Mallee Story

Welcome to the Oil Mallee Association (OMA) website; the mallee portal - the place for information, news and analysis on the oil mallee industry. The founders of the OMA can be justifiably proud with the creation of a new direction for agriculture and for its export to the rest of Australia. We believe that this WA innovation is as important as the no till farming phenomenon, which started in WA and has now spread across the nation.

The OMA is dedicated to the extension of mallees as a landscape scale NRM tool for delivery of environmental services to help manage excessive water in the landscape and the potential spread of salinity, reducing the impact of wind erosion and providing an additional source of income for farmers through active management of carbon sequestration and bioenergy programs.

The branding of this movement as "oil mallee" comes from the intensive domestication of the different species of mallee eucalypts and their categorisation as being suitable for different uses in different regions. The research and development over many years has resulted in significant gains in vigour (growth) and in cineole (the core ingredient in eucalyptus oil). The level of cineole is important for eucalyptus oil production but also as a deterrent to grazing while in the early stages of growth.

The development of this new website will bring together research and articles for the first time. The information is available to ensure interested parties are well informed as the new generation of carbon sequestration and bioenergy commences, following a period of uncertainty and a policy vacuum.

Mission and Vision

Our mission (enduring sense of purpose) for the OMA is to ensure mallees are adopted as widely as possible in dryland Australia and that considerations of design and grower engagement are fundamental to the establishment of this new woody crop.

Our vision (how we are perceived) is for the OMA to be recognised as the predominant authority on the oil mallee industry and that its message is transmitted throughout Australia via regional bodies and alliances; for oil mallee plantations to become an important part of the total ecosystem and a valuable addition to farming income through distributed energy programs which utilise mallee biomass in many forms.

Strategic Plan & Objectives

Objectives

The objectives of the Oil Mallee Association, as stated in the Constitution, are:

To collect and disseminate information concerning the oil mallee industry
To advocate the growing of oil mallee and production of their derivative products and/or genetics of improved or better quality
Promote the environmental service and socio-economic value of growing oil mallees in Agricultural Regions of Australia as part of a robust land use system
To represent oil mallee interests and foster strategic partnerships for oil mallee industry development
To engage and carry out activities for the betterment of the oil mallee industry
To protect and advance the brand entity and integrity of "oil mallee"
To identify and facilitate research projects and investment in oil mallee
To promote oil mallee as part of the energy and carbon cycle

Strategy and Business Planning

There is a growing need for an industry group to lead discussion, advocacy and policy change. Individual farmers and researchers need a representative voice and have strongly supported the OMA in this role, acknowledging the OMA as the primary source of advice on the Oil Mallee Industry.

The number of commercial businesses have increased to the point where a definition of what is required to drive the industry forward is required to influence policy. A maturing industry will need the support of an industry association.

The time has come to focus on those activities and projects that are most likely to succeed in the task of producing a viable and influential body.

Key Points

OMA history of innovation, entrepreneurship
Maintaining of relevance to farmers
Custodianship of important data on existing plantings
Vehicle for grants and funded projects to support industry development
Suitable (and often the only) body for collaboration with Government and University research programs
Ability to call on key industry founders to support initiatives
History of policy influence at the State and Commonwealth level
Contacts with interstate interests and potential growers
Ability to look ahead and see industry wide needs

Strategic Plan - Activities and Targets

KEY PRINCIPLE ACTIVITIES	TARGETS
PROGRAM A
Commercial and fee for service programs The development of services in the fields of bioenergy and oil production and marketing The provision of advisory services on oil mallee afforestation for generating carbon credits	Provision of economic modelling tools for oil mallee plantings Provision of remote sensing monitoring tools for oil mallee plantings Participation in developing sales contracts and assisting grower cooperatives Establishment of an OMA carbon pool Acquisition of marketing rights for oil and other products Provision of accurate information on mallee plantings in WA
PROGRAM B
Information services and education supported by funding and sponsorship Secure funding for industry development programs	Primary source of independent advice on oil mallee agroforestry in WA Secure collaboration with NRM bodies throughout the Wheatbelt of WA Recognised as capable of influencing policy to suit the methodologies and practices of mallee planting through national advocacy Independent industry spokesman with the industry's best interests at heart Strong sub group support (eg UGSOMA)
PROGRAM C
Harvester and logistics program The development of harvester and distillation technology	A reliable and well tested harvester which can be readily duplicated to provide year round harvest tasks across all regions and mallee zones
PROGRAM D
National development Development of National role and services	To achieve recognition as the pre-eminent national organisation relating to oil mallee programs

Governance

The Oil Mallee Association is an incorporated association under the WA Incorporations Act 1987. The association changed its constitution in 2009 to accommodate the adoption of a national role and to change from a regional structure of oil mallee growers to the possibility of a more broadly based organisation enabling interested people to stand for election at an Annual General Meeting of members.

The property and income of the Association shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the objects of the Association and no part of that property or income may be paid or otherwise distributed, directly or indirectly, to members, except in good faith in the promotion of those objects.

The Oil Mallee Association has a Management Committee comprising of 6 elected Committee members who meet quarterly each year. Their roles, appointment/retirement and responsibilities are outlined in the OMA Constitution. The OMA Management Committee members are:

Lex Hardie (President Elected March 2010)
Mike Kerkmans (Immediate Past President)
Elva Rolinson (Treasurer)
Karen Hunter (Secretary)
Ian Stanley (Committee member)
Dustin McCreery (Committee member)
Keith Parnell (Committee member)

Membership

Membership of the OMA is open to all interested people in the industry, to participate in:

NRM policy and promotion
Research and development
Nurseries and seedling providers
Growing, management, and processing of mallee eucalypts nationally

The OMA is keen to have a diverse membership and is keen to maintain a strong regional representation on its Management Committee.

The OMA strongly represents the interests of all stakeholders and is particularly keen to champion the interests of farmers and growers in the industry. The growers founded the Association and have retained an interest in its future development.

Please download our membership application form here or contact us direct.

We need your support.