By now you probably know that we’re based in Tasmania, an island off an island at the bottom of the world.
We share this wild space with towering trees, rugged peaks, sharp toothed marsupials, colourful locals and, occasionally, the disappearing tip of a Thylacine’s tail (this stripy dog/tiger has been extinct since the 1930s… allegedly).
If you’ve ever put our beauty care on your bod, you’ve no doubt felt this touch of wildness too.
Crafting lovely things from raw, rare and real Tasmanian ingredients is one thing… but why are people paying good money for empty bottles – yes, this is actually happening – just because they’re from Tassie?
Air so extraordinary they export it
Of all Tasmania’s natural assets, one you can’t hold or see is getting the most attention.
The air!
If you’re craving a big, cool drink of the world’s finest lung juice, get yourself to Cape Grim. This far flung tip of North West Tasmania is home to the Cape Grim Baseline Air Pollution Station, a government operation that measures global air quality.
Because there’s nothing between Cape Grim and the southernmost tip of Argentina, the air that pummels this wind-beaten ear of Tasmania is remarkably fresh and utterly clean, purified by a vast and empty expanse of ocean.
That’s why a company called AirBubble is pumping it into bottles so people can carry it around and take a breather in board/bored meetings. (It would be funny if it wasn’t such a sad indication of the state of our planet.)
Meet Tassie’s natural air filters
Before HEPA filters and air scrubbing headsets were a thing, Mother Nature did a pretty good job of keeping her skies clear and ozone clean. The reason Tasmania’s Cape Grim enjoys such crystalline air is for a couple of reasons related to nature’s intelligence.
The Roaring Forties: The winds that rip through Tasmania are so strong they have a name – the roaring forties. These westerly winds travel for thousands of miles over the Southern Ocean without crossing any land masses or significant pollutants, reaching speeds of 200 kilometres an hour and creating 10 metre waves!
Towering Trees: Tasmania is also home to Australia’s largest and tallest trees. Known to locals as Swamp Gums, these behemoths can reach heights of 90 metres and bellies of 20. When the Roaring Forties whip through the forests, the air takes on a distinctive hint of eucalyptus. During spring and summer, the Australian native plant Kunzea ambigua adds to the aroma party with its small white flowers that suffuse the atmosphere with a sweet honey scent. Also known as ‘White Kunzea,’ ‘Tick Bush’ or ‘Sweet-Scented Kunzea’ can be found in coastal areas of Tasmania and eastern Australia.
So, you want to be an air farmer?
In the mid-2010s, clever entrepreneurs came up with a way for people to experience Tasmania’s exceptional air by packaging the air in aerosol cans and selling it commercially.
With brand names like Cape Grim Air, Paradise Air, and Green & Clean, these air farmers promised consumers “a small piece of paradise to wherever you are in the world, bringing relief from daily pollution, stuffy office buildings, long bus rides or even just to treat your body.”
As reported by Inhabit.com, the cans were being exported for sale in China, where nearly 4,000 people die of air pollution-related ailments each day… but were marketed to tourists who want to take a bit of their trip to Australia back home. These souvenirs weren’t cheap. A seven-litre aerosol can of Cape Grim Air retailed for 24 bucks!
Alas, the fad proved to be just that.
As of writing, neither Cape Grim Air, Paradise Air, nor Green & Clean have operating websites. So, the best way to experience Tasmania’s wonderful air is to book a trip to the island and breathe it in for yourself.
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