Duck Lagoon Eucalyptus Still Boiler installed in 1949 to improve eucalyptus oil harvest, Kangaroo Island South Australia
The Eucalyptus oil distilling industry on Kangaroo Island began in the late 1880s and soon became one of the islands major industries along with yacca gumming, timber cutting and possum and wallaby trapping.
Markin Tilka settled in Australia, from Hamburg, around 1880. In 1890 Mr Tilka planted three acres of assorted roses near Duck Lagoon, Cygnet River. He spent a considerable amount of money and had high hopes for producing essential oils.
Later Mr Tilka and his grandson started a eucalyptus distillery near the new plantation as it was much easier to distil and the roses needed a lot of attention. They used this as a supplement to their income. Mr Tilka died in 1914 with no one willing to carry on his dream, however the eucalyptus industry continued to boom while nothing came of the rose oil. The roses were neglected and they had all died by 1975.
The number of stills peaked in the 1930s, with a total of 52 stills on the island but only half o these were open at any one time. Many farmers operated stills to supplement their income.
The additional process of harvesting was hard work. Many long and strenuous hours were spent cutting leaf using razor sharp sickles, then loading it into horse and cart for transportation to the still.
The commercial outlet for the oil produced was F H Faulding and Co, who later purchased the property Emu Ridge for the purposes of producing oil. Today this is the only still that is in commercial operation on the island.
The eucalyptus industry was short lived and had virtually ceased around the 1950s when wool farming took over.
The Duck Lagoon Still
In the early 1900s Arthur Weatherspoon started the still. His son, Sidney then took over. George Weatherspoon installed the boiler in 1949 to make the extraction process more efficient and easier.
The boiled was retrieved from another still that had ceased to operate. Along with the boiler the second pot (the larger one) was installed. This still was a family run operation that continued to produce oil well into the 1950s.
The best time of the year for oil content is Spring and summer when up to 20 litres of oil can be extracted per tonne of leaf.
Only crude eucalyptus oil was produced. This was stores in large drums and the shipped to Adelaide to F H Faulding and Co. It was further refined and then sold locally or exported to America, Japan, France and England.
Duck Lagoon Eucalyptus Still Boiler installed in 1949 to improve eucalyptus oil harvest, Kangaroo Island South Australia
The Eucalyptus oil distilling industry on Kangaroo Island began in the late 1880s and soon became one of the islands major industries along with yacca gumming, timber cutting and possum and wallaby trapping.
Markin Tilka settled in Australia, from Hamburg, around 1880. In 1890 Mr Tilka planted three acres of assorted roses near Duck Lagoon, Cygnet River. He spent a considerable amount of money and had high hopes for producing essential oils.
Later Mr Tilka and his grandson started a eucalyptus distillery near the new plantation as it was much easier to distil and the roses needed a lot of attention. They used this as a supplement to their income. Mr Tilka died in 1914 with no one willing to carry on his dream, however the eucalyptus industry continued to boom while nothing came of the rose oil. The roses were neglected and they had all died by 1975.
The number of stills peaked in the 1930s, with a total of 52 stills on the island but only half o these were open at any one time. Many farmers operated stills to supplement their income.
The additional process of harvesting was hard work. Many long and strenuous hours were spent cutting leaf using razor sharp sickles, then loading it into horse and cart for transportation to the still.
The commercial outlet for the oil produced was F H Faulding and Co, who later purchased the property Emu Ridge for the purposes of producing oil. Today this is the only still that is in commercial operation on the island.
The eucalyptus industry was short lived and had virtually ceased around the 1950s when wool farming took over.
The Duck Lagoon Still
In the early 1900s Arthur Weatherspoon started the still. His son, Sidney then took over. George Weatherspoon installed the boiler in 1949 to make the extraction process more efficient and easier.
The boiled was retrieved from another still that had ceased to operate. Along with the boiler the second pot (the larger one) was installed. This still was a family run operation that continued to produce oil well into the 1950s.
The best time of the year for oil content is Spring and summer when up to 20 litres of oil can be extracted per tonne of leaf.
Only crude eucalyptus oil was produced. This was stores in large drums and the shipped to Adelaide to F H Faulding and Co. It was further refined and then sold locally or exported to America, Japan, France and England.