FARMERS’ attitudes to trees and mallees have changed – instead of clearing them to make room for agriculture, they are being increasingly regarded as a valuable crop.

The research of Professor Allan Barton at Murdoch University has been one of the main drivers of the “Oil Mallee Project”, which aims to rehabilitate the degraded lands of the wheatbelt with mallees that have commercial potential.

“Around the time of the fuel shortages in the 1970’s, I read the results of research in Japan on the use of eucalyptus oil as a replacement for petroleum, “ said Professor Barton.

“However, I also became aware that Australia was a net importer of eucalyptus oil as a base for pharmaceutical use. With all these potential applications and markets for this oil, I could not understand why there was not a thriving plantation industry in Western Australia.”

Professor Barton has spent much of the past two decades researching the potential of oil mallees: surveying the oil content of Western Australian species and testing growth rates in test plots on Murdoch campus and throughout the wheatbelt.

“Previously, the Department of Conservation and Land Management had promoted bluegums for woodchipping,” he said.

“However dry areas like the wheatbelt needed to be revegetated with other species, and the oil mallee was perfect for planting in the region to optimise ground water control.

“My successful preliminary test work enabled the Oil Mallee Project to start immediately.”

To date, 300 members of the Oil Mallee Association are planting oil mallees over an 8000 hectare area.

Land care aside, Professor Barton believes that the eucalyptus oil derived from these trees has significant commercial potential that is currently underestimated. Much of his research has focused on the analysis of cineole – the pharmaceutically active component of eucalyptus oil.

“In parallel to the replanting work, I worked back in the laboratory on a more efficient chemical analysis for the oil in leaves,” said Professor Barton.

“Cineole enhances tissue penetration, and is currently used in externally applied treatments like Tiger Balm. This property also facilitates its use as an insecticide and pesticide.

“It has also proven to be a highly effective degreasing solvent, and following a joint trial with Murdoch, Alcoa now uses it instead of chlorohydrocarbon and hydrocarbon solvents in one of its mechanical workshops.”

Commercial production of the oil is currently waiting on investment funding, and Professor Barton is continuing to find new commercial uses for the trees.

Professor Barton said that Western Power is currently investigating the possibility of using oil mallee biomass as an alternative energy source in a prototype power station near Narrogin.

Eucalyptus oil could be extracted as a useful by-product from the process, as well as activated carbon.