Settlers Original Insect Repellent is a product line created to solve a problem; a problem everyone in the world has dealt with at some point in their lives. Flies and mosquitoes.

 This story starts from the back of a farrier trailer in Toowoomba, Queensland…

Settlers co-founder Ben was a farrier-blacksmith for over 15 years, working throughout southern Queensland. From the South-East to the West, he would service a large variety of clients in a wide range of conditions. One of the things his clients loved was the cowboy tinctures that Ben would sell from his trailer while shoeing their horses. Oils, ointments, sprays… you name it, Ben had a horse-care solution for you.

Throughout his youth, Ben spent much time working on remote properties learning from “old fellas in the bush”. Being a born problem solver, Ben would apply the knowledge and skills he’d learnt to his home-made tinctures. Unfortunately, he had not yet created an insect repellent and it was really affecting his work life.

Working as a farrier is inherently dangerous; in fact, for insurance purposes it is in the same category as bull riding! Add biting insects to the equation and the likelihood of sustaining an injury while working under a horse increases astronomically!

One summer, after being kicked and stomped one too many times by irritated horses swatting at bugs, Ben had had enough. He and his partner, Emma - a medical scientist and Settlers co-founder - sat down and put their heads together. They quickly realised that there were no safe and effective repellents that could be used while shoeing, not to mention that Ben’s clients were crying out for this exact thing! Most of them had sheds full of repellent sprays and ointments that simply didn’t work, or the ones that did work broke them out in hives!

Together, Ben and Emma applied their unique backgrounds to create a completely new insect repellent. The goal was simple: repel flies and mosquitoes long enough to get Ben through a full shoeing without being kicked. After much trial and error, and testing in a wide range of conditions, this goal was realised. They created a super effective and long-lasting insect repellent that could be used on people and animals alike! 

Ben and Emma officially became "inventors" after being granted an Australian Patent for Settlers' insect repellent formula in 2024.

Settlers products have been sent far and wide across the globe to be trialled. Although most who trialled them were sceptical at first, it did not take them long to comment on the beautiful aroma, the outstanding efficiency and long burn time. The reviews were overwhelmingly great!

What was designed to be a simple solution to Ben’s farriering woes, a horse tincture sold from the back of a farrier trailer, has evolved to become an in-demand insect repellent brand! Although you may not need Settlers to prevent farriering injuries, this unlikely series of events will most certainly improve your outdoor lifestyle too!

You can rest assured that whether you’re at a party with friends, a barbecue with family, simply want to sit by an open window or adventure across the country, Settlers will always be there to prevent the uninvited guests.

Settlers Original Insect Repellents have been designed by two Aussie battlers who just wanted to solve a problem. They are proudly Australian made for the toughest Aussie conditions, and we plan to keep it that way!

The best part is, other farriers now sit a Settlers candle on their forge to keep the bugs away while shoeing!