Bass Coast Post
  • Home
    • Recent articles
  • News
    • Point of view
    • View from the chamber
  • Writers
    • Anne Davie
    • Anne Heath Mennell
    • Bob Middleton
    • Carolyn Landon
    • Catherine Watson
    • Christine Grayden
    • Dick Wettenhall
    • Ed Thexton
    • Etsuko Yasunaga
    • Frank Coldebella
    • Gayle Marien
    • Geoff Ellis
    • Gill Heal
    • Harry Freeman
    • Ian Burns
    • Joan Woods
    • John Coldebella
    • Julie Paterson
    • Julie Statkus
    • Kit Sleeman
    • Laura Brearley >
      • Coastal Connections
    • Lauren Burns
    • Liane Arno
    • Linda Cuttriss
    • Linda Gordon
    • Lisa Schonberg
    • Liz Low
    • Marian Quigley
    • Mark Robertson
    • Mary Whelan
    • Meryl Brown Tobin
    • Michael Whelan
    • Mikhaela Barlow
    • Miriam Strickland
    • Natasha Williams-Novak
    • Neil Daly
    • Patsy Hunt
    • Pauline Wilkinson
    • Richard Kemp
    • Sally McNiece
    • Terri Allen
    • Tim Shannon
  • Features
    • Features 2024
    • Features 2023
    • Features 2022
    • Features 2021
    • Features 2020
    • Features 2019
    • Features 2018
    • Features 2017
    • Features 2016
    • Features 2015
    • Features 2014
    • Features 2013
    • Features 2012
  • Arts
  • Local history
  • Environment
  • Nature notes
    • Nature notes
  • A cook's journal
  • Community
    • Diary
    • Courses
    • Groups
    • Stories
  • Contact us

Press on!

19/4/2023

7 Comments

 
PictureAll the way from Italy, Wonthaggi’s own community olive press is ready for action in May.
By Liane Arno
 
WE ALL love olive oil. Now here’s a chance to enjoy your own “home-grown”, cold pressed, virgin olive oil.
 
Wonthaggi now has its own community olive press, housed at the State Coal Mine Rescue Station Arts after being delivered all the way from Italy. A technician from the company (from Toowoomba not Italy!) is coming to guide us through our first pressing.  
 
Simply harvest your olives (or have a volunteer harvest them for you) and bring them to the Rescue Station between noon and 5pm on May 20.

​We'll weigh them and give you a receipt.  We will then press the olives, get back in contact with you and arrange for you to collect your share of the oil. A rough estimate is one litre of oil for every 10 kilograms of olives but we’ll only know once we’ve done it.

Please register first by contacting Liane on [email protected]. That way if there are any changes we can tell you. For example if everyone's olives are ripening earlier or later then we can get an alternative date happening.​
 
If you don’t have any olive trees, don’t despair. You’ve probably noticed olive trees in your neighbourhood where the fruit goes to waste. Register with us as a volunteer picker and we’ll supply flyers that you can leave in the letterbox or hand over when you knock on the door and offer your services.
PictureThanks to the amazing Ian Hitchings who came
to the rescue when it was time to move
the 600kg press into the Rescue Station.
We already have volunteer pickers as well as some growers who would like help harvesting. Please get in touch so we can bring you together.
 
The cost to take part? A big fat zero, though donations to help cover the Rescue Station costs are welcome. Better still, join Rescue Station Arts when you bring your olives or pick up your oil.  The $11 annual membership gives you access to a welcoming and vibrant arts organisation offering a variety of workshops and art-related activities.
 
Olives are ready to pick for oil when they are nearly ripe and have begun to change colour from green to pinkish purple. The fresher the better so don’t pick more than a couple of days before the pressing. And please remove all rotten fruit, leaves and twigs.
 
We’ll let you know when the oil is ready to collect. Please bring your own bottle/s and a container to take away your share of the discarded seeds and skins which are good for your garden.
 
You can find more information on harvesting and other olive-related matters at rescuestationarts.org.au/wonny-olives-to-oil/

Inquiries: Liane on 0408 055 767 or [email protected]

Picture
The good oil
Sept 14, 2022 - Liane Arno calls in some expert help as she looks forward to the arrival of a community olive press in Wonthaggi. 

7 Comments
Bron Dahlstrom
23/4/2023 07:50:24 am

What a great idea. I do have olive trees, but not nearly enough for oil. I love to process and eat them. I would love to discover some wild’ olive trees. If I had enough suitable olives, I would certainly join in having them pressed.

Reply
liane arno
23/4/2023 01:16:55 pm

Hi Bron
If you have any left over - then bring them along - we will share the sp'oils' (get it!) It doesn't matter how small the quantity.

Reply
Bron Dahlstrom
23/4/2023 02:05:31 pm

Thanks, Liane, A very generous offer, but we process the few we have to eat. There won’t be any leftovers.

Reply
Wendy
24/4/2023 05:49:33 pm

Will this fab initiative be running next year - i.e. will the press be permanently residing in Wonthaggi? Would love to know how it was funded, such a great thing for the local community.

Reply
liane arno
26/4/2023 07:58:27 am

Yes it will be permanently stationed at the Rescue Station (they are so kind to have put aside the space). Please get in touch over the email [email protected] and that way we can keep you informed.

Reply
Wendy
26/4/2023 01:20:01 pm

Wonderful! Thanks Liane.

Daphne Proietto
14/9/2024 02:48:37 pm

Fantastic news

Reply



Leave a Reply.