News

Bundaberg growers Daryl & Nicole Wake - Norm Greber award

Bundaberg growers Jason & Fiona Klotz - Large Grower of the Year

Gympie grower services manager Megan Boote - Young Achiever of the Year

NSW Northern Rivers grower Peter Fraser - Small Grower of the Year

UNE’s Applied Agricultural Remote Sensing Centre - Innovation of the Year

Australia’s best and most innovative macadamia growers and industry representatives have been honoured in the industry’s Awards of Excellence, announced the Australian Macadamia Society (AMS).

Experienced macadamia growers Jason and Fiona Klotz, from Bundaberg, have won the Large Grower of the Year Award, which awards the most productive and consistent orchard over a 5-year period. In an impressive result, they achieved an average of 1.78t SK and 4.71t NIS per hectare.

Winner of the Small Grower of the Year award is Peter Fraser, from the NSW Northern Rivers, whose 7.9 ha orchard recorded a five-year average of 1.85 SK and 5.13t NIS per hectare.

Bundaberg growers Daryl and Nicole Wake are the Norm Greber Award winners. The award recognises the important role Daryl and Nicole have played in helping to ensure the availability of MCT1 scion wood to growers, and, along the way, contribute to efforts to conserve wild populations of macadamias for future generations.

Grower services manager at Suncoast Gold Macadamias in Gympie, Megan Boote, has taken out the Young Achiever of the Year award, recognising the outstanding contribution and passion she brings to the industry and her commitment to helping growers achieve better productivity.

The winner of the Innovation Award is the University of New England’s Applied Agricultural Remote Sensing Centre, the research team behind the Multi-scale Monitoring Tools for Managing Australian Tree Crops: Phase 2, funded by Horticulture Innovation and the Federal governments ‘RR&D4Profit scheme’. Under this project and its predecessor (Phase 1), all macadamia orchards in Australia have been mapped, with the results now being used to support the industry-wide development and adoption of remote sensing tools that will help the industry better manage all orchards.

QLD REGIONAL WINNERS

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND

Best productivity

Large farms: Jason and Fiona Klotz (Red Rock Macadamias) 2.20 t/ha SKR 

Small farms: Macadamia Farm Management (Quamby) 2.08 t/ha SKR 

Best quality 

Large farms : Macadamias Australia 0.46% RKR 

Small farms: Craig Van Rooyen (Nunkeri) 1.17% RKR

GYMPIE

Best productivity

Large farms : Macadamia Farm Management (Como Park) 1.49 t/ha SKR 

Small farms: Bruce Maguire (Twisted M) 1.79 t/ha SKR 

Best quality 

Large farms: Macadamia Farm Management (Como Park) 1.97% RKR 

Small farms: Bruce Maguire (Twisted M) 2.13% RKR

GLASS HOUSE MOUNTAINS

Best productivity

Large farms: Chaney Walter (Walts Nuts) 1.04 t/ha SKR 

Small farms: Henry and Jarod Agostinelli (Coastal Produce Queensland) 1.95 t/ha SKR 

Best quality 

Large farms: Chaney Walter (Walts Nuts) 1.32% RKR 

Small farms: Henry and Jarod Agostinelli (Coastal Produce Queensland) 0.53% RKR

NSW REGIONAL WINNERS

NORTHERN RIVERS NSW

Best productivity

Large farms: David and Sharon Wardrop (Poligolo), 1.69 t/ha SKR

Small farms: Peter Fraser (Macadamia), 2.37 t/ha SKR

Best quality

Large farms: James Auld (Noorook), 1.8% RKR

Small farms: Richard Paine (Merraldan), 1.2% RKR

 MID NORTH COAST NSW

Best productivity

Large farms: Victoria Thynne (Elanora), 1.26 t/ha SKR

Small farms: Fern Hinchcliffe (Barrington Grove Macadamia Farm), 2.28 t/ha SKR

Best quality

Large farms: Victoria Thynne (Elanora), 2.01% RKR

Small farms: Tim Zeck and Dru Marshall (Wirrimbi), 1.3% RKR

AMS CEO Jolyon Burnett congratulated all Awards of Excellence recipients.

“Our award winners are in inspiration to us all. These are people who understand what it takes to shine in the unpredictable and often unrewarding world of farming.

PHOTO/VISION/INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES THIS WEEK

Media are invited to attend the AMS MacGroup grower events on the NSW mid north coast and Northern Rivers this week, where some award winners will be in attendance. Also in attendance will be AMS CEO Jolyon Burnett.

Dates/venues for the NSW MacGroups are: 

Tues 30 Nov

Mid North Coast

Valla Hall, 451 Valla Rd Valla

Time: 8.30am-1pm

Wed 1 Dec

Northern Rivers

Joof & Marianne Alberts orchard, 91 Ellis Rd Alstonville

Time: Morning and afternoon sessions: 8.30am-1pm AND 12.30-4.30pm

Thur 2 Dec

Northern Rivers

Joof & Marianne Alberts orchard, 91 Ellis Rd Alstonville

Time: 8.30am-1pm

Please phone Communications Manager Nyree Epplett on 0434 261 070 to arrange an interview.

Images (from top): Large growers of the Year Jason and Fiona Klotz (and son Sam); Small Grower of the Year Peter Fraser; Norm Greber Daryl and Nicole Wake; Young Achiever Megan Boote; Innovation Award University of New England’s Applied Agricultural Remote Sensing Centre (pictured is Andrew Robson, a member of the research team).