The Country Kitchens team recently visited Rocky Creek Orchards as part of the Meet a Farmer initiative. Operations Manager Lorraine gave a tour of the family-owned farm and packing facility in Tolga.
The Masasso family has farmed on the Atherton Tablelands since the 1920’s, and now grows avocados, mangoes, passionfruit and lychees across three farms in the Atherton Tablelands. Lorraine’s grandfather, Lorenzo, emigrated from Italy. Having experienced food shortages post-war, he had a vision to farm on a larger scale with a diversity of crops to provide for future generations. Today, Lorenzos vision is being carried on by the fourth generation of his family, with the farm processing 5000 tonnes of produce each year.
Lorraine oversees all of the post-harvest processing from their packing facility on the Tolga farm, ensuring that fruit is packed efficiently and meets quality assurance standards. She loves the variety that comes with farming, whether working outside, in the packing shed, or building relationships with local farmers and seasonal workers, there is always something to keep her engaged
Lorraine is an advocate for women working in agriculture, and a large number of the staff working in the packing shed are women. “All of the maternal women in my life were farmers. They are some of the hardest working people I’ve ever known. Not only responsible for most of the household load, but also cooking meals for workers, caring for children, including making clothes, and working alongside men on the farm,” said Lorraine.
Lychees are a newer crop which is ready for harvest in time for Christmas and Chinese New Year. Recently, the orchard has been permanently netted, stopping any crop loss to birds and bats. The fruit can now be left on the tree for longer to develop their signature blush red colour.
Unlike other crops, lychees must be picked when the weather is cool and then processed, transported and stored in a temperature-controlled environment to maintain the quality of the fruit. Normally they are picked early in the morning, however this year night harvesting will be trialled.
“The seed is like a little heater, and we can’t get them too hot because then the skin browns very quickly. There is nothing wrong with the fruit when it is brown, but people buy with their eyes, so with lychees we have to try and keep them red for as long as possible”.
While there are strict specifications for premium produce, Rocky Creek has found avenues for their second-grade produce. “My family has been farming for 90 years and over time we’ve learned how to make the most of all produce, even those that aren’t visually perfect for supermarkets. There is second grade fruit, but we’re generally able to find a home for all of it”.
Imperfect passionfruit are sold for juicing and out-of-spec avocados are used for making long-life avocado spreads or avocado oil. Locally, vendors from Rusty’s Fruit Market in Cairns buy second grade fruit in bulk, and lychees are quickly sold at the farm gate during their summer season.
Lorraine is an innovator, always thinking about creative ways to find new markets for their fruit and repurpose waste products. “You’ve just got to always be thinking outside of the box.” This includes experimenting with freeze-drying mango and lychee and using a second-hand olive oil machine to make avocado oil. These developments will be a fantastic addition to the industry in North Queensland.
She is also keen to educate the public about Shepard Avocados, which are grown only in Queensland. They provide a local supply of avocados between February and April, before the Hass variety are ready for harvesting. Unlike Hass, Shepards stay green when ripe and hold their colour well. Visit Avocados Australia to find out more about this delicious variety and how to choose the perfect avocado at the supermarket.
We asked Lorraine about her favourite way to eat avocados. She said that she will eat an avocado almost every day and tells us “I know most people wouldn’t typically think of using avocado in hot dishes, but I do – everything from curries to stir-fires. One of my favourite meals is using avocado instead of pasta and tossing bolognese through it.”
Avocados are exceptionally nutrient-dense, offering support for heart, brain, and skin health while also helping to reduce inflammation. Rich in monounsaturated fats, they can help lower LDL cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. Their low glycaemic index, combined with their high levels of monounsaturated fats and fibre, promotes more stable blood-sugar control. Avocados are also packed with fibre, folate, and B vitamins, which contribute to digestive health, energy production, and optimal brain function. Adding avocado to meals can further enhance nutrient absorption, helping the body take in important fat-soluble vitamins and antioxidants such as lycopene from tomatoes and beta-carotene from carrots.
While technically a fruit, avocados are eaten as a vegetable. Half a medium avocado (75g) counts as one vegetable serve according to the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. It is recommended we eat five serves of vegetables and 2 serves of fruit each day for good health. To learn more about the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating go to https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/.
Country Kitchens have several recipes for avocados, lychees and mangos: Avocado Salsa and Pita Chips; Mango, Avocado and Chilli Prawn Salad; Lychee Sorbet; Pineapple and Mango Fruitcake; Mango Chow;
To find out more about Rocky Creek Orchards and their produce, visit their website! To learn more about the QCWA Country Kitchens program, or the Meet a Farmer initiative, head to our website.
Empowering women through education and health is a priority for the Queensland Country Women’s Association (QCWA). The QCWA Country Kitchens program, funded by the Queensland Government through Health and Wellbeing Queensland, supports Queenslanders to adopt healthier lifestyles. To find out more about the program visit https://qcwacountrykitchens.com.au/.
