In fact, Australia only just makes the top five world producers behind Portugal, India and South Africa exporting less than 5% of the world market.

The largest producer is China. What's even more disconcerting than knowing China produces more of Australia's good oil than Australia itself, is that they produce it from trees such as Tasmanian Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus Labill.) and Queensland Peppermint (Eucalyptus exserta F. Muell.). What's wrong with this picture?

The oil itself has three end uses; medicinal, perfume and industrial (which is no longer a major product). Each species of tree has its own distinct oil and they differ so radically that some are better at producing medicinal oil but fail as an essence for perfume and vice versa. So producers concentrate on only one species per use.

Australia, from 1852-1950, was by far the largest producer of eucalyptus oil and exported it all over the world until labour costs became too high and they could no longer compete with Spanish and Portugese producers. For a while there Australia's fortunes in their own product reversed and we became a greater importer than exporter of this unique Australia product. Fortunately, this has reversed and we're now exporting more of our own produce.

It's quietly humbling to know that another country (4 other's to be precise) is beating you at producing your own product. Still, I guess that's how the French feel about California's Napa Valley and our own Margaret River wine regions.