Sandalwood (Santalum spicatum) is a tree native to Western Australia. It is a rapidly depleting timber commodity with an ever-increasing global market.
Sandalwood (Santalum spicatum) is a tree native to Western Australia. It is a rapidly depleting timber commodity with an ever-increasing global market.
Sandalwood has been exported from Western Australia since the 1840s and was the State's primary export earner.
By 1920 over 300,000 tons of sandalwood had been exported to Asia, equivalent to almost 10 million trees and 15 thousand sea containers.
Sandalwood was once widespread throughout the southern part of Western Australia. Aggressive harvesting practices and clearing for farmland resulted in the tree almost being wiped out within what is now called the Wheatbelt. Government controls were introduced in the 1920s to protect the remaining natural stands and to ensure the sustainability of the industry.
There are no restrictions on harvesting or selling plantation trees.
