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Gippsland farmer Annie Paterson built Nullamunjie Olive Oil into a drought-resilient, award-winning agribusiness successInspired by Greece, Gippsland farmer Annie Paterson founded Nullamunjie Olive Oil, producing award-winning, drought-resilient olive oil that thrives in hot, stony soils and is now exported internationally. By news@gippsland - 19th August 2025 - Back to News Gippsland and Greece are worlds apart, but one savvy farmer saw similarities that allowed her to establish a drought resilient crop that's a business success. Annie Paterson is the owner of the award-winning Nullamunjie Olive Oil in Tongio, East Gippsland and says her olive groves love the hot climate and hungry soils of the region. 
Inspired by Greece, Gippsland farmer Annie Paterson established Nullamunjie Olive Oil, creating a drought-resilient, award-winning business thriving in hot, stony soils Passion becomes grovesAnnie's obsession with olives is grounded in her passion for ancient Greek history, and in 1976 she left Australia to explore her Hellenic interests. What she discovered was that the hot, dry, stoney soils of Greece were like those near her future property below Mt Stawell. A light bulb went off, but Annie's dad wasn't convinced when she shared her vision. "As a born and bred High Country cattleman, he was pretty sceptical and it took me 20 years to buy the family's Nullamunjie property and prove I was onto something," she said. Annie planted her first olive grove in 1998. Today, she has several groves and looks after a total of 6,000 trees using mostly organic practices. "The geology of the area is weathered granite. Most farmers don't want lots of rocks in their soil, but we love them because olive trees can extract the rock's minerals to create a unique flavour in the oil," she said. Irrigation ensures qualityOlive trees are very efficient water users and while they will survive drought, they need water at key times in their production cycle. "We need to ensure they have enough water in late October to early November when buds are forming in the wood and in the weeks before and during flowering, and at oil accumulation time in January. At other times they get by on natural rainfall unless there is a drought, when they need supplementary water," she said. Annie said the average total annual rainfall in the region is around 670mm but it's unreliable and she can't rely on getting it when she needs it. "I couldn't grow the trees without irrigation - but I really only use it during dry spells. I have an on-farm water storage for about three megalitres that we fill when the Tambo River has high flows and use it when the river is low," she said. Rainfall has always been unpredictable in the region, but climate change seems to be making it worse. However, Annie says it's a blessing and a curse. "We need hot summers, cold winters and good diurnal cooling and warming to produce high quality olives. And we find in years of adequate rainfall the flavour of the oil is milder than when the year has been very dry," she said. Globally recognised oilWater is the big limiting factor and it's why she's glad her on-farm storage can provide added security when it's very dry. Annie presses between 8,000 - 10,000 litres of oil annually and cleans up in the award stakes for its quality and flavour credentials. "Nullamunjie olive oil consistently wins either a gold or silver medal at the annual Australian International Olive Oil Awards and has done so every year for over 20 years. In 2018 I won the best in state award for Victoria. I am very proud of this because Victoria produces nearly 50 per cent of the national crop and has far more competitors than any other state," she said. World-class olive oilAnnie's olive oil is also turning heads on a global stage and for the past 15 years is only one of three Australian olive oils to be selected to be exported to America by a high-end importer. While Annie exports 80 percent of her product to America, luckily you can get it here too in several good quality grocers in Melbourne and country Victoria. And her restaurant, The Pressing Shed, welcomes lunch and dinner group bookings, with meals crafted to showcase her signature olive oil. So next time you need a drizzle to dazzle your favourite salad, check out Nullamunjie Olive Oil because you'll be supporting a grower who's producing pristine food with limited water. Pictures from Southern Rural Water website.
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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