Cedar Gully Olives is located in the Lockyer Valley, halfway between Brisbane and Toowoomba. The property is 77 ha (187 acres). In the past it was used for cattle grazing. 3 olive tree groves were planted in the late 1990s, Kalamata, Manzanilla and Frantoio (Paragon).  The olives were known as Mulgowie Olives. Sadly, ill health meant the former owners were unable to work the property for over 10 years. Under the new name, Cedar Gully Olives, we’re resurrecting the olive trees to their former glory.

The trees need to be reduced to a more manageable height, so we’ve got a lot pruning ahead. This gave us one big problem….. how to get rid of the incredible amount of excess olive wood? Our first options were to needlessly burn, cut the wood up to stockpile or to sell as fire wood or put into landfill. We didn’t like these ideas at all!

In March 2019 we became the owners of an Exeter Retort Kiln or Carboniser. Our surplus hardwood olive timber can now be turned into charcoal in an environmentally friendly way. We make a range of olive wood charcoal products. Premium cooking charcoal is created from the larger charcoal lumps. The small pieces of charcoal are crushed to make Biochar, a natural soil improver. Quality art drawing charcoal sticks from the trimmed olive wood branches. Forging charcoal for blacksmiths, the size of charcoal depending on the blacksmith’s needs. Charcoal air fresheners to purify the air and remove smells.

We joined Land for Wildlife and The Little Liverpool Range Initiative to help us manage the natural bush for the abundant native wildlife.

We had a tree change to not only to grow olives but also our own food. It’s a place we share with family and friends.