Government Saw Mill

Government Saw Mill:-About Chatham Government Saw Mill

The Chatham Government Saw Mill, established in 1883 is Asia’s largest and oldest saw mill. It is situated on Chatham Islands and is connected to Port Blair by a 100 meter long bridge. Its upkeep and maintenance are taken care of by the Forest Department here.

Tucked away at the far end of the plot, the saw mill is missed by most who do not know about it (or do not ask about it). Once spotted, it is not hard to see why it is the largest saw mill.

Though not a treat to the ears, taking a look inside the mill and following the journey of wood- from being brought in on boats, sorted, cut and stored in warehouses to being transformed into final wooden planks and sent to various destinations- is an interesting experience that one shouldn’t miss.

The bomb pit here, though not much to see, tells another not-so-industrious story of the darker days that the saw mill has seen. In 1942, during the World War II, the mill fell victim to British bombs. A pit was thus created which is now filled with water.

The Forest Museum maintained by the Forest Department is a helpful guide to the curious soul.It also has on display wood carvings made of padauk wood, wooden furniture and other woodwork showpieces like balancing dolls and salt water crocodiles.

Government Saw Mill:- How to Reach Chatham Government Saw Mill?

Chatham Sawmill lies on Chatham island, to the extreme North of Port Blair city and about 4kms from the city center. Public and private transport is easily available as it is connected to Port Blair by road. 

One can rent cabs, hire a 2 wheeler (per day basis) or take an auto (tuk-tuk) to get here. Buses ply but aren’t the most convenient option of travel, especially for tourists short on time. 

The ferry to Bamboo flat (way to Mount Harriet) is situated beside the mill. 

The Haddo jetty (where private ferries go to Havelock and Neil) is situated about 1km from here

The situated in the Chatham Islands was established in the year 1883. An amazing fact about this establishment is that this is the largest and by far the oldest saw mill in Asia. Connected to Port Blair by just a 100m long bridge, the Chatham Forest Saw Mill is preserved and maintained by the Department of Environment and Forests.

During World War II, the sawmill was bombed by the Japanese. The bomb-pit once made to survive the bombings now stands proof to the dark times. The Chatham Saw Mill is used as a storehouse for a large number of timber varieties. Some of those include Gurjan, Marble, Padauk, Satin Wood and so on.

On your visit to the museum, you can see the intriguing journey of the tree trunks turn into polished planks of wood. From being brought on boats, to being sorted, cut, stored and finally exported, the whole process is worth watching for.

The Museum within the saw mill compound was established by the Forest department here in 2006. It exhibits the richness of the Department of Environment & Forests and also tells us about the phases of history that the saw mill witnessed.

The scale models and the decorative pieces made of the varieties of wood such as Padauk, Gurjan and so on give us an insight into the forest. The souvenir shop in the museum has items with unique and delicate carvings and designs that amaze the tourists. The Forest Museum is closed on Sundays and other Industrial Holidays. It remains open from 10.00 a.m. to 02.00 p.m. on all other days.