Serendip plantation
Serendip Plantation is the family farm of Christine and Colin Rijks and the largest Australian grower and exporter of certified organic macadamia nuts. We are located in the subtropics of an ancient shield volcano on the most easterly point of Australia.
Did you know that the Macadamia is an Australian native rainforest tree? At Serendip, Macadamia trees grow in their natural and native rainforest habitat, as nature intended.
Serendip Organics
Serendip Organics Pty. Ltd. is the sales division and Christine tales care of all export matters. In October 2017 Christine was one of four finalists in the NSW Premier’s State Women in International Business Award Serendip Organics was also finalist in the National Export Awards in 2016 and 2015. The Macadamia Nut is one of Australia’s icons. This year the first Koala of the season born at Australia Zoo was named Macadamia.
Meet little macadamia
Meet the big boy koala
Below who has taken up residence at Serendip Plantation outside our bedroom window. He is very noisy at night calling for a mate. In 2016 we had a mother and her baby.
January
January is when we prepare for harvest. Our team does a pre- harvest clean up. Using mulching machines, and harvesters, all nuts on the ground are destroyed. Silos are cleaned out in preparation for the new crop of macadamia nuts. This is also the beginning of the wet season and thunderstorms.
February
Harvesting of new crop commences but so does the heavy rain with possible floods and cyclones. Wet season is usually over by June but the harvest season continues through March, April, May, June July, August. The green husk is removed before storage in our silos
May to September
Our “nut in shell” is delivered for drying and processing at a specialist macadamia shelling factory in Australia
September/October
Macadamia premium kernel is packed into laminated foil, vacuum sealed and gas flushed ready for shipment.
September
September is a beautiful time at the farm when the new Spring flowers bloom. Above picture taken September 30th 2017 These are macadamia flowers (racemes) and some will pollinate to become our crop for 2018. See same tree next picture one month later.
October
With good pollination, we see new macadamia nuts forming. Above picture taken October 31st 2017 These macadamias will be maturing for the coming months and ready for delivery September 2018
