Who is Burning Man Designs

Burning Man Designs is the creation of Walter and Tracy Ellem. We are a small business that creates custom-made products for both local and international customers. Located in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales, we’ve connected with great local suppliers who provide us with high quality and extremely pretty materials to work with.

Why did you start the business? 

We started the business from Wally’s love of working with timber to help with his mental health. In 2015 Wally injured his back, when this was diagnosed and treated with numerous rounds of physio, medications, and treatments. Throughout this, like most people going through something this life changing, he struggled with his mental health and ways to keep himself active and positive. Wally went back to working with scrap timber from the renovations and made a coffee table, and a small table for the lounge room.

From this whenever he had moments, he would get busy with something, from timber to teaching himself line drawing. In 2018 he got a 3D printer with a laser attachment and started making coasters and other 3D printed figures from the BattleTech world.

It was not until 2020 after many people commenting and asking for boards that we decided to make the business stand for itself and opened our doors creating and selling;

• Chopping Board
• Serving Boards
• Grazing Boards
• Custom Lazer etched boards
• Ceramic Tile prints

And much more when he created them, and this is how Burning Man Designs was started...  

What are your goals for the business? 

Our goal is to create a small team of dedicated people who will design, create, and supply boards and other artwork using locally sourced timbers and materials. We believe in show casing Australian gown, harvested, and made products to both local industry and the rest of the world.