Marco Ferreirinha - Fatty’s Farms
The Ferreirinha family moved over to Australia from the island of Madeira in 1988 and have been farming in Carnarvon ever since. Marco now produces bean and eggplant on his plantation and is a passionate advocate for the region’s horticulture industry through his position on the Board of Management for the Carnarvon Growers Association. Fond of a beer and fish with mates, Marco also enjoys the great climate of the Gascoyne the area an ideal place to both live and produce quality fresh produce.
Tran Family
Su and his family moved to Carnarvon 15 years ago to grow tomato in the fertile, alluvial soils of the Gascoyne Delta. They have established a well known plantation on the road into town which produces top quality tomato and watermelon. Su has also more recently started growing avocado. He loves working in the outdoors and therefore enjoying the wonderful climate that Carnarvon has for both growing vegetables and lifestyle.
Tony Vrankovich
Born and bred right here in town, Tony has lived in Carnarvon his whole life after parents, Peter and Katey moved to Australia in 1959. Over the years the family has grown bananas, grapes, beans, rockmelons, “everything”. Tony believes the key to success for the area is the long growing period with most produce planted in February and being able to be picked right through to December each year. Tony is currently farming watermelon as well as pumpkin and loves fishing and the freedom that comes with living in the Gascoyne region.
Mark & David Bumbak
Parents Dennis and Helen bought the home farm in Carnarvon way back in 1956 where in the early days they grew beans and bananas. Since 2002 sons, Mark & David have focussed their energy and horticultural experience in producing top quality table grapes for which they have gained an enviable reputation. Producing early season grape varieties has seen Mark & David build the plantation into one of the region’s largest.
Condo Family
The Condo’s moved to Carnarvon 25 years ago after originally farming over on the east coast. Dom & Heather with sons Julian and Nathan are a significant producer of top quality table grapes with mangos also picked fresh of the farm in January and February. Dom firmly believes that the golden combination of climate, soil and water make the region a first class area in which to grow grapes, vegetables and other fruit. The Condo family are active in speedway, cricket and other sports that make up the cultural life of the district.
Sutcliffe Family
Sara and Byron with children May, Tilley and Ned enjoy the sunny lifestyle that living and farming in Carnarvon offer. The family currently produce banana, asparagus and pumpkins at their farm on South River Road. The family enjoy spending time together “up the coast” camping and around a campfire in winter.
Rod & Sue Parry
All three Parry brothers call Carnarvon home with Rod enjoying his “semi-retirement” by growing mangoes and avocados. Rod is an organic grower which in his own words, “means a bit more work because I can’t use chemicals”. This means that weeding must typically be done by hand. Rod reckons that incredible water supply and incredibly rich soil make the Gascoyne Delta an ideal place to grow produce. Rod loves the cruisy life that comes short of hustle and bustle with fishing a favourite pastime when the weather is good.
Glenn Skender
Glenn has grown up in Carnarvon, leaving shool at the age of 15 to work the land. Along with the rest of the family he now produces rockmelon and bananas on two properties along the Gascoyne River with galia, a cantaloupe variety, as a recent addition. Glenn loves living the small town lifestyle, being able to visit mates when it’s quite on the farm and can be seen out on his boat when the weather gods line up.
Wayne Whitcroft - Gascoyne River Plantation
Wayne moved to Carnarvon to retire 14 years ago but has found himself as a grower of bananas, mango and pawpaw on 8 hectare at the very western end of the plantation district. For Wayne the combination of good weather and good water make the Gascoyne an ideal place to grow tropical fruit varieties. Wayne is an avid spearfisher and enjoys being in the water when he’s not at the farm.
Duc Nguyen
Duc and his family moved to Carnarvon in 2002 for the excellent growing conditions for tomato varieties. He reckons the great thing about the weather for producing juicy red tomatoes here in Carnarvon is that “it’s not too hot and not too cold”. Like many other growers Duc loves getting out on the water for a fish, preferably with a cold beer in the other hand.
Darryl Hardman - Desert Sweet Bananas
Originally a wheat and sheep farmer, Darryl moved to the region in 2004, living on his yacht, out the front of town for the first 6 months. After getting to know the area and better understanding its reliable water supply Darryl bought up and got stuck into bananas. Darryl is a muscle car fan and enjoys the warmer weather in Carnarvon. Being close to the ocean is a plus and Darryl often takes the dogs down for a swim during the long hot summer. Desert Sweet is a large packhouse of bananas operating every week of the year with much of the produce finding an eventual home on the shelves of southern supermarkets including Aldi, Coles & Woolworths. Like others Darryl is excited about the future of the horticultural industry in the region and looks forward to gaining market share particularly with consumers looking to “buy local”.
Johnny Tran
Moving up from down south 7 years ago Johnny was previously involved in the fruit and veg industry with his family a part of the wholesale industry in Perth. Growing some of the region’s best watermelon Johnny is also an experienced grower of tomato and banana.
He is in the past also grown pumpkin and Okra. Johnny reckons being a grower is a great way to raise young kids with them being picked up at the farm gate for school and living in the outdoors on the weekends.
Zeljko Borich - Borich & Sons
Originally from Croatia, the Borich Family has been growing in Carnarvon for over thirty years with Zeljko attributing the regions success a result of unique weather. Main lines of produce planted on the family plantation at the top end of North River Road are sweet corn and capsicum. With sons Marco and Ivan now providing much of the muscle on farm, Zeljko can enjoy days off fishing or a glass of red by the fire pit. The boys love working on the farm except when the weather is good for fishing or surfing.
Wiggins Family - Moore Veggies
Following in the footsteps of her parents Deane and Sue, Karyn along with partner, Pompy have carved out a name for themselves producing top quality capsicum grown under protective structures at their “Hi-Way Plantation” on the main road north. By growing in shade houses the Wiggins have been able to modify growing conditions therefore providing protection from pests and adverse weather. The result is excellent quality produce with tens of thousands of boxes full of Wiggins capscium being sent south every growing season starting in May. The family enjoy their fishing and time spent together outdoors in the vast playground that is the Gascoyne.
Phil & Liana Frzop
Phil’s dad came out from Croatia in the 1940’s and was farming in Osborne Park. Following in his footsteps and moving up to Carnarvon in 1982 for the weather, Phil began growing bananas, avocados and other vegetables. He is now having success with melons, eggplants and zucchini on out North River Road. Phil and Liana enjoy the wide open spaces that come with living in the area.