New Zealand fights to claim manuka honey as its own, Tasmania is investigating what makes our own leatherwood honey so special.

Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture PhD student Katharina Schmidt wants to preserve the value of Tassie's unique leatherwood honey by proving its unique characteristics. By finding the unique properties and compounds specific to leatherwood honey, Miss Schmidt will develop parameters to create a leatherwood honey 'fingerprint' and authentication test.

"Currently there is only a small amount of research on certain properties. I will be looking at the big picture from many perspectives to make connections of the chemical profile and properties to leatherwood honey." Miss Schmidt said.