In 2011, Leuca Jane Ziemons, a Scottish-born artist and educator, emigrated to Australia with her husband and young family. After gaining Australian residency, she pursued further studies in printmaking and textiles, enrolling at Edith Cowan University. It was there that she fully embraced her ancestral love of cloth, a passion deeply rooted in her heritage.

In 2013, Leuca was selected to submit one of her designs to the Fairly Fashionable runway event, organised by, her now friend, Gaelle Beech of Anjelms. It was during this event that she first encountered the term "sustainable fashion," a concept that brought together her love of design, her deep connection to textiles, and her strong values of social justice and the importance of community. This pivotal moment inspired her to align her creative work with these principles.

Melaleuca Rise officially launched as a slow fashion clothing brand in 2017, while Leuca was continuing her studies in Contemporary Fashion and Textiles at ECU. That year, she was invited by Zuhal Kuvan-Mills, director of Eco Fashion Week Australia (EFWA), to showcase garments from her graduate collection, Nomadic Nostalgia, on the runway. This opportunity introduced Leuca to a supportive community of designers, models, volunteers and advocates working to reshape the fashion landscape through sustainability, ethical practises and collaboration—a connection that continues to inspire her work.

The name Melaleuca Rise reflects Leuca’s philosophy of living in harmony with nature. Inspired by a homestead she and her husband once owned in Tasmania, it symbolises humanity’s place within the natural world. For Leuca, the Melaleuca trees rising above serve as a reminder that nature is not something to be owned or controlled but something to honour and coexist with. This ethos informs her vision to create clothing that is cherished, cared for, and passed down through generations, reimagined or creatively reused, but always valued.

Melaleuca Rise is a home for artisanal creativity, where making, mending, and sewing are celebrated. These practices have always been central to Leuca’s life, no matter where she has lived. Through her multi layered approach to life and work, she seeks to pass on these skills and inspire others to care for textiles, fostering a deeper connection to what we wear. Melaleuca Rise is so much more than fashion—it is about deeply honouring the stories and connections woven into every single thread.