Kōrero: Bush trams and other log transport

Skidders were developed specifically for logging. More flexible than tractors, they had less down time, trod easier on the ground, and were cheaper to maintain. The first skidder was introduced by the Kāingaroa Logging Company in 1957, but was too complex to appeal to operators. Bunn Bros introduced the first successful conventional skidder on their Matakana Island plantation forest near Tauranga, in 1958. This was a Westfall model, manufactured in Canada. Shown here is a Garret Tree Farmer skidder, working in Kāingaroa in 1971. Today skidders dominate, but tractors and haulers retain a niche role in some conditions.