PURE PLANT POWER
GROUNDED IN TRADITION
Late 1880s
The Shume family emigrates from England to South Africa and Australia, seeking better health.
1885
On a farm in South Africa, Henrietta Shume starts manufacturing a herbal remedy which cures her of a breast lesion. Subsequently, Henrietta forms the South African Herbal Association. She sends letters, and a small herbal remedy book she has written, to her relations in Australia who were inspired to continue the tradition.
1900s
Henrietta and her husband, William Shume, supply herbs from South Africa to patients in Australia.
1930s
Archie Shume (son of Henry Shume, who is William and Henrietta’s nephew) starts practising as a part-time herbalist in Australia where he gathers herbs from the bush to stock his herbal dispensary.
1938
Our company founder, Lyndsay Shume, is born to Archie and Grace Shume in May in Dulwich Hill, Sydney
1940s
Lyndsay begins his practical training by apprenticeship with his father. From the age of five, he joins Archie in the mornings as they pick herbs.
1959
Lyndsay attends his first National Herbalists Association of Australia (NHAA) meeting.
1960s
Lyndsay commences formal herbal medicine study with the English college National Institute of Medical Herbalists (NIMH) and starts practising as a part-time herbalist.
1975
Archie Shume passes suddenly and Lyndsay inherits Archie’s patients but has difficulties keeping his dispensary full of supplies. The seed is planted that it would be beneficial to have good quality herbs, commercially available for all herbalists.
1988
The Herbal Extract Company of Australia (HEC) was born and Lyndsay realises his dream. The family would hand-deliver every local parcel and knew all the customers.
1993
On 8 February, HEC is registered with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA: the regulatory body for therapeutic goods in Australia, a Division of the Australian Department of Health established under the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989).
1998
Lyndsay is granted honorary life membership of the NHAA and has held the positions of secretary, examiner and treasurer.
2006
The Herbal Extract Company of Australia has five factory units in the Chipping Norton facility.
2007
Due to growth and demand HEC employs practitioner consultants for the first time.
2009
While Lyndsay is still involved, the day-to-day running of the business is with the fifth-generation: sisters Annette and Lyndall and Darryl, Annette’s husband.
2013
The company expands to a new state-of-the-art facility in Minto.
2022
We launch our new branding and website, continuing our support for the healthcare community with a wealth of herbal medicine resources.
The future
We’re here to continue sharing our knowledge while doing our very best for a sustainable future, so we can continue to help generations feel the benefits of herbs.