2020 harvest begins

As we begin the year 2020, many parts of Australia are in a prolonged drought, water supplies are limited and much of the country is on fire. We feel for those involved in or suffering from these difficult conditions. Not a nice way to start a new decade.

At Palm Creek Plantation, we survived the early 2019 Townsville Monsoon, albeit with a much reduced crop. We received a record 1,500mm of rain in 10 days just as we were preparing for the Chinese New Year rush, we couldn’t pick and when we could the highways south were closed, so nothing could leave the plantation. Since then we have had virtually no rain, but fortunately we have irrigation water for the trees.

We are now preparing for this season’s harvest. Last season we started picking in December – this season the fruit is ripening much later than previously, and it will be well into January before the first shipments are made. Hopefully we will have stocks in shops before Chinese New Year on 25 January.

We had a very late and short flowering period, but the bees did their job and produced plenty of our special Achacha Blossom honey. Soon it will be available in Sydney, Townsville and Longreach – and elsewhere if there is demand!

We don’t have enough history to explain the late ripening of the fruit – however north of Townsville, growers say their pineapples are developing slowly because the area has had high temperatures accompanied by low humidity – not the usual combination at this time of the year. We’ll go with that – sounds like a good enough excuse for a late start to the season.

If you are travelling on the Bruce Highway in North Queensland and would like to visit the plantation, just send an email to . If not convenient for us we will let you know – but normally we would be very happy to show you around. We are located midway between Ayr in the south and Townsville in the north – 45km from each. The highway in the area is being widened and raised, so you may have some travel delays.

When we start picking, we will put an update on the website. Meanwhile you can be informed of progress on a weekly basis via Instagram at #AchachaAus or Achacha on Facebook.

With best wishes from the Achacha crew.