Due to increasing interest by Wheatbelt landowners in the developing sandalwood (Santalum spicatum) plantation industry and a need for grower coordination and increased access to information on all aspects of this industry, a sandalwood grower group was formed in 2003, known as the Avon Sandalwood Network Inc. In January 2007, the name of the association was changed to the Australian Sandalwood Network, a grower driven group whose momentum has grown rapidly since then.

• The ASN Inc currently has over 50 members, the majority of whom are primary producers and sandalwood growers from the WA wheatbelt. However, members also include industry, natural resource management and research representatives.
• Over 20 ,000 hectares of sandalwood plantations have so far been established in the WA wheatbelt, and each year will see this figure continue to grow.
• Plantations established to date  have been  producing large volumes of sandalwood nuts since 2010 .
• Already the sandalwood industry is significantly contributing towards employment in the wheatbelt, with many millions of sandalwood host seedlings currently being grown by regional nurseries.
• Australian Sandalwood (Santalum spicatum) is a native parasitic plant, and plantations  should provide  a minimum of two host plants  per sandalwood  tree. Host  species  are deep rooted, perennial native species, commonly  Acacia species  which provide  strong benefits to salinity problems, water quality, biodiversity and many other NRM issues in the wheatbelt.