farmers
We are Greg and Sue O’Donoghue, founders of Green Olive at Red Hill, winery and olive grove, along with our two children, Sam and Sophie, two Kelpie's (Indi and Luna), two Maremma’s (Pisa and Baci), a Shetland pony (Gracie), Wiltshire Pole sheep and a handful of Indian Runner ducks. We think that’s enough for now, but you never know on the farm.
Our dream is to help people live a 'good life' through the goodness of the farm. We exist to engage, nourish and inspire people with a whole farm experience - to farm the good life.
Since 2002 we have been cultivating our farm. We’ve established an olive grove and vineyard; built a farm kitchen and store; launched farm tours and tastings; created our farm brand of food, cordials and wines; sourced useful kitchen products and inspiring cook books and branched out with our own farm body care products.
Today, Green Olive at Red Hill, winery and olive grove, embodies a whole farm experience. It’s our life, love, family and home. You can spot our hideout down the end of the driveway, beyond the dam and grazing sheep. Our friends say we have an enviable commute to work and we can’t argue with that.
olive grove
Our story began with a childhood dream and a block of land in Red Hill, on the Mornington Peninsula, where we planted our first seedlings for the olive grove and launched Green Olive at Red Hill, winery and olive grove. We have five varieties of olives (frantoio, leccino, picual, manzanilla and kalamata) that produce an abundance of olive oil, table olives and gorgeous body products. Our olives are farm grown and hand-picked to produce 100% natural products for you to enjoy.
vineyard
Our 27-acre farm is situated in the hinterland six kilometres from the bay and seven kilometres from the ocean. We are located one hour from Melbourne at Red Hill, in the beautiful wine-growing region of the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria. Our rich volcanic soils, cool climate and 'between the bays' location is the ideal place for growing good food and wine. We planted our vineyard in 2008 and our winery is producing wonderful wine for you to enjoy or share with friends as a thoughtful gift.
garden
We grow a huge range of seasonal vegetables along with a growing collection of herbs and a range of native Australian bush food. We grow this produce from seed in our green house and then plant out in our kitchen garden and paddocks. Our fresh ingredients are used to create delicious farm plates as well as relishes and chutneys. As the farm changes with the seasons, our produce varies and allows us to explore new, fresh tastes. Herbs, vegetables and bush food are picked daily so we are always using the freshest ingredients from the farm.
We have also created a Hops Paddock which is the start of our new Kelpie Brewing Beer business but in the mean time you can check out our Hops and Grapefruit Spritzer on the menu. Stay tuned for more news on these exciting new projects!
bush food
Our Australian Bush Food Garden contains a variety of species of edible plants that have been consumed by Indigenous Australians for centuries. Also known as bush tucker, these native plants were an important part of the Aboriginal diet, providing sustenance for generations of Indigenous Australians living off the land. Some species of edible plants that we grow at the farm include lemon myrtle, finger lime and mountain pepper.
Our Bush Food Garden filled with native Australian plants can be explored by visitors on our farm tours where you can see, smell, taste and eat them!
animals
We love to connect with nature, animals and people. On the farm we have two beautiful Kelpies (Indi and Luna) who love to meet you at the Farm Shop, two Maremma’s (Pisa and Baci), a Shetland Pony (Gracie who is Baci's best friend), Wiltshire Pole sheep and a handful of Indian Runner ducks . We think that’s enough for now, but you never know on the farm.
sustainability
Our efforts in sustainability are constantly evolving. On the roof of our farm store and house we have a solar PV system that generates 39kW of power. The solar PV system at full producing powers the entire farm.
We capture all our own water and store it in large above ground tanks. Our farm irrigation comes from the large dam that collects water from the natural spring and general water runoff. We flush toilets with dam water rather than precious rain water and all waste water is processed naturally in an aeration treatment plant and then irrigated back onto the paddocks.
Our kitchen leftovers, green waste, coffee grinds, paper hand-towels and napkins are composted in our Enrich 360 machine. Overnight the waste is turned into compost that can be returned to the garden to grow more farm fresh produce. Where possible we reduce the need for glass and plastic containers, but if we do use them they are commercially recycled.
Every year we plant more native trees to create corridors for wildlife and we are always thinking of ways to further improve our sustainability practices. Read more about our sustainability here.
