Tea Tree Oil and Manuka Honey: By Jospeh

Joseph's Photograph of our Tea Tree Bush

Tea tree oil comes from steam distillation of the leaves of melaleuca alternifolia. Tea tree oil, Australia’s best- known natural remedy, is used for skincare today.

In New South Wales there is a Lake called Lake Ainsworth which is brown, the colour of a cup of black tea. Lake Ainsworth gets its brown colour from the many Tea Trees that the lake. These trees are from the Melaleuca family.

The Bundjalung Aborigines had long ago discovered if they bathed in this lake their sores would get better, and skin and hair would be smooth and soft. Today Australians still bath in this lake.

 

Emma's 'Tea Tree Bush' Drawing.

Before colonisation, Australia’s coast land was rugged and so it would have been easy to get a sore or a cut. 

The Aborigines found out that if the Tea Tree leaves were scrunched up and put onto sores, then the sores would heal. Breathing in the steam from steaming the leaves in a pot would help colds and coughs; and soaking Tea Tree leaves in water would give them a concoction that would get rid of sore throats and help skin rashes.

Today we know that Tea Tree oil is toxic to ingest, but it is still respected as a very good and powerful antiseptic. It is still used as an antiseptic for skins complaints, and in mouth wash, toothpaste, soaps and shampoos, and to repel insects. It is even used in solutions to get rid of bacteria in fish tanks. 

Erica's 'Tea Tree Bush' Drawing

Manuka is the Moari word for Tea Tree, and so the world famous healing power of Manuka Honey comes from the healing power of the Maunka Tree/Tea Tree Plant. Mom knows a story of a horse that was about to be shot/put down by a vet, as his sore would not heal up and he was in such pain. As a last resort the vet bound his wound in Manuka honey and it healed, saving the horse's life. 

Is it not amazing to see the healing power of Tea Tree oil and Manuka Honey?