From a young age Robert Tillman aspired to be a farmer but initially, life had other plans, and he found himself working as an accountant, and living in a small house on a two acre block of land in the Northern Rivers of NSW, Australia.

In 1988, aged in his early 30s, the seed of what became his tea tree oil dream began to emerge when he accepted a position with a company (Australian Plantations) undertaking the first successful large-scale planting of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree).  In 1999, after more than 10 years at the forefront of the developing tea tree oil industry, his purchase of a small parcel of land on the outskirts of Lismore and the subsequent establishment of the aptly-named Stepping Stone Plantation saw his tea tree oil dream realised.

In the early years, Robert juggled his full-time job as Financial Controller of Australian Plantations with working weekends and after hours on the farm.  With the support of his wife Wendy, and their three teenage children, they managed to plant the first trees in the summer holidays of 1999/2000.

As the trees began to yield, Robert transitioned to a full-time grower in 2005.  Today, Stepping Stone Plantation has expanded to over 160 acres and almost 1.5 million trees, while also being home to a significant koala population and a small herd of cattle who assist with grass and weed control.

With Stepping Stone Plantation encompassing multiple properties, Robert and the team are kept abundantly busy, ensuring the plantation runs smoothly. 

Over the past 33 years Robert has been actively contributing to the growth of the Australian Tea Tree industry; from agronomy through to marketing and safety and efficacy research, Robert’s involvement and commitment is ongoing.