Technical officer David Robertson pruning a tree at the CTH

The facilities include a new glasshouse, shadehouse, and potting area, with soil and plant grinding and preparation rooms. There is a new nut drying and quality assessment shed. A large packing shed holds several macadamia dehuskers for trials involving nut yield and quality. There are insect rearing and experimental areas for integrated pest management (IPM) research. There is also a conference facility which holds 50 people and a library with information on local crop growing.

The centre covers 48ha and has experimental plantations of macadamia, avocado, mango, custard apple and banana, with blueberry scheduled to be planted. It also has representative trees of other crops grown in the region including lychee, coffee, Davidson plum, kiwi fruit and jack fruit.

Infrastructure at the centre includes a main irrigation dam, and a 3.5km long rising main delivering water from Maguire’s Creek. Irrigation mains and risers capable of watering 20ha of orchards are also in place.