760 Collins Road

Bagshot North VIC 3551

Major 9,800 tree central Victorian irrigated olive grove with professional set up and infrastructurenEstablished as a stand-alone and low input farming venture, all the hard work has been done and the 12-15yo (Frantoio oil) plus the (8-10yo Kalamata table fruit) trees are starting to bear in strong numbers. Industry estimates for establishment costs now vary from $50 to $100 per tree.
The large block was selected to combine central Victoria's very suitable Mediterranean climate, ample run off of rainwater in a very large dam for irrigation, good drainage (as was recently tested by 2011 floods) and proximity to markets and processing facilities.
There are scattered mature box trees throughout the farm which largely consists of red clay loam soils, draining to the east. Single phase and two phase power is on the block for the electric pump used for irrigating the trees. Other improvements include a 30' x 20' steel shed with power, concrete base, lock up sliding door and a 1000 litre tank attached. A further 9' x 9' shed houses the 2 phase Grundfos pump, 7.5Hp, (5.5Kw) complete with auto self-cleaning filter and supplying water plus nutrients along 50km of poly tubing. This is pushed through 16mm poly pipe to 1m spaced drippers delivering 2.1 litres per hour and 5m spaced drippers through 19mm poly which delivers 8 litres per hour. 40mm electric 3 way valves control supply to the 7 different sections of the grove, there is an Amiad fertigation system to fertilise in solution/irrigation the trees.
There are approx 3,800 Kalamata and 6,000 Frantoio trees which have 5m spacings and 6m between rows to maximise growth and production. Recent production from the trees has seen up to 43000 kg of fruit harvested for oil from just 3000 trees(frantoio) in 2011 or averaging approx 14 kg per tree and since 2010 Kalamata fruit has been harvested and sold as fresh fruit.