Angela Christa was the first to have her olives processed last year. THE olives are ripening early this year, not surprising given our glorious late summer weather, and so the first pressing of the year for Wonthaggi’s community olive press has been brought forward.
It will be on Saturday, April 20, at the Rescue Station Arts Centre in Wonthaggi.
Wonny Olives is the brainchild of Liane Arno and Matt Stone – the 600kg Italian-made beast of a presser is their gift to the community.
It will be on Saturday, April 20, at the Rescue Station Arts Centre in Wonthaggi.
Wonny Olives is the brainchild of Liane Arno and Matt Stone – the 600kg Italian-made beast of a presser is their gift to the community.
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The crushed olives go into a chamber where they are warmed and gently tumbled for at least half an hour to allow the tiny oil droplets to form larger droplets. Then like magic ... the oil emerges.
Last year we pressed over 1 tonne of olives, most of them from local backyard trees. That equates to about 100 litres of premium cold pressed extra virgin oil.
There’s no charge to have your olives pressed, though you may wish to join the The State Coal Mine Rescue Station Arts Inc which hosts the press and the event.
If you want to bring your olives for the first pressing, call or text Catherine on 0401 817 796 or email Liane at [email protected]
If you haven’t got an olive tree but would like to be a part of it, let us know and we can match you with an olive grower. The custom is that grower and picker share the oil.
Or you may just want to come along and learn how it all works and lend a hand. The more people who know the process the better, and the less strain on everyone.
The olives are ready for oil when the fruit is starting to colour from green to purple. Squeeze one and check that it’s softening. To get the best results fruit must be fresh, so don’t pick them earlier than the day before pressing and treat them gently so they don’t bruise.
On pressing day you’ll need to bring bottle/s for the oil (10kgs of ripe fruit makes about 1 litre of oil) and a bucket or other container to take away your share of the olive pulp that remains after pressing. The pulp makes good compost and worms love it.
If you can’t make it on Saturday, or your olives aren’t ready, don’t despair: there will be several pressings over the next two months.
Find out more at Wonny Olives to Oil.
There’s no charge to have your olives pressed, though you may wish to join the The State Coal Mine Rescue Station Arts Inc which hosts the press and the event.
If you want to bring your olives for the first pressing, call or text Catherine on 0401 817 796 or email Liane at [email protected]
If you haven’t got an olive tree but would like to be a part of it, let us know and we can match you with an olive grower. The custom is that grower and picker share the oil.
Or you may just want to come along and learn how it all works and lend a hand. The more people who know the process the better, and the less strain on everyone.
The olives are ready for oil when the fruit is starting to colour from green to purple. Squeeze one and check that it’s softening. To get the best results fruit must be fresh, so don’t pick them earlier than the day before pressing and treat them gently so they don’t bruise.
On pressing day you’ll need to bring bottle/s for the oil (10kgs of ripe fruit makes about 1 litre of oil) and a bucket or other container to take away your share of the olive pulp that remains after pressing. The pulp makes good compost and worms love it.
If you can’t make it on Saturday, or your olives aren’t ready, don’t despair: there will be several pressings over the next two months.
Find out more at Wonny Olives to Oil.