Extracts from a paper Adventures in Arcadian Chemistry in which Professor Rae takes a look at wood distillation in general and lists the highlights of many wood-processing establishments in the country:

"...The two World Wars have played important roles in Australian industrial and scientific history. On both occasions , imports of many types of goods were restricted or stopped and the defence of the country was considered to be imperilled by shortages of critical items."

"Cummings Smith and Campbell founded a company in 1872 in Yarraville were they produced fertilizers amongst other things. In 1904 Cummings Jr. went on an extensive fact finding tour around the world, attended the 23 Annual Meeting of the Society of Chemical Engineering in New York. Wood distillation was at its peak in America around that time. The volatile product of wood distillation (pyroligneous acid) contained methanol, used as a solvent and as denaturant for otherwise potable alcohol, and acetic acid which could be diluted for use as vinegar. Both were used extensively as raw materials in the chemical industry. The residual charcoal had considerable value as a fuel."

"In 1905 the company started developing a wood-processing plant at Britannia Creek, just east of Yarra Junction. They took out timber leases, purchased a sawmill and built a factory on a 25 ha site obtained from the Victoria Department of State Forest. The plant was in operation from 1907 - 1924 and at times employed 100 men."

"There were several wood distillation plants in operation in New South Wales during World War 1, but things went quiet after that until the early 1940 when world situations renewed interest in alternate supplies. Professor E. E. Kurth at the University of Tasmania worked on the production of charcoal for use in automobile ‘gas producers’, and incidentally studied the volatile by-products. Kurth patented a new type of charcoal kiln which allowed for by-product recovery. Kurth Kiln was eventually constructed 7km north of Gembrook, although the by-product refinement was never implemented there. The kiln came into operation in 1942 and is still standing today."

"... the construction of a plant at Narooma on the New South Wales south coast was considered by others, but it seems not to have eventuated. A small plant was operated for a while at Mirrimbah, Victoria, in conjunction with Christensen’s saw mill, but it was never a commercial success..."