Get to Know Olive Oil from Kangaroo Island in Australia
Kangaroo Island photo credit Michael Obeysekera
Don't let Italy and Greece fool you—Australia is also producing world-class olive oil. In a recent competition, Australian oils ranked 10th out of 28 countries, despite making up only 0.5% of global olive oil production.
Cobram Estate holds the lion's share of Australia's olive oil market, but Kangaroo Island is proving to be a worthy competitor, especially as the island's popularity soars. Read more about Cobram Estate.
Kangaroo Island Olive Oil
Michael and Dom Esposito in the olive grove credit Kangaroo Island Olives
Considered a natural paradise, Kangaroo Island located just 8 miles off the coast of South Australia, is one of the best places in Australia to see wild animals like koalas, sea lions, seals and of course, kangaroos. Kangaroo Island Olives is at the forefront of the island's oil success. "Discovering Kangaroo Island's favorable climate for olive trees, they (the Esposito family) decided it was the ideal place to start our olive grove," explains Michael Esposito, co-owner and general manager of Kangaroo Island Olives. The Esposito family farm, known as "Little Liguria," was planted by his father Domenico and great-uncle using varieties they grew up with in Italy back in the early 1900s.
The grove primarily produces frantoio and koroneiki oils, with some Ligurian varieties thriving in close proximity to the ocean. "We don't have issues such as frost, and as long as we harvest at the right time when the olives start to turn from green to purple, we get the high quality olive oil we're known for."
Just as the ancient, gnarled olive branches in Puglia are shaped by their environment, Kangaroo Island's unique combination of soil, climate, and environment contributes to the olive oil's distinctive flavor.
"The island's warm summers, cool winters, and fertile soil provide the ideal conditions for these ancient trees to flourish," explains Esposito. "It's a testament to the island's natural beauty and its ability to produce exceptional agricultural goods.”
In keeping with the island's ethos of sustainability, farmers and producers favor natural practices. "My father always avoided using sprays. We don't even own a sprayer," he says. "Regenerative agriculture has been our approach for years, even before it became a buzzword."
Kangaroo Island olives credit Maggie Ricky
Once the olives are harvested, they exclusively use cold-pressing modern mills, which is essential for preserving the fresh, aromatic, and well-balanced flavor of their olive oil.
"Our main challenge has been and always will be the fact that we farm on a secluded island. This is a blessing and a curse."
But it's this secluded island life that gives Kangaroo Island Olives its unique character. Far from the hustle and bustle of the mainland, the island offers a peaceful and pristine environment where the olives can thrive undisturbed.
Kangaroo Island Olives Products
Kangaroo Island Olive Oil credit Kangaroo Island Olives
One of the advantages of Australian olive oil is that its harvest season is in April/May versus October/November for the Mediterranean. That means consumers can find purchase fresher olive oil all year round. In addition to their extra virgin olive oil, Kangaroo Island Olives produces Novello First Harvest Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It’s a blend of the first oils from koreneiki, frantoio and leccino olives. They also offer chilli and lemon co-milled oils.
Visiting Kangaroo Island Olive Oil
For anyone who wants to experience it firsthand, Exceptional Kangaroo Island offers a tailgate olive oil tasting amongst the family grove on the Fine Flavours tour, where guests will also taste local honey, oysters, wine, and gin.
It's a place where time seems to slow down, and the simple pleasures of life, like olive oil, are cherished.