Lockhart Shire’s Marrocka Emus has been collaborating with other emus farms and Charles Sturt University to develop new emu oils with huge health benefits to humans as well as the further development of the farms as agritourism experience for visiting groups. 

Marrocka Emu farm was first purchased as a vacant block of land in 1991 by its current owners Ian and Marilyn Marston. 

This 100 acres was not profitable as a conventional broad acre farm so various alternate farming practices were researched with emu farming as the stand out option.

The first 50 emus were purchased in 1994.

Apart from the problems arising from incubation, hatching, brooders, pens, hygiene and vaccination to name a few, feeding the mob to increase the bottom line was a challenge and all this was done by trial and error.

When it came to moving the birds and loading them to go to an abattoir was a whole new experience. It took days to move them into a paddock and load them onto a truck, whereas now this can be done in a matter of hours.

Meat was the first priority early in the history of commercial emu farming and is a healthy, lean meat full of protein. But the industry and the farmer couldn’t survive on meat alone.

Eventually the products from the oil were developed and improved. Emu oil is used as moisturisers, soaps, shampoos, lip balms and heat rubs. It is very penetrating and absorbs into the skin for a much better result than most conventional products.;

Feathers are in big demand especially as Marrocka Emus supplies the feathers for the Army’s Armoured Corp for their plumes in their slouch hats.

Leather is used to produce the lighter type accessories such as wallets and purses with the leg skin being an added feature.

Mr Marston said the industry knew the oil seemed to be helping some ailments such as arthritis but it was uncertain why it did it until about 10-15 years ago when one of the farmers suggested a certain type of emu as the oil appeared to be more potent.

“Over a few years the group had the same oil and unlike fish oil, the oil you have today is the same if not better than the previous bottle. The oil was tested just three to four years ago and it was discovered it was extremely high in the vitamin K2-MK4, an element that boosts the immune system naturally,” he said.

“The emu industry has experienced a number of concertina effects with the products. In early years there was an abundance of raw materials but few markets whereas now there is an abundance of markets with not enough product to fill the orders.”

This article appeared in the Narrandera Argus, 4 July 2024