Nutty new venture taking root

Key points

• Nick and Grace Thomas are growing a family-run hazelnut and chestnut orchard at Mullion Creek. The couple bought the 110-acre Seven Springs property in late 2024 after land prices had long delayed Mr Thomas's farming plans.
• Hundreds of young trees are in the ground, and a small hazelnut yield may be sold next year, with a larger harvest expected around 2028. Weather and wildlife have caused losses, including more than half of the planted trees.
• The family plans to hand the farm to their children in their mid-twenties.