Barwon River Olives

Barwon River Olives is a small olive grove located in Wallington on the Bellarine Peninsula, positioned above Lake Connewarre. The grove contains 1,559 trees of seven different varieties: Barnea, Picholine, Picual, Leccino, Moriaolo, Frantoio, and Pendolino. These French, Spanish, and Italian olive varieties thrive in the local Mediterranean climate. The property includes native plantations that support wildlife habitat. This grove relies entirely on natural rainfall and is managed by Geelong Region Olives, who oversee both farming and production of their Australian extra virgin olive oils.

The grove produces a distinctive Moraiolo variety, a creamy floral oil that is common in Tuscany but very rare in Australia. Geelong Region Olives is led by Stephen Parker, who began managing the grove in 2018. Stephen oversees operations across 12 different groves throughout the west coast region, producing six distinct brands. Oils from the Bellarine Peninsula tend to exhibit a spicier profile, reflecting the unique terroir of the coastal area.

Geelong Region Olives has achieved notable recognition, including winning Champion Class 3 for Robust Extra Virgin Olive Oil at the 2025 International Olive Awards for their Forte' Frantoio. Their FORTE 659 high-polyphenol extra virgin olive oil contains 659 mg/kg of natural polyphenols, representing their first purpose-made high-phenol product.

The oils are supplied to restaurants including La Cachette, The Arborist, and Tempo in Geelong, as well as the Lorne Hotel. Retail distribution includes Wholefoods stores, Common Ground Project at Freshwater Creek, farmers' markets throughout the region, and online orders via their website.