From Local Plywood to Local Craft

The Staunchwood Story

For Jono Venville, owner of Staunchwood Furniture in north-east Victoria, working with plywood has become an important part of both his creative process and his connection to the region.

Staunchwood began in the hinterland of Brisbane, initially focused on hardwood furniture. After moving back to north-east Victoria, closer to home and the region’s plantations and plywood manufacturing, Jono’s work increasingly shifted towards plywood. Today, he designs his own pieces in AutoCAD and creates everything from furniture and kitchens to custom commercial projects.

Local Material, Close to Home

With Porta’s Myrtleford facility nearby and plantation timber grown throughout the region, the material Jono works with has a strong local connection.

For Staunchwood, that proximity also makes sourcing STRUCTAply straightforward. Jono can collect plywood locally rather than having material shipped from further away, and knows many of the people working at the mill.

“To have the mill here is fantastic. It’s just a bonus. And the plantation’s basically right here, so I pass the log trucks every day that head to the mill.”

Read more about the HVP Plantation behind STRUCTAply and Australian manufacturing at Myrtleford.

From an Idea to the Finished Piece

The versatility of plywood gives Jono the freedom to move quickly from an idea to a finished product. His process starts with a drawing in AutoCAD before the sheet is cut on a router and assembled in his workshop.

That flexibility has seen STRUCTAply used across a diverse mix of Staunchwood projects, from furniture and full home installations to mountain bike stands, stools and fishing rod holders.

“What I love about the STRUCTAply is the ability to dream things up in the middle of the night, come out to my AutoCAD, draw away... I grab a sheet, put it on the router, and can have it assembled in a morning’s work.”

Made for Real-World Use

One of Staunchwood’s long-standing local customers is Bright Brewery. When the brewery needed a portable pop-up bar for events, Jono developed a flat-pack plywood design complete with an ice bucket and custom engraving.

That initial project led to further tables and seating, with pieces regularly stacked, transported to events and moved between indoor and outdoor spaces. Some have now been in use for three or four years.

Knowing Where It Comes From

For Jono, choosing a locally manufactured material is also something his customers value. They increasingly want to understand where the materials used in their projects have come from.

“My type of client wants to know where their material’s coming from. So it’s just such a bonus to have Porta at your back door.”

From plantation timber and manufacturing in Myrtleford to Jono’s workshop and the finished piece, the story stays remarkably local.