Karra Timber Boards

The fireground of the Eden Valley bushfires was the last place Brian and Sharee Westbrook expected to start a regenerative, sustainably-led local enterprise.

But the charred earth was exactly what inspired their bespoke range of handcrafted, repurposed timber products under the Karra Timber Boards brand.

“Our story started back in 2018 when Sharee and I bought our property in Eden Valley – a132 acre former grazing property with rolling grasslands, rocky ridges and escarpments, and we’re blessed to have a gorge and waterhole on the property as well,” says Brian.

“The bushfires had decimated the vegetation, with thousands of trees including significant river red gums dead, many of them hundreds of years old.”

With a shared love of salvaged timber and repurposed furniture, the couple began milling fallen red gum, and replanting what was lost in the fires.

“Our philosophy was to make the property better little by little, year by year,” says Brian. “We started milling timber in 2021 and took some of our boards to the Mount Pleasant Farmers Market and Barossa Visitor Centre, where there was an opening for cheese and charcuterie boards – that was the beginning of our journey,” says Brian.

Two years on, their timber products are sold locally and to visitors from across the world, and range from utensils, bowls, bottle openers, cutting boards and coasters to custom orders such as wine racks, vanities, coffee tables and bench tops.

Leaving a sustainable footprint is at the core of their business philosophy, which means nothing is wasted.

“We look to minimise waste and use as much of each slab as we can – and often, working with the most challenging and difficult pieces of timber produces the most character.

“It’s a passion, a love, and a way to give life to the timber.”

With more than 20 touchpoints involved in manufacturing a simple cheese board, quality control is paramount.

“If I wouldn’t buy it, we wouldn’t sell it,” Sharee says. “We look for them to go to a good home.”

Their re-use philosophy is woven into every aspect of the business, and even the gift tags are made from tree bark as a sign of authenticity.

With proceeds reinvested back into rehabilitating their property, Brian and Sharee hope to leave a legacy as enduring as the local landscape.

“It took us a long time to name the place, but we thought Ngarkondi was quite appropriate; in Peramangk it means to eat, to drink, to enjoy, and that’s our philosophy,” Sharee says.

“We love good food, wine and good times with our friends and family – a perfect Barossa lifestyle.”

Karra Timber Boards products can be purchased direct or at the Barossa Visitor Centre, Tanunda.