Of late they are more commonly remembered as the family who had the sawmill in Nambucca Heads where the RSL carpark is now situated.

The Ellis mill built around 1895 was by no means the first sawmill in Nambucca Heads. That title goes to the pioneer Jabez Buckman in 1878, whose mill was at what is now called Gordon Park.

Buckman, like the proprietors who followed him, had timber industry experience in other areas before arriving. The Davis' of the shipwright family built sawmills from their experience gained at Brisbane Waters.

In 1882 mills were built by a Buckman-Christensen partnership and by the mariner John Eichmann.

The business of sawmilling was greatly affected by market conditions and in the book Red Cedar our Heritage by Gaddes it is noted that "After the failure of the banks in 1893 ... the mills all closed down and people went away, searching for work elsewhere".

The Ellis dynasty story begins when Alfred and Mary Ellis first came to Australia from England in 1853, setting out with one son, Alfred Edwin. During the voyage their second son, the elaborately named Hendrick Olber (known as Henry), was born. His birth was then registered at Hill End, NSW, and given the year and location, the attraction to the area must have been the gold rush.

The family grew by another six children during this time in the Bathurst area including Alfred and Henry's brother Edward, who would join the life-long business partners.

The Ellis' had established a sawmill and timber ships at the Camden Haven River before journeying north to the Nambucca. They first bought Thomas Davis' sawmill at Bellwood. Accompanying them was a crew of workers including bench hands, firemen, wheelwrights, blacksmiths and yardsmen.

They were soon joined by their wives and children. The operation of a sawmill and running a food and goods supply often went hand in hand and this resulted in them opening an accompanying general store.

One can imagine that this hive of industry complete with machines and timber, the coming and going of ships and bullock teams, and the surrounding community of workers and families, would have made the sawmill a little village within a town.

The Ellis' most noteworthy ship was the wooden coastal steamer Our Elsie built at Camden Haven and named after Alfred Ellis' daughter. When built, the ship was intended for transporting timber between the Bellinger River, Nambucca Heads and Sydney.

The Bellwood sawmill was later removed from Nambucca to what was then known as the Bellinger Heads. The machinery and boiler was transported by bullock teams. This is where Alfred Ellis opened a general store at what is now known as Urunga.

The Ellis' next and larger mill, built in 1898, was situated on the river bank where the RSL Club carpark now sits. During its' life, until it was demolished circa 1954, the mill was run by the family and managers with notable input by Dorrie and Dulcie Ellis.

Dulcie was a graduate of the Conservatorium of Music in Sydney when she was called to return to Nambucca to accept responsibility in the family business.

She grew to be known as one of the foremost business women in the district with a phenomenal ability to judge the tally of timber in a log just by looking.

Dulcie was an active member of her community as church organist and served on many committees for the betterment of the town.

During the war years, the mill was said to be worked 24 hours a day.

Once the mill was demolished the land reverted back to the Land Board and became a reserve for public recreation.

The Ellis family's business interests took in much of the NSW coast and Sydney. However the Nambucca River proved to be a place they called home with many of the family living out their days in the Nambucca Heads and Macksville districts.

Oh Mann, it's almost done

Mr Ed and a genius called Razor