History among the gum leaves

Nicole Upton hopes the end of lockdown means she can welcome people back to the uniquely Australian museum and retail shop she runs in Inglewood. The Eucalyptus Distillery Museum not only pays tribute to the history of Australia’s native oil...

Nicole Upton hopes the end of lockdown means she can welcome people back to the uniquely Australian museum and retail shop she runs in Inglewood.

The Eucalyptus Distillery Museum not only pays tribute to the history of Australia’s native oil production, it encourages visitors to consider using the natural product as part of their everyday life.

“We sell a wide range of eucalypt products, from candles, diffusers, bath soaps and salt to cleaning and medicinal products,” Nicole said.

“Visitors can book a guided tour, where they will learn about the distilling process and even get to see how it is made in our mini-distillery.”

As well as Nicole’s own signature product -eucy blue -the retail store stocks well-known eucalypt brand Bosisto’s. In 1851, pharmacist Joseph Bosisto was the first person to commercially produce eucalyptus oil when he developed a brand that has became known throughout the world.

The first recorded use of eucalyptus oil was when it was used by surgeon John White as a substitute for tee tree oil to treat the ailments of soldiers and convicts on the First Fleet. The Blue Mallee trees that grow naturally around Inglewood and Wedderburn are known to have high concentrates of cineole, which gives eucalyptus oil its pharmaceutical content. It is used to treat muscle aches, insect bites, as an antiseptic, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, the list goes on.

“The industry ended up in this area because Blue Mallee is a great eucalypt for oil distillation, it has a really high yield and it’s more beneficial if you are using it to treat coughs, colds and flu,” Nicole said.

““The Blue Mallee is a low-growing eucalypt with multiple branches that are harvested once they reach 1.5 metres tall. Within about 18 months the tree will regenerate so you can harvest them again. There are Blue Mallees in the bush in Inglewood and Wedderburn that have been continually harvested for over one hundred years””

Nicole said visitors are welcome to pop in and browse the store, grab a coffee or snack at the café and be assured all products are locally grown and made.

“It’s a great way to support an Australian industry. A lot of what you buy is imported now from China, so if you pick something up in the supermarket it’s best to check if it’s Australian made,” she said.

“The products here are local and handmade, but also expanding, I’m constantly adding to the retail space.”