The Bush Telegraph, Robyn Holland

The world’s largest eucalypt (Australiana radiata) oil plantation on the New England Tablelands has just opened its doors to tourists. Banalasta Plantation produces a range of eucalypt oil and lavender products, as well as six varieties of wine. It’s also home to World Forest 2000, where you can sponsor an endangered native tree.

Eucalypt plantation, How could this be a eucalyptus plantation? I thought, scanning the paddocks as we approached the farm along a dirt driveway. Where were all those tall, towering bushy gums I expected?

“Everyone looks for tall trees,” smiles John Wynan, the manager of Banalasta Plantation, “it’s a common misconception”. Situated on the New England Tablelands, 55 kilometres from Tamworth, the 260-hectare eucalypt plantation was established in 1997 and has just opened its doors to the public for the first time. The total property comprises 6,000 hectares and has been owned by the Blickling family since 1979.

With my first assumption quickly proved wrong, I listened carefully to John’s information about the way eucalypts are grown, the oil extracted, and finally, its amazing myriad of uses.

Eucalypts grown for harvesting only grow to tow metres high before they are cut back to half a metre. What you’ll see is a clumpy, busy tree with green and red leaves. At Banalasta, there are 1.2 million eucalyptus (Australiana radiata) trees planted between 1998 and 2001. Its irrigation system is fed by three dams and supported by 2,00km of pipe.

About half the total trees here are mechanically harvested during season, which starts at the end of October and lasts five months.

Within a few hours of harvesting, the leaves are placed into large stainless steel distillery units that operate on a warm bath principle. They boil for 60 minutes and as the steam is released, the oil is gently extracted. Using this soft extraction technique results in finer, more aromatic and fuller bodied oil.

It takes about 50 bushes to produce 15 litres of eucalyptus oil. Banalasta produces five tonnes, or 5,000 litres of oil per year.

“Much of the eucalyptus oil comes from third world countries”, John mentions.

“In Australia we actually import more oil than we produce.”

The species grown at Banalasta produces oil that is particularly good for cosmetics and medicinal purposes, as apposed to the stuff used in household cleansers and the like. Eucalyptus Australiana radiata oil has a wider anti-microbial spectrum that common eucalyptus oils, such as globulus and blue mallee. Its properties enable it to be used as an active ingredient in a wider range of consumer products, including toiletries, cosmetics, coughs and cold treatments and confectionery.

Banalasta’s own products include: essential oil, soap, face creams, antiseptic shampoo, chest rub and gift lines. It also supplies finely crushed leaf, which is used in things such as food flavourings and soaps.

Besides eucalypt trees, there’s also plenty of room for lavender and wine grapes on this diverse property.

The high altitude creates the perfectly cool weather that lavender loves. The first lavender was planted in 2000, with 12,000 plants presently covering about one hectare, which is expected to produce just 50 litres of oil. This oil is currently used for Banalasta’s own purposes and there are plans to plant more lavender in the future.

The six varieties of wine – Riesling, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir – are produced under the Blickling label.

“It is one of the highest altitude vineyards in Australia, which means the ripening process is slower, so the wine is fuller and fruiter,” John explains.

The new visitors centre makes Banalasta an appealing little stop for the New England Highway traveller. After an informative tour through the oil distillery, the lavender fields and the grapevines, you can taste some wines, enjoy a coffee or a selection of teas, and backed goodies at the cafe. Naturally all of Banalasta’s oil and lavender products are available here to buy, along with the wines. You’ll be easily enticed to take home a sample – my personal favourite, by the way, was the Natural Hydrating Day Cream.

The cafe overlooks a sample of the World Forest Plantation. This is an environmental initiative to assist carbon sequestration, combat global warming, and help save endangered native flora. The actual World Forest plantation is 2,000 acres set aside for 50 different endangered native species of tree. People are able to ‘buy’ a tree and have it planted here in honour of a baby’s birth, to remember someone who has passed on, or as a gift.