Gums give way to Macs. Traditional Cache

Gums (blue gums, Eucalyptus species) were introduced from Australia into Africa in about 1894 and into this particular area in about 1920. Plantations were grown specifically for the purpose of creating props for use in the virgining mining industry and to 'save' our local hardwoods from over-utelisation.

Gums have prospered since then....until now.

With the downturn in the economy and the mining industry in trouble, it has become far more lucrative to remove the gums and replace them with macs (macadamia nuts). Incidentally, also from Australia. For the same area of land, profits from macs are roughly ten times that of gums! The shelled nuts are sold almost exclusively to the Chinese market.

Near the tar road one can see where gums have been removed, then fences have been erected and macs are being planted instead.