HAZELNUTS BLOSSOM AT HAGLEY

Parliamentary Secretary for Industry and Science Karen Andrews and Federal Lyons MP Eric Hutchinson watch as Hazelbrae Hazlenuts owner Christie Mcleod harvests nuts in her hazelnut orchard, at Hagley.

HAZELBRAE Hazelnuts, at Hagley, will use a $75,000 Federal Government innovation and investment grant to expand using Tasmania’s only commercial hazelnut harvester, says owner Christie Mcleod.

Ms Mcleod told visiting Federal Parliamentary Secretary to the Industry and Science Minister Karen Andrews and Federal Lyons MP Eric Hutchinson today that without the new harvester, Hazelbrae was not been able to harvest other people’s hazelnuts despite the growing demand for such a service.

With the harvester, truck and other infrastructure funded by the grant, Ms Mcleod and her partner Michael Delphin will now take care of the harvest needs of most other hazelnut growers in the state as well as stepping up their own hazelnut processing plans.

Ms Mcleod said there were plans for construction of a small shop and café in the homestead gardens to sell a growing range of their hazelnut products including chocolate coated hazlenuts, hazelnut icecream, oil and creams.

Mrs Andrews announced the money for Hazelbrae from the Australian Innovation and Investment Fund during a visit to Northern Tasmania today.

The $75,000 will cover the purchase and commissioning of hazelnut washing, drying and de-stoning equipment, the refurbishment of an existing farm shed to house equipment and conversion of an unused farm cottage into a tasting and tourism centre.

Mr Hutchinson said that it was wonderful to see government funding put to such good use to build an expanding agribusiness in Lyons.

Mrs Andrews and Mr Hutchinson were at Beaconsfield earlier in the day where Mrs Andrews officially opened Beaconsfield Mine and Heritage Centre mine yard.

Mr Hutchinson said that the extension to the existing facilities at the mine and heritage centre would help bring more visitors to the West Tamar region which already attracts more than 2.1 million visitors a year.
FEDERAL Lyons MP Eric Hutchinson