Peter Chauncy, a former law student, pivoted a 670‑hectare farm near Canyonleigh, NSW, into a firewood enterprise after a 1987 bushfire destroyed the property. Chauncy told ABC News that the calamity, followed by a four‑year drought, forced the family to abandon their livestock operation.
He began by knocking on door‑steps along the Hume Highway, selling wood from fallen trees he cleared himself. By 1991, the side hustle had grown enough that he stopped carrying bags by hand and hired a small crew.
Today, 25 trucks load up to 12 tonnes of precision‑cut logs each day, and the company supplies about 1 million yellow‑packaged bags to 3,000 servo locations across New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia. Chauncy said sales hit a record in April 2024, even after a fuel levy was imposed.
ABC News reports that the business now operates at multimillion‑dollar scale, with contracts from major forestry corporations. Chauncy warned that a potential logging ban in New South Wales could hurt the firm, but he remains confident in the private‑land timber supply.
"Family is everything for me," Chauncy told the broadcaster. "I’ll keep moving forward," he added, hinting at further expansion as demand for firewood stays high.