NOTICE: Hard copies of the Australian New Crops Newsletter are available from the publisher, Dr Rob Fletcher. Details of availability are included in the
Advice on Publications Available.The following notes have been extracted, with the authors' permission from a series of Agnotes, most of which were developed by Ian Knox, of the Oz Rural Web site (http://www.ozrural.com), for the database of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, which can also be accessed through the NRE Web site (http://www.nre.vic.gov.au).
Product
Tea-tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) is a small paperback tree which occurs naturally in northern NSW and Queensland. Tea-tree oil distilled from its leaves (and from some other Melaleuca species as well) is used in health care and toiletry products such as antiseptics, medicated soaps and some pet care products. Most tea-tree oil was wild-harvested until the 1980s when plantations were first established.
The Australian tea tree oil standard requires more than 30% terpinen-4-ol and less than 15% cineole content; the content of the latter is higher in oils from sites further south (Southern NSW and Victoria). Production requirements are described in the Agriculture Note available through http://www.ozrural.com or http://www.nre.vic.gov.au.
Marketing
As with most essential oil crops, there are small local niche markets but most oil is exported.
Australia is currently in a dominant position with the export of tea-tree oil but new markets and new uses need to be developed.
For further information, contact:
The Secretary
Australian Tea Tree Industry Association
PO Box 20
Tweed Heads NSW 2485
Telephone: 02 6674 2925
Facsimile: 02 6674 2475
Bede Clarke
District Agronomist
NSW Agriculture
PO Box 376
Casino NSW 2470
Telephone: 02 6662 2288
Facsimile: 02 6662 1107
Dr Ian Southwell
Principal Research Scientist
NSW Agriculture
Wollongbar Agricultural Institute
Wollongbar NSW 2477
Telephone: 02 6626 1200
Facsimile: 02 6628 3264
Dr James Drinnan
Department of Primary Industries
PO Box 1054
Mareeba Queensland 4880
Telephone: 07 4092 8555
Facsimile: 07 4092 3593
Dr John Murtagh
Agricultural Water Management
2 Sunnybank Avenue
Goonellabah NSW 2480
Telephone: 02 6625 1510
Facsimile: 02 6624 5207
Farm Diversification Information Service
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
Bendigo, Victoria 3550
Telephone: 1800 150 515 or 03 5430 4444
References
Hyde, KW (Ed)
New Rural Industries - A Handbook for Farmers and Investors
Available from the Rural Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC)
Kingston, ACT 2600
Telephone: 02 6272 4539
Facsimile: 02 6272 5877
Email: rirdc@netinfo.com.au
Web site: http://www.rirdc.gov.au
Price: AUD40+8 (postage); AUD40+14 (postage overseas)
The chapter on riceflower by John Murtagh is available from:
http://www.rirdc.gov.au/pub/handbook/teatreeoil.html
Any claims made by authors in the Australian New Crops Newsletter are presented by the Editors in good faith. Readers would be wise to critically examine the circumstances associated with any claims to determine the applicability of such claims to their specific set of circumstances. This material can be reproduced, with the provision that the source and the author (or editors, if applicable) are acknowledged and the use is for information or educational purposes. Contact with the original author is probably wise since the material may require updating or amendment if used in other publications. Material sourced from the Australian New Crops Newsletter cannot be used out of context or for commercial purposes not related to its original purpose in the newsletter
Contact: Dr Rob Fletcher, School of Land and Food, The University of Queensland Gatton College, 4345; Telephone: 07 5460 1311 or 07 5460 1301; Facsimile: 07 5460 1112; International facsimile: 61 7 5460 1112; Email:
r.fletcher@mailbox.uq.edu.au[
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GK; latest update 17 October 2001 by: RF