Welcome to Natara, a lush macadamia farm owned by the Joyce family. Located in Queensland’s agricultural hub of Bundaberg, the expansive orchard spans 500 acres and is home to 60,000 trees, ranging from four to seventeen years old. They were originally planted by Duane, who recognized the potential of the tree crop early on and slowly converted the land from more labour-intensive sweet potatoes. Duane's younger brother, Jamie and his wife Caren, moved from Brisbane to help run the farm which is now producing approximately 650 tonnes of macadamias. This yield is set to increase as their younger trees reach full maturity in a few years’ time.
While managing their family business and small team of employees, the Joyce’s are optimistic for the future of Australia’s little known native nut. “I'm excited about the macadamia industry because it's only 2% of the world’s nut market, so the growth potential is huge. Some countries don't have access to macadamias yet, and they don't realise the benefits of them and how delicious they are,” Jamie told us.
The Australian macadamia industry is quite young compared to other tree nut sectors, creating opportunities for farmers to undertake independent research, test different growing techniques and harness emerging technologies. Duane, who is constantly thinking of ways to improve his farm, has developed his own innovative prototypes at Natara, including a double tilt table to remove rocks and sticks. He was the first to have a harvester built that introduced a new way of removing macadamia husks. Both innovations are already making their way onto other farms, contributing to increased efficiencies and viability of the macadamia industry.
Image: Jamie and Caren Joyce with farm dog, Lola.
The Joyce’s also manage their farm using a modern irrigation system charged by the sun. A network of solar panels throughout the orchard generates the energy required to switch over the pump station valves and monitor moisture levels in the soil. This information is fed to their mobile phones, so they can irrigate only when and where water is needed. Their large shed and workshop areas are also powered by solar, which provides ample electricity to run most of their machinery during the whole processing season.
Almost everywhere you look at Natara, the Joyce’s have tapped into an environmental solution to reach their long-term sustainability goals. “Trees are a good carbon capture, so it's already a positive thing for the environment,” Jamie explains. “We mix our husk with other organic matter and spread that back underneath the trees to make it a little bit more sustainable using the products that we already have on the farm. And for our spray program, we try to be as soft as we can to make sure we retain our beneficial insects in the paddock and ensure that there's a good balance in nature and a good product at the end of the day.”
In response to their care, the surrounding environment exudes a rejuvenating atmosphere and constant bird song – a totally different lifestyle for the tree-changing duo and their dog, Lola. “It's just beautiful here. Living on 500 acres you just want to get out and about, jump on a buggy and go for a ride around the farm. We love the region and access to fresh produce, which we really noticed coming from the city. We also love being part of their journey because it’s a family-owned business, like our farm, so it's nice to support local industry like that.
