It has been an incredible journey to Doodlakine for Mizzi’s Gourmet Salt and Skin Care Owner, John Michael Mizzi.
Before arriving in Western Australia, John spent much of his life on the remote Mediterranean island of Gozo, Malta. John loved the natural beauty of the island with its beautiful rocky landscapes and towering cliffs.
It is Gozo’s ancient history that changed John the most. Gozo is home to some of the oldest temple ruins on Earth, dating as far back as 3600BC. These ruins inspired John to connect with the energies of nature and so became a Shamanic Pagan after studying the spirituality and life of these ancient people. For a time, John shared his knowledge of the temples and his spirituality with tourists to the island, taking them on night and day tours to relive life in those ancient times.
As Gozo increased in popularity as a destination for tourists across Europe, things began to change. Uncontrolled concrete constructions that are out of sync with the local environment are overrunning the island. Even the once pristine Mediterranean Sea is being increasingly spoilt with pollution. It became time for a change.
Being surrounded by sea, Gozo was a major producer of salt. To take advantage of this natural resource, John’s ancestors were artisanal salt makers for generations. After extensive research, John knew that Western Australia is the place to be for the best pure salt. Much of this ancient land once was covered by a great inland sea. This inland sea was rich in healthy natural minerals that shine through unique flavours in some of Mizzi’s salt. Fortunately, John found a parcel of land, 150 hectares, in Doodlakine 215km East of Perth. It lies in the middle of an ancient paleochannel that is part of the Yilgarn River. The Yilgarn River is on the Yilgarn Craton and has not changed for thousands of years.
The paleochannel is vast and deep and is full of really old artesian saltwater. We drilled 50m underground and could not reach the bottom.
One notable discovery is that with increasing depth, the saltiness of the water also increased. Luckily on John’s salt farm, he discovered several excellent saltwater springs. He uses these springs to fill the salt pans with environmentally friendly solar-powered water pumps.
John was excited to begin the commercial extraction and processing of the artesian saltwater at the beginning of 2021 to create fine quality gourmet salt products. The salty basin where he produces the salt contains no flora or fauna, keeping the operation environmentally friendly. Technically, his processing helps the environment by reducing the saltwater table in the region. To promote the ecology further, he also continually plants salt-tolerant native plants and trees that attract the local wildlife.
While in Europe, John studied the healing and skin rejuvenating powers of quality clay, brine, and salt. The key to the clay’s effectiveness for skin rejuvenation is the proportion and abundance of minerals and trace elements. One advantage of this ancient land is that the underground artesian brine is rich in the concentration of minerals, making it ideal for skin health. John’s natural skincare products are unique on the market.
John’s desire to learn, experience, and create continues to grow. As he expands his horizons, he will always look to share what he has been blessed with.
For more information about John and the gourmet salts and skin care products from his website visit https://www.mizzis.com.au
Come and have a chat with John at Booth E6 at the Conscious Living Expo. November 20-21 at UWA
