BEING new to a town is never easy. There’s a lot to take in while getting to know your new surroundings, and adapting to the change of environment.
So, when you throw taking over a successful business in one of the most well-known country towns in South Australia to the mix, it can be a full-on recipe.
However, the Milne family have recently taken over the Waikerie Olive Grove, distinguishing themselves as one of Australia’s premium olive groves in the process.
The farm is run by brothers Matt and Andrew, along with their wives and children, and Kimberley, the wife of Andrew, said owning the farm has been a whirlwind.
“We bought it about two and a half years ago because we’ve already got three Battery World stores, so we wanted to try something a bit different outside of the four walls, and then we saw the farm for sale,” she said.
“We only harvest once per year which is in early April, and after we do that we fertilise and water waiting for the olives to grow.
“It’s all machine operated, so we don’t necessarily have to spend as much time out on the farm, which can be helpful.
“We live two and a half hours away from the farm, so we go up there every four days and the watering process generally takes about 18 hours, and we fertilise once a month too.”
The change of pace for the Milne family has been significant, while running separate businesses, but Kimberley said she enjoys getting out onto the farm and taking a step back.
“When you go up to the farm it’s really nice because you can just switch off and take a step back from the rest of the world and do your thing,” she said.
“It’s amazing doing it with another part of the family, and we all get along really well which I think you have to do to be successful.
“We alternate on the days we go up to the farm, so there’s always someone around the place to be able to keep an eye on things and make sure it all flows smoothly.”
The products from Waikerie Olive Grove are available both in-stores and online, with the business combining with local shops to help sell the products to the Waikerie residents.
Stockists of Waikerie Olive Grove include Seaford Gourmet Meats, Nippys and the Waikerie Library and Visitor Centre.
Locals can find the extra virgin olive oil available to purchase, along with further olive oil products.
“I think a lot of people like to try before they buy, which is why we do have some stockists around the place,” Ms Milne said.
“Our harvest last year didn’t go as planned so we didn’t bother opening our farm shop last year because we didn’t really have the oil to sell.
“This year, once we have the oil, we’ll look to open up our farm shop a little bit more and then people can come and try before they buy.
“A lot of people are very loyal to different brands, so once people have tried it they tend to keep coming back.
“We have a lot of people from Italian and Greek backgrounds that tend to really like our oil too.
“We appreciate working with the town, and there’s a few places that all sell the oil, but when we’re there we shop local, so there’s a sense of us helping them and them helping us.”
Waikerie Olive Grove has both a short-term vision, which is about getting through the upcoming harvest, while the long-term vision is about building towards the future.
“Long term, our vision is to keep growing, keep expanding, and ultimately just get our olive oil out there because it’s a good product,” Ms Milne said.
“There’s no nasties added to it, and there’s nothing mixed with it. It’s just pure extra virgin olive oil.”
