m boardroom table.
Less than a month after beginning the project, Max had delivered and installed the new table on the third floor of the West Perth building.
MWPA Chief Executive Rochelle Macdonald said the table has been a fantastic team project and was now a staple of the Perth office.
“This project is testament to what can be achieved when creative ideas are connected with opportunities,” she said.
“What could have been left as rotting wood destined for landfill has been given new life because our team were ready to accept a unique challenge.
“Max was able to capture the essence of the Port of Geraldton and our board were very appreciative of his efforts.”
MWPA were able to hold their first board meeting with the new table in April.
The project aligned with several of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, including 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production.
Back to News