Bosisto's History

The founder, Joseph Bosisto (1824-1898) was a renowned pharmacist with a thirst for knowledge and a passion for the healing arts.  Born in Leeds, England in his early 20’s he studied medicine and obtained certificates from the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain where he was eventually made an honorary member. In 1851, Bosisto moved to Victoria in search of gold but in actual fact he spent more time studying local flora in the Forest Creek goldfields than actually digging for gold. He established a successful pharmacy and became known in Victoria as “Doctor Bosisto.”  After striking up a friendship with Ferdinand Mueller, the Government Botanist in Victoria “Bosisto” would eventually become a household name.

Already keenly interested in the eucalyptus plant and its multi-faceted uses, Joseph Bosisto with the encouragement of Ferdinand Mueller began to explore eucalyptus oil on a commercial basis. With his far-reaching vision of the uses of this plant,  Bosisto set up a small eucalyptus oil distillation plant near Dandenong Creek, Victoria in 1852 making him the first person to produce eucalyptus oil commercially. Bosisto went on to build more distilleries successfully distilling eucalyptus oil that was used in a wide range of medicinal products.

With its varied uses in different medicinal products, Bosisto quickly became a household name. His most famous trademark, the parrot sitting on the eucalyptus branch, inside the yellow circle is well-known and a familiar sight to every health-conscious person. By 1865, his products were known in Britain and later in Europe, India, South Africa, and the U.S. in 1877