WHILE Tasmanian Olive Groves at Colebrook is the state’s largest olive grove, it remains a one-man operation. Grower Chris Dick brings in outside help when the trees need to be pruned, but when it is time to pick the fruit, he is on his own – using a special olive harvester.
Attached to a vehicle similar to an all-terrain four-wheeler, he has a machine that shakes the trees, and the olives are caught in what is akin to a large, upside down umbrella. Mr Dick said it is the only machine of its kind in the state.
Tasmanian Olive Groves first planted trees at its property near Colebrook in 1996, with Mr Dick estimating there are now 12,000 to 13,000 trees. “As far as I know, it’s the biggest I know by threefold.” It is hard work for Mr Dick as the only person harvesting the olives. “On a good day, I’ll harvest 12 bins of olives – which is about five to six tonnes of fruit. “That equates to more than 1000 litres of olive oil a day.” All of the fruit from Tasmanian Olive
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By Simon McGuire
