Winter 2019 - OZ 9 Greens Pool and Sandalwood Factory

2019 - OZ  9    Greens Pool and Sandalwood Factory

Calm, Sheltered Beach

Great Area For Kids

Map of the Greens Pool Area

Near Denmark, a town in Western Australia (WA), is a wonderful beach. The ‘Greens Pool Beach is very protected by rocks, forming pond-like sections for swimming. The rocks provide protection from the ravages of the great Southern Ocean. The water near the beaches is not as wavy as the ocean, the rocks are natural bulwarks and make for peaceful, idyllic settings. I saw many families with small children who visited the water, splashing around, having a good time; looking for creatures in the tidal pools that are all around.  A 
staircase, which later on splits into sections, leads from the road down to the water and Australia, or is it the Town of Denmark, made wonderful use of nature around here.  

I am not a beach buff, but I was impressed by how nice and natural the area was. I just took some pictures and moved on, but for beach lovers… I cannot see a better setup possible around WA.

Sandalwood Factory:

One Lonely Sandalwood Tree

I anticipated a visit to a workshop but was disappointed to visit a store instead.

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I learned a bit about sandalwood while in India and then later in Bali and I looked forward to seeing how this wood was being treated here. I was disappointed. Outside the store is one tree, a sandalwood tree. Sandalwood grows slowly and the wood carries oil that can be pressed or distilled out of it for the famous Sandalwood oil. Sandalwood oil is an essence that has been around for millennia and is highly revered among some religions. 

Mostly Just a Commercial Operation

While in India I felt the awe, the reverence this wood produces in the Hindu people. In Australia I saw a very, very commercial steam factory that crushes wood, presses out the pulp, and uses its products as a pure business venture. There was ‘some’ attempt within the shop attached to the factory, to ‘honor’ the wood but it was a miserable failure in marketing. The products made with their Sandalwood oils were lifeless, commercial, lacked appeal. 

Very Pricey Hunks of Wood

One section of the shop was set up for aroma therapy, but nobody was around to use it. 

Some pieces of the wood were cut up and offered just as wood, not as oils, but the prices were outrageous. 

Sandalwood is a gnarly wood. The wood is a blend of light and dark wood and while the dark parts of the woods contain more oils, the light wood is preferred by wood carvers to make ‘clean’ statues.

Mature Trees Can Be Gnarly

Sandalwood  takes its essence from the soil it grows in, from the climate it grows in, from the time of year it is harvested. Sandalwood trees grow slowly. Given all the reverence this wood receives worldwide, I anticipated a more jewelry-like set-up in Australia. The commercialization of the specially grown and harvested trees however, as done in Western Australia today, makes for a sad way of making money.

While highly anticipated on my end, it was one of the greatest let-downs I had in Australia.

Showing the Multiple Colours In One Piece of Wood

Don’t buy Sandalwood from Australia; it’s not the real thing. It’s a pity people fall for this stuff they call Sandalwood oil today, it’s not the right species of tree, it’s not old enough as a tree, it’s not what you really want, believe me. And the wood I saw is useless to the carvers, way too knotty, way too impure.