One of Australia’s booming olivegrowing regions has launched an information leaflet about the area as a first step towards an olive tourist trail for visitors and tourists.
The Moore River region, centred on the picturesque town of Gingin about one and a quarter hours north of Perth, is home to 80% of olive trees in Western Australia.
However, although visitors realise the region is full of olive groves (there are more than 1.2 million olive trees planted), none of the groves is open to the public except by appointment.
In response, the Moore River Olive Association has published an Olive Information Sheet & Map leaflet of the region to encourage tourists and assist those wanting to visit a grove. The leaflet features a map signposting 23 of the many olive groves in the area and eight of its processing mills.
Committee member of the Association, Maggie Edmonds, who developed the map, said that as the Moore River olive region develops, groves will eventually be open to the public.
“Cellar door sales areas will be opening in the future, welcoming visitors year-round. “Tourists will be able to follow The Olive Trail – a triangle from Perth to New Norcia, through Gingin and across to the coast at Lancelin, down to Wanneroo and back to Perth.
“Those wishing to taste and soak up the atmosphere of a huge olive region need go no further than view the olive groves around Gingin.”
She said that would be a perfect day out, but that was in the near future. For the moment, she said that visitors have already given their ‘thumbs up’ to the leaflet and have shown a high recognition rate of some of the names and locations of olive groves in the area.
“It is only when you see the extent of the olive groves on the map that you realise how significant this olive region is.”
The Moore River Olive Association also offers interesting and educational events to encourage an appreciation of the olive industry in the region.
The most recent was on 2 March, in tandem with the annual Lobster Festival at Lancelin, when the Association organised a Crayfish and Chardonnay event which included a special lobster factory tour and a luncheon featuring olive oil with most courses, and fresh lobster too.
Association president Nadia Fini-Lefroy, said that members had indicated their enthusiasm for the development of the olive trail map for its potential to attract visitors to the olivegrowing region and in attracting members.
The Olive Information Sheet & Map will be updated annually to include what the Association described as “exciting changes in the olive industry that are developing in the Moore River Region”.
For more information about the Moore River Olive Association email mroa@iinet.net.au
