The Eucalyptus Factory on Nullo Moutain

THE EUCALYPTUS FACTORY ON NULLO MOUNTAIN.

Bremmer Morrison.

After World War II Bill Bennett and the folk from the store tried to start up a Eucalyptus Factory on Nullo Mountain

They cut branches of the Eurabbie Blue Gums and transported on horsedrawn waggons to their still, which they had set up on the creek (near the headwaters of Cox's Creek)

The still was made from several ship's tanks that were placed over a fire. The tanks were with the creek water and the branches of the blue compressed inside. From the screwed-on roof of the tank there was a pipe that lead under the creek and down to the container. The steam from the boiling water in the tanks combined with the oil from the blue gum leaves and as it ran through the creek and cooled, the oil condensed out, and so it was eucalyptus oil that dripped into the container. Some of this eucalyptus oil was sent off for testing and was stated to be some of the best quality oil produced in N.S.W.

There were hopes of doing well from it but the 'factory' did not for very long, perhaps because the set was so primitive and it took such enormous effect collecting branches in the mountains and keeping up the supply. 

There is a pamphlet put out by the Dept. of Technical Education (Museum of Arts and Science) in 1952 that deals with the production of eucalyptus oil in just such a manner as Bremmer Morrison describes. They mention many gums, but NOT Eurabbie Blue Gums, as suitable. Perhaps this Blue Gum is rare and this is why it was such high quality? It seems to have been quite a thriving industry then.

It seems obvious from their instructions that there were big problems in obtaining a large enough area to keep up the supply of fresh leaves.

Ref: “TELL IT NOW” 1990