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The Australian macadamia industry is celebrating National Agriculture Day with new national growth figures showing the industry has expanded more than 5 percent in the past year, according to updated tree-crop mapping data provided by the University of New England (UNE). Australia’s mapped macadamia footprint now covers 46,487 hectares, highlighting continued confidence and strategic investment across multiple regions.

Bundaberg remains the nation’s largest growing region at 19,656 hectares, adding 937 hectares in the past year. Tropical Queensland recorded the strongest rate of expansion, growing 57 percent (915 ha), and becoming Australia’s fourth-largest producing region. Maryborough also expanded significantly, up 26 percent, making it the third largest growing region behind Bundaberg and the NSW Northern Rivers.

AMS CEO Clare Hamilton-Bate said the mapping update strengthens the industry’s long-term planning and forecasting.

“UNE and the Applied Agricultural Remote Sensing Centre (AARSC) team play a crucial role in giving our industry a clear national view of where macadamias are planted and how the landscape is changing,” she said. “Their work underpins so much of our planning and forecasting. Having accurate, current mapping helps us understand regional growth, identify future opportunities and support meaningful conversations with growers, researchers and government.”

She said National Agriculture Day was also the ideal moment to recognise growers who are driving excellence across the sector.

“Our award recipients show what can be achieved when skill, science, adaptability and long-term thinking come together. They are deeply committed to orchard health and productivity, and they embody everything that makes Australian agriculture resilient and world-leading.”

Australia’s top macadamia growers announced

This year’s Grower of the Year (large farm) is CL Macs, recognised for the exceptional performance of their Benworth orchard at Ainsworth, Gympie. With a 2024 result of 1.89 t/ha SKR and a five-year average of 1.49 t/ha SKR, Benworth is known for its disciplined management, natural-systems approach and depth of technical skill. The orchard contains 46-year-old trees and is managed using biological amendments, precision nutrition, and a philosophy of “working with nature, not against it”, supported by a highly skilled team and strong agronomy input. 

The Grower of the Year (small farm) is awarded to Steve and Brooke McLean of Macadamia Allsorts in the NSW Northern Rivers. Their Alstonville property achieved 2.2 t/ha SKR in 2024 and a five-year average of 1.76 t/ha SKR. Steve brings more than three decades of industry experience, including his role as a respected consultant, grower liaison and past recipient of the prestigious Norm Greber Award. Their farm is admired for its meticulously designed orchard layout, disciplined orchard-floor management, precise canopy control and data-driven irrigation and soil monitoring. 

The AMS also announced regional winners across Central Queensland, Gympie, the Glass House Mountains, Northern Rivers and the Mid North Coast, recognising outstanding results in productivity and quality based on 2024 season benchmarking data.

Graham Wessling and Shane Jackson from CL Macs, Grower of the Year (large farm)

Brooke and Steve McLean, Grower of the Year (small farm)

Australian macadamia industry fast facts

• Macadamias are native to the rainforests of Australia's east coast (specifically north-east NSW and south-east Queensland) and evolved over 60 million years ago.
• More than 800 growers across three states
• Over 46,000 hectares and 14 million trees commercially planted
• 2024 crop: 53,950 tonnes in-shell at 3.5% moisture
• 80 percent of production exported to 40+ countries
• Bundaberg and the NSW Northern Rivers remain Australia’s powerhouse growing regions
• Macadamias contain the highest level of healthy monounsaturated fats of any tree nut

About the mapping project

The updated figures come from the Australian Tree Crop Map, a national project led by UNE’s Applied Agricultural Remote Sensing Centre (AARSC) in collaboration with the Australian Macadamia Society. The project provides accurate, regionally specific orchard data essential for forecasting, regional development, environmental reporting and understanding industry growth trajectories. The mapping draws on high-resolution satellite imagery and advanced analytical tools, with 70 percent of macadamia orchards mapped using 2024 or 2025 data.

Regional winners and finalists

Finalists were shortlisted by the QDPI benchmarking team using yield and quality data collected from the 2024 season. The awards are separated into small and large farms for best productivity and best quality. Regional winners and finalists are listed below. Farm names are listed in brackets.

Central Queensland

Best productivity

Winners

Large farms - FNC Plantations (Welcome Creek), 1.85 t/ha SKR

Small farms - Macadamia Farm Management (Quamby), 1.67 t/ha SKR

Finalists

Large farms - Hinkler Park Management (Childers B), 1.79 t/ha SKR

Large farms - Macadamia Farm Management (MFH), 1.75 t/ha SKR

Small farms - Macadamia Farm Management (Graveyard), 1.42 t/ha SKR

Small farms - Macadamia Farm Management (Cambewarra), 1.39 t/ha SKR

Best quality

Winners

Large farms - AndoMac Family Farms, 0.96% RKR

Small farms - Macadamia Farm Management (Riverbend), 0.94% RKR

Finalists

Large farms - Cowl Cowl Station Pty Limited, 1.68% RKR

Large farms - Stahmann Webster (Farnsfield Yellow), 1.68% RKR

Small farms - Kurt Henke (Henke), 1.6% RKR

Small farms - Macadamia Farm Management (Graveyard), 2% RKR

Gympie Queensland

Best productivity

Winners

Large farms - CL Macs (Benworth), 1.89 t/ha SKR

Small farms - Mitchell Davis (Kilfenora South), 1.03 t/ha SKR

Finalist

Large farms - Garry & Andrea Sheppard (Ozmac), 1.43 t/ha SKR

Best quality

Winners

Large farms - CL Macs (Benworth), 1.51% RKR

Small farms - Mitchell Davis (Kilfenora South), 1.7% RKR

Finalist

Large farms - Garry & Andrea Sheppard (Ozmac), 2.62% RKR

Glass House Mountains Queensland

Best productivity

Winners

Large farms - Fullerton Family (Fullerton Farms), 1.36 t/ha SKR

Small farms - Vince & Dianne Vere (Vere), 2.18 t/ha SKR

Finalists

Small farms - Garry & Julie Davis (Glendamia Park), 2.14 t/ha SKR

Small farms - Brett & Kirsty Newell (Bluegum Produce), 1.62 t/ha SKR

Best quality

Winners

Large farms - Fullerton Family (Fullerton Farms), 2.27% RKR

Small farms - Vince & Dianne Vere (Vere), 1.5% RKR

Finalists

Small farms - Daniel & Angela Jackson (Jackson Farm), 1.68% RKR

Small farms - Brian & Donna Strong (Stryker Nuts), 1.76% RKR

Northern Rivers NSW

Best productivity

Winners

Large farms - FNC Plantations (Red Lane), 1.21 t/ha SKR

Small farms - Steve & Brooke McLean (Macadamia Allsorts), 2.2 t/ha SKR

Finalists

Large farms - Warren & Pauline Elvery (Newline), 1.14t/ha SKR

Large farms - CL Macs (Teven), 1.02 t/ha SKR

Small farms - The Dorey Family (Plantation Lorna Red), 2.17 t/ha SKR

Small farms - Bob & Jenny Willemse (Willemse), 2.02 t/ha SKR

Best quality

Winners

Large farms - Tony & Vicki Flick (Tuckeroo), 0.72% RKR

Small farms - Tony & Lina Kempnich (T & L Kempnich), 0.73% RKR

Finalists

Large farms - The Dorey Family (Young Bearing), 1.36% RKR

Large farms - Warren & Pauline Elvery (Victoria Park), 2.31% RKR

Small farms - Steven & Julie Starkey (Whian Whian), 0.78% RKR

Small farms - Bob Evans (Sherwood), 0.89% RKR

Mid North Coast NSW

Best productivity

Winners

Large farms - Noah Seccombe (Tallowood Grove), 1.4 t/h SKR

Small farms - Tim Zeck & Dru Marshall (Wirrimbi), 1.26 t/ha SKR

Finalists

Large farms - Victoria Thynne (Elanora), 1.37 t/ha SKR

Small farms - Paul Wolstenholme (Wolstenholme), 1.19 t/ha SKR

Small farms - AS & RK Lehl (Lehl), 0.95 t/ha SKR

Best quality

Winners

Large farms - Victoria Thynne (Elanora), 1.62% RKR

Small farms - AS & RK Lehl (Lehl), 0.95% RKR

Finalists

Small farms - Paul Wolstenholme (Wolstenholme), 1.19 % RKR

Small farms - Tim Zeck & Dru Marshall (Wirrimbi), 1.3% RKR