Donated wood from Timaru wharf recycled into new toilet project causes online stink

Friday, 16 January 2026

The recycled wood on the new toilet block at Timaru’s Strathallan Corner has attracted some criticism.

The Timaru District Council has set the record straight regarding wood used on the outside walls of the new toilets installed as part of the Strathallan Corner upgrade in Timaru.

The timber became the latest part of the $1.6 million redevelopment of the corner area in the central business district to attract criticism in the public area.

The project, which began in May 2025, was to have been completed by the end of July but has been hit by several delays since, with the design and costs drawing most of the frustration.

However, at the weekend, it was the wood around the outside of the toilet block that questioned.

The Timaru District Council says the wood’s “features do not indicate or cause any damage or weakness in the timber’s current condition”.

“…looks like it’s been eaten by wood borer or something ….” one person said on a Timaru social media page.

“And there is no dust or anything near the holes, so you could assume the damage is either pre-existing in the timber before installation, or the cladding wasn’t treated properly.”

Another person said “paying big money for buggered timber, what a joke”.

“They have to replace them in a year or two, the timber is being eaten away.”

The redevelopment of Timaru’s Strathallan Corner awaits completion. Photo taken, January 12, 2026.

Andrew Dixon, the council's general manager infrastructure, confirmed to The Timaru Herald that the wood was “reclaimed Australian hardwood timber from the Timaru wharf”.

Dixon said the wood had been generously donated to the Strathallan Corner project by Jmac Joinery in Washdyke.

“We chose this timber not only for its strong connection to Timaru’s maritime heritage, but also for its exceptional hardness and durability.

An aerial viw of progress on the Strathallan Corner redevelopment in central Timaru. Photo taken December 12, 2025.

'The holes visible in the wood are part of the history of its origin, as they were created by marine borers (such as sea worms, molluscs, and crustaceans).

'These features do not indicate or cause any damage or weakness in the timber’s current condition.”

Dixon said in December that 75% of the area was to be open before Christmas.

“There have been some weather delays, and we are waiting on the final handrails,’’ he said.

The corner site features a bronze statue honouring the life of the world champion boxer Bob Fitzsimmons, one of Timaru’s most acclaimed sportsmen.

The statue, created by Margriet Windhausen, was donated to the people of Timaru by Sir Robert Jones in 1987 and unveiled at the site by Prime Minister David Lange.

The statue was temporarily removed in April as work on the redevelopment began and returned to its new position in October.