Our story — Meet Leanne
Back in 2015, I was living in suburban Melbourne, juggling school pick-ups and part-time work as an admin assistant at a local real estate office. With two little ones at home, life was busy, but something always felt out of sync. I wanted to contribute financially, but I also wanted time for the things that mattered – like being there for the school assembly or just sitting down with a cuppa before the chaos started again.
One afternoon, I pulled out an old candle-making kit from the back of the cupboard, something I’d bought years ago at a community market in Daylesford. I thought I'd try making gifts for friends instead of grabbing the usual last-minute box of chocolates. After a few attempts (and a couple of burnt batches), I started to get the hang of it. People began to notice, and soon I was fielding requests for birthdays, weddings, you name it.
In 2017, my husband Pete suggested I take things seriously. He’s the practical one. We agreed on a $300 budget to buy proper materials – wax from a small supplier in Queensland, wicks, and a bulk order of jars – and I set up a folding table in the laundry. I named the business Hawthorn Co after our eldest, whose middle name is Hawthorn. By the end of that year, I’d made more selling candles than I used to make working three days a week.
These days, we’ve grown a lot more – we’re based on the Sunshine Coast now and have a small team helping out, but it’s still a school-hours operation. Everything we sell is made or sourced here in Australia, and I still make time for a proper cuppa. Some habits are worth keeping.
— Thanks for supporting what started at my kitchen table — Leanne, Leanne Green
Journal
How Our Wattle Soy Candles Found Their Scent
Our Wattle Grove candle is tied to local beekeepers and their honey — here's how it all came together.
The scent for our Wattle Grove Natural Soy Candle was a little accidental at first. I knew I wanted something that felt like late September here on the Sunshine Coast, but I hadn’t exactly pinned down what that meant. Then, during one of those endless car rides when the kids are half-asleep in the back, I noticed how the roadside wattles bloomed and buzzed like they were the start of everything. It stayed with me.
A few weeks later, I was talking to Cameron from Hinterland Honey in Maleny. He supplies some of the wax for our smaller batches and sells at the same markets I used to work. He mentioned how his bees swarm wattles this time of year, and there it was — the connection. We worked backwards from that, experimenting with different oils to recreate that moment.
The candle uses a blend of essential oils and fragrance oils to balance the floral top notes with a softer honeyed finish. When people ask me how we get it to smell so ‘real,’ I usually joke that it’s eavesdropped from nature. But it’s really a lot of trial and error, with my kitchen turned into a lab and every surface covered in jars for about a month.
I’m endlessly grateful for locals like Cameron who are willing to share their knowledge. Without him describing that wattle nectar, I don’t think this candle would feel so anchored. It’s a nice reminder of how much better things get when you actually listen to people who know what they’re doing. Also, bees are terrifying up close but very polite from a distance.
So now when someone lights a Wattle Grove candle in their living room, I hope it carries some of those notes: a bit of spring bloom, a bit of Sunshine Coast backyard, and a good dose of borrowed expertise. And maybe the sound of my kids arguing faintly in the background while I test scents.
Getting the Most Out of an Oil Diffuser
Essential oil diffusers are simple but surprisingly versatile — here’s what works in our house and why it’s easy to get wrong.
I assumed when we started selling the Bamboo Essential Oil Diffuser that everyone already knew how to use one. Turns out, not so much. Between vague product inserts and over-complicated blogs, the real instructions seem to get lost. So here’s what we do, in case it’s useful.
First, less is more with oils. For a 200ml diffuser like ours, 4-6 drops of oil is plenty. My youngest once convinced me to pour in half a bottle of peppermint oil, which turned our whole house into a giant menthol throat lozenge. Lesson learned. Start small, you can always add more later.
Water temperature also matters. Always use tap or room-temp water, not boiling or ice-cold. I’ve noticed the mist works more consistently that way, though I’m no scientist. Honestly, I think half the joy is just watching that little stream of vapour go up — it feels like a party trick that never gets boring.
In terms of placement, we keep one in the living room and one in the kids’ room. The living room one gets lavender and cedarwood after dinner, or orange when I’m pretending to be productive. The kids’ room diffuser runs on eucalyptus and tea tree during winter, which isn’t magic but does seem to clear stuffy noses without complaints.
If you’re still figuring out oils, start with a simple blend — one citrus and one woody or floral is usually safe. And remember to wipe the diffuser clean every few weeks. I once left lemongrass oil residue in ours for a month, and every other scent came out smelling like a Thai takeaway. Which is nice but not quite the vibe I was aiming for.
Why a Koala Throw Makes Sense in Summer
Even in Queensland’s heat, a good throw blanket has its place — here’s how we use ours when it’s too warm for layers.
I get a lot of questions about whether blankets sell in Queensland, especially during summer. The answer is yes, surprisingly. But it’s not what you’d think. Our Koala Plush Throw Blanket doesn’t go on beds in February. It lives on the couch or in the car.
Couches are where Queenslanders spend evenings retreating from the heat, thanks to air-conditioning and ceiling fans. In our house, the living room turns into a sort of evening bunker. The kids will fight over the throw (even though they’re perfectly happy to share everything else, obviously), which is why we have two on rotation now.
Their other job is during road trips. If you’ve driven between Noosa and Brisbane at night, you’ll know how quickly it cools down inland, especially around the Glass House Mountains. The throw doubles as an emergency pillow or fort-building material when we’re stuck in traffic for an hour.
The reason it works, even in warmer weather, is the fabric. It’s soft but light enough not to smother you, which is crucial when you have two kids who somehow turn into radiators when they fall asleep. They’re also machine-washable, because obviously somebody will spill something on it, usually Milo.
So yes, they’re still useful when it’s 32°C outside and muggy as all hell. Just not for the reasons you might expect. Sometimes I think the unpredictability of where they end up is half the fun of having them around.
The Story Behind the Name Hawthorn Co
Hawthorn Co is named after a small moment that turned into something much bigger — here’s how that happened.
When I started this business, Hawthorn Co wasn’t even a name yet. It was just ‘Leanne’s candles’ or ‘that lady at the market with the wattle scent.’ The proper name came later, when it felt less like a hobby and more like a real thing.
Hawthorn came from my eldest, who was obsessed with trees at the time. They’d point them out on the way to school and give every big tree a name. When we passed a hawthorn once, they said, ‘That’s Mum's tree.’ It stuck. I don’t even know why — I guess because I needed something that didn’t feel too flashy or forced.
The ‘Co’ part is a little joke. It was just me back then, but I thought it sounded less lonely to pretend there was a whole company. Now there’s two part-timers who help me pack orders during school hours, so maybe I was just being optimistic.
It’s funny how the name has grown into itself. People ask all the time if it’s because of the Melbourne suburb or some kind of plant symbolism. I usually let them believe the suburb thing. Explaining the tree story takes too long, and it’s still a bit personal in a way I struggle to articulate.
If nothing else, it’s a reminder that this whole thing started as a way to carve out my own little corner. Every time I see the name on a box, it feels like a small reclaiming of that space. And maybe that’s the whole point.
The Chaos of March and Easter Prep
Easter orders turn March into a sprint — here’s what it looks like behind the scenes when the house becomes a post office.
March is always a bit of a blur around here. Easter is one of our busiest times, right behind Christmas, and everything seems to happen all at once. The kids start new school terms, my inbox explodes, and every flat surface turns into a packing station.
This year, we’ve had about 120 Easter orders already, mostly for candles and throws. The throws get wrapped in kraft paper and twine, which is slower than just folding them into a box but looks nicer. One of the kids’ friends asked if we were wrapping presents for an entire football team. That’s not entirely wrong.
The hardest part isn’t even the packing. It’s managing stock. Last year, I completely ran out of eucalyptus-scented candles by Good Friday and had to make an emergency batch on Easter Sunday while the kids hunted for chocolate. This year, I’ve made double, just in case. Hopefully that’ll last, but who knows?
The other fun bit is post-office runs. I try to consolidate them, but with so many orders coming in, I end up going nearly every day for two weeks. One of the posties calls me ‘Throw Blanket Lady,’ which is not a nickname I expected but am cautiously embracing.
By the time April hits, I usually feel like I’ve run a marathon. But there’s something oddly satisfying about seeing everything packed up and on its way. Even if it does mean eating dinner surrounded by boxes for a month. Worth it, I think.
Customer reviews
Sophie T. — Fitzroy, VIC — 2024-03-15 — 5/5
Beautiful candle!
Ordered the Wattle Grove Natural Soy Candle and it smells amazing! It arrived perfectly packed and even faster than I expected.
James R. — Newtown, NSW — 2024-06-10 — 4/5
Soft and cosy
The Koala Plush Throw Blanket is super soft and warm. Delivery took a little longer than I'd hoped, but it was well worth the wait.
Ella M. — Paddington, QLD — 2024-12-05 — 5/5
Exactly what I needed
This Classic Leather Journal feels durable and looks even better in person. It’s perfect for my daily notes. Delivered on time!
Daniel K. — Hobart, TAS — 2025-01-18 — 4/5
Lovely addition
I bought the Bamboo Essential Oil Diffuser as a gift. The recipient loved it, though I wish it came with a couple of essential oils to get started.
Bianca S. — Northcote, VIC — 2025-02-09 — 5/5
Stylish and functional
The Recycled Glass Vase Set adds so much character to my living room. Everything arrived safely and was well-packed.
Liam A. — Fremantle, WA — 2024-07-22 — 4/5
Great diffuser
The Bamboo Essential Oil Diffuser works perfectly and looks great on my shelf. The only downside was that shipping to WA took a little longer.
Olivia H. — Manly, NSW — 2024-11-01 — 5/5
Perfect gift
I gifted the Classic Leather Journal to a friend, and they couldn’t stop talking about the quality. Quick delivery too!
Henry G. — Subiaco, WA — 2024-05-17 — 5/5
So cosy!
The Koala Plush Throw Blanket is incredibly soft. It’s quickly become my favourite thing for lounging on the couch. Arrived sooner than expected.