The boutique producer was awarded for their Koroneiki olives, a small variety with a subtler taste than the dominant Kalamata olive.
Co-owner Melanie Coid said the Koroneiki olives had “soft rose petal and Turkish delight flavours”.
She said that all of the grove’s olives were picked by hand and naturally processed, which is especially time-consuming for the Koroneiki olives as they are much smaller and grow on long stems.
“You need two hands to take off every olive.”
Ms Coid said the Australian International Olive Awards were an opportunity to showcase Australian olive producers, which she believes “are some of the best in the world”.
She encouraged Australian consumers to learn about the Australian Olive Association’s rigorous quality standards, which help buyers identify the best olive oils on the market.
Originally from Sydney, Ms Coid and her husband Robert Whyte came to Gooramadda for the lifestyle 13 years ago.
They were disillusioned by city life and Ms Coid said they were “looking for something with more connection to community”.
When the couple visited the farm, they fell in love with the location which took them into the olive business.
“We came for the view and the trees came with it,” Ms Coid said.
Irrigating off the Murray River, their grove supports 1000 trees across 11 different varieties of olives and is one of the largest small groves in Australia.
The couple has a sustainable and eco-friendly approach to farming which includes burying their prunings in the soil, which Ms Coid said improved the soil microbiome.
Gooramadda Olives uses brine and vinegar for their fermentation, avoiding other chemical alternatives.
Ms Coid said that good quality olive products began with good grove management.
They work long hours, but Ms Coid said “we love what we do”.
The couple receives regular visits from their son and grandchildren at the grove.
“My two-year-old grandchild comes and does grove inspections with me,” Ms Coid said.
Other awards that Gooramadda Olives have received this year include 2026 Champion Table Olive at the Sydney Royal Fine Food Awards, three gold awards at the Australian Golden Olive Oil Awards and another gold at the Melbourne Royal Fine Food Awards.
