Scent Travel Report Australia

sandalwood
The oldest fragrance ingredient of humankind?

Fragrant plant: Sandalwood
Growing region: Gibson Desert, Australia
Cultivation partner since: 2021
Special features: Sustainable wild harvesting and organic plantation timber from a project that originated with the indigenous communities of the Australian Central Desert. It highlights their recognition as the true stewards of the land and its resources.

"Dutjahn" is the Aboriginal word for 'sandalwood' in the Martu and Wongi languages. For the Indigenous peoples of Australia, it is a sacred tree that has been revered for thousands of years.

The long history of the Aborigines' ritual connection to this sandalwood species, endemic to Australia, is astounding: For more than 60,000 years, since their arrival on the continent, the indigenous people of the Gibson Desert are believed to have used this wild-growing desert wood – as incense for spiritual rituals and religious ceremonies, to calm body and mind, and for medicinal purposes. This is because its wood contains a precious essential oil.

The Gibson Desert, with its sandy plains, dunes, low rocky ridges, and lateritic highlands, lies in the heart of Western Australia. The climate is characterized by very hot summers. Twenty to thirty thunderstorms per year are responsible for the total annual rainfall (150 to 200 mm). The red dune fields and scrubland are almost uninhabited – yet deep within these remote areas, the Martu (Muntiljarra) people have lived since time immemorial. Their traditions include the methods for extracting and using sandalwood essential oil.

60,000 years of Aboriginal tradition

Santalum spicatum played a key role in the vision of three Indigenous elders who reclaimed their ancestral land rights and, with them, access to their sacred species—the sandalwood tree. These men recognized the need for equitable and fair representation in the sandalwood supply chain. They put their vision into action: a sustainable revival of sandalwood use, the conservation of biodiverse desert forests, the development of an Indigenous certification, and the establishment of a company based on mutual respect and transparent, ethical supply chains. For although Australian sandalwood had been exploited for export since 1848, the profits rarely flowed back to Australia's Indigenous people.

"Dutjahn is more than a sacred plant for the Martu and Wongi nations, it is a part of our soul and an important link to our spiritual identity."

The Dutjahn Project, winner of the United Nations Development Programme's 2019 Equator Prize, is based on access to the world's largest sustainable sandalwood plantation and delivers direct benefits to Australian Aboriginal communities. In addition to protecting the biodiversity of the Central Desert, it also safeguards their threatened cultural practices.

Grand Cru

Farfalla awards its Australian sandalwood oil the Grand Cru label: It impresses with its outstanding organic quality as well as its social impact. The Grand Cru project originated from the indigenous communities of the Australian Central Desert and emphasizes their recognition as the true guardians of the land and its resources.

Focus on social responsibility and sustainability

Using GPS mapping, every tree harvested from the wild is replanted in harmony with nature. Reforestation with native species contributes to biodiversity, connects remaining vegetation to protect habitats, and creates buffer zones in sensitive, threatened ecosystems. Maintaining traditional landscape management practices is crucial for biodiversity and passing on cultural practices to future generations.
Financial aid and expertise support a foundation with the mission of improving the economic viability of Aboriginal communities in Sandalwood Country. Sandalwood distillation enables the Indigenous people to live and work in one of the most remote places on Earth.

The quality of this essential oil is unique due to its blend of indigenously harvested wildwood from native areas and sustainably managed organic plantation wood. The Australian species Santalum spicatum is a drought-tolerant tree that, unlike Indian sandalwood, requires minimal use of pesticides and water. It is the first sandalwood oil we can offer in organic quality. It is extracted from the wood chips using steam distillation, with a yield of between 4 and 6.5%.

Santalum spicatum in aromatherapy

The essential oil of Australian sandalwood (Santalum spicatum) enchants with its soft, balsamic, and slightly woody fragrance, which is somewhat more intense than that of Santalum austrocaledonicum. It is an important base note in the composition of natural perfumes.
Due to its high content of sesquiterpenols, especially santalol, sandalwood oil is very skin-friendly and nourishing. Thanks to these ingredients, sandalwood oil has strengthening properties for the body's natural defenses and is a beneficial and soothing companion during the colder months. It can also wonderfully enhance hair care formulas, as it is said to have balancing and preventative properties against hair loss.
On a psychological level, it is balancing and mood-lifting, beneficial for anxiety and stress symptoms, and promotes good sleep.