July 07, 2020

Australian Eucalyptus Blue Mallee Essential Oil

History

The eucalyptus oil industry is an important and colourful part of Australia’s history.

It began in 1852 in Victoria and became well established by the turn of the century, when Eucalyptus oil became a major Australian export overseas. Eucalyptus leaves have been used as traditional medicine by Australian Aboriginal people long before industrialisation made Eucalyptus essential oil a commodity. The owners of the land used would cut the virgin scrub by hand with slashers and special sickles and use the oil as medicine for fevers, chills and body aches. In recent years, this distinctively Australian industry became the major supplier of Eucalyptus oil to world markets.

Harvesting

Imagine warm yellow tones with hints of green foliage across what may seem to be a never-ending flat dryland. Welcome to the Australian Wheatbelt. The Wheatbelt is one of nine regions of Western Australia and is characterized by a cool wet season, which charges the soil with virtually all the moisture that the crops will receive prior to harvest, followed by a warm dry season. Locals and travelling holiday-makers harvest Eucalyptus leaves and branches year-round depending on the weather. Almost all the trees harvested are in belts on local farms, and were planted to stabilise the soil, reduce salinity and wind erosion. After the harvest, the trees typically start to coppice within 6 weeks and are ready to re-harvest in 18 to 36 months.

Distillation

In steam distillation, the biomass is directly contacted with steam; the techniques are considered user-friendly, scale up easily and environmentally-friendly. A solid fuel boiler is used which is fired by spent biomass (eucalyptus leaf and twig after distillation). The boiler produces 500kg of steam per hour at 100 to 120 degrees. Steam generated in a boiler is passed through the bed, so that the essential oil in biomass is leached out to the steam. To prevent the degradation of oil quality, the steam temperature is controlled between 90 ºC and 100ºC. Then, the steam-oil mixture is passed through a water condenser and the products are separated in a decanter, resulting in 100% pure essential oil.

Community & Environment

The trees grow in a sustainable cycle and some oil mallees have been harvested for in excess of 100 years. A spent (cooked) biomass is used to fuel the boilers and local distillery owners are now looking to add pyrolysis and production of biochar to add value to the business and community. The oil harvest and distillation process are the largest employer in the town and have been growing in the last few years.

Shop Eucalyptus Blue Mallee

Blue Mallee Eucalyptus has a warm and clearing aroma, reminiscent of a soothing day spa. The familiar camphorous scent of Eucalyptus is medicinal and clearing to the mind. Well-known for its healing effects on the respiratory system eucalyptus is an antiseptic, expectorant and may help reduce fever.

Shop Now

What are people saying about Australian Eucalyptus (Blue Mallee)?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"I love the smell of the blue mallee eucalyptus it’s so beautiful. Reminds me of my childhood and the eucalyptus trees around."

Tina A. Australia

Author: Georgia Doherty
Marketing Assistant

Georgia is the Marketing Assistant at ECO. Modern Essentials. Georgia oversees the company's social media platforms, helps coordinate brand collaborations, creates content + DIY recipes and manages ECO.'s affiliate program. She is a qualified Beauty Therapist with extensive Dermal Therapy qualifications and a Diploma in Training Design & Development. Georgia is passionate about leading a happy & healthy life and helping educate those around her.

Learn more