An organic orchard on a farm in Jerrara has been given a green light by Kiama Council to erect a very large permanent black netting structure to protect plantings from bats and birds.

Sited at 92 Jerrara Road, the five acre orchard is on a farm of just over 32 ha (79 acre) which currently has just a farm building on it, although there is a DA in place for a future residence.

The owner bought the farm in 2018 and wasn’t aware that he would require a DA to erect the netting or develop an orchard, as the land is zoned RU1 Primary Production, RU2 Rural Landscape and C2 Environmental Conservation.

“He initially planned the five acre orchard as his own big family garden – it’s really too small to be a major commercial venture,” says farm manager Mark Nelson. 

“Vince came to Australia from Italy as a young boy and has worked hard to build a business in Miranda. He’s now in his 80s. Some people spend money on speed boats, fast cars or on big caravans to drive around Australia. It’s always been Vince’s dream to get some land and have an orchard.

“He’s looked at this specific piece of land for the last 10 years and in 2018 it came on the market.”

It was only when objections to the 4.5m high steel pipe netting posts were made by the owner of the historic Park Mount home, which sits on a one acre subdivision in the middle of the farm, that the owner was informed he would have to apply for a DA for both the orchard (as it is classed as intensive plant agriculture) and nets.

Park Mount was bought in 2020, and concerns were expressed about the loss of views and its impact on the heritage listed property due to the location of the orchard to its north west.

“The orchard site pretty much chose itself,” says Mark, explaining that constraints on other parts of the land – sleep slope, rockshelf, areas of native vegetation and riparian zones – meant there was only one suitable site, at the rear of the Park Mount home.

“The sloping paddocks at the corner of Jerrara and Jamberoo Roads were too steep and the visual impact would be high. This steeper land we lease to the dairy next door and we plan to fence the creek line which is the riparian zone to protect it from cows.”

Mark Nelson, with the orchard behind him

The netting will cover an area of 19,600m2, and is the first of its type in the LGA.

After assessing the project, Jessica Rippon, Kiama Council’s Director of Environmental Services, advised councillors that an orchard with netting was suitable for the site and the DA was approved by six to three councillors at the August Council meeting.

Mark Nelson says that now the DA is in place, the farm can consider selling its produce at the Kiama Farmers Markets.

The orchard has been planted with apples, pears, oranges, lemons, figs, apricots, peaches, nectarines, cherries, plums, persimmons, blueberries, raspberries, mulberries, grapes, mangoes, passionfruit, bananas, avocados and almonds, plus some seasonal vegetables and herbs.

“It’s a diversified orchard,” he says, “and, with only five acres, we are really growing for a boutique market as there won’t be masses of fruit at any one time.

“When Vince bought the land, he brought me on to develop the orchard. We took a truck up to his home in Bangor. The whole front yard to the curb was covered in established fruit trees. They were wall to wall.

“We took an excavator to dig them up. There were also many in pots.

“We brought back around 350 trees, which is about one-third of what is now planted.”