Deep sandy loam over limestone. 600mm of rain a year. Eighteen kilometres from Esperance, on a quiet road where cattle graze beside the crops. Perfect conditions — and we wouldn't change a thing about it.
THE LAND
The soil chose the olives long before we did.
Yirri Grove sits 18km from Esperance, at the beginning of the broad-acre agricultural wheat-belt — an easy drive out on Fisheries Road, past cattle, horses and sheep grazing peacefully in paddocks bordered by crops. The soil is deep sandy loam over limestone, with an average rainfall of 600mm. Perfect conditions for growing olives.
We grow four varieties, chosen both for pollination and their dual purpose as high-quality table olives and excellent oil olives.
Manzanillo
Table olives & oil
Frantoio
Olive oil
Kalamata
Table olives & oil
Barnea
Olive oil
THE HARVEST
Every April and May, the whole family comes out to pick.
Olive harvest is during autumn each year. Due to our remote location, the olives are all handpicked, processed and bottled on the property. During harvest the whole family helps, using electric Campagnola rakes and an Olinet. It's long days and honest work — and we love it.
"Sometimes the harvest is large enough for single varietal oils — otherwise it all gets beautifully blended."
~500 L
EVOO per harvest
24 hs
Harvest to processing
~500 kg
Kalamata table olives
THE PROCESS
From tree to bottle — all on the property, within 24 hours.
Processing takes place on the property due to the distance and logistics from other processors. Our Bonolio 80 — imported from Italy through Eclipse Enterprises — can process 80kg of olives per hour.
"Deep sandy loam over limestone. 600mm of rain a year. Eighteen kilometres from Esperance, on a quiet road where cattle graze beside the crops. Perfect conditions — and we wouldn't change a thing about it."
TABLE OLIVES
Handpicked, sorted, and left to do their thing the old-fashioned way.
Our table olives are all handpicked and sorted before being stored in brine to naturally ferment and debitter. This old-fashioned method was chosen for its simplicity and reduction of water usage. The processing building collects rainwater for the olives — because water out here is precious, and we treat it that way
Extra Virgin Olive Oil has been used for centuries by man and is well known for its health benefits, being basically the juice of the olive with no further additives it is full of antioxidants, polyphenols and vitamins. It is also extremely good for preserving foods, cooking with foods or just drinking alone, being a natural health food. Good quality EVOO enhances the flavour of other food, and we take pride in producing the best we can – proof being in receiving Australian EVOO Certification with Gold, Silver & Bronze medals awarded at WA Royal Olive Show over the last 10 years.
We'd love for you to pop out to the farm.
Olive tasting, high tea, and meals with views of the groves and the archipelago.
