The Queensland Axemen's Association is the governing body within Queensland for the sport of woodchopping and sawing.
Woodchopping is one of Australia’s oldest and most iconic rural sports, born from the skills of timber workers and bush pioneers who relied on axes and saws in everyday life. Today, the sport combines raw strength, precision, endurance, and technique, with competitors racing to cut through logs or fell timber in the fastest time possible. Events are commonly held at agricultural shows and country festivals across Australia, where the sound of axes and cheering crowds remain a major attraction.
The sport includes several disciplines, such as:
Woodchopping developed into an organised sport in the late 1800s, with formal rules and championships introduced as competitions became popular around Australia. The sport remains deeply connected to Australian rural culture and agricultural shows such as Brisbane’s Ekka and the Sydney Royal Easter Show.
The Queensland Axemen's Association is one of the key organisations responsible for promoting and governing woodchopping and sawing competitions throughout Queensland. The association helps organise competitions at regional and state shows, supports athletes from junior levels through to elite championships, and preserves the traditions and safety standards of the sport. It is affiliated with the Australian Axemen's Association, the national governing body for woodchopping and sawing in Australia.
Queensland has produced many respected axemen and women over the years, with generations of families involved in the sport. Competitors often travel across the country show circuit competing in handicap and championship events, where success depends not only on strength, but also rhythm, accuracy, timber knowledge, and razor-sharp equipment.
Beyond competition, woodchopping represents Australian heritage, mateship, and resilience. Despite modern challenges such as rising costs and reduced access to traditional hardwood timber, the sport continues to attract passionate competitors and enthusiastic crowds who appreciate the skill, danger, and excitement of elite axemanship.
2026 Membership Types -