Gondwana Macadamias
Cluster Connect Partipant
Gondwana Macadamias
Gondwana Macadamias is a family-owned macadamia farming and value-adding business based in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales. Operating across two farms, the business combines regenerative agricultural practices with a growing portfolio of premium macadamia products designed to inspire new ways of using Australia’s native nut. Grounded in sustainability, provenance and innovation, Gondwana Macadamias is building both a productive orchard base and a distinct consumer brand in parallel.
Business Type
Founded
Location
Enterprise Scale
Target Market
Focus
Background
After nearly four decades farming beef cattle east of Moree, co-founder Ron Caccianiga was increasingly conscious of shifting climate patterns and the need for a more resilient, irrigated farming system. What started as a search for a new rural opportunity took shape over lunch at a country pub, where a macadamia farm spotted in a real estate window sparked a complete pivot.
With no prior background in tree crops, Ron and chef wife Mel immersed themselves in the macadamia industry, travelling across growing regions, engaging with the Australian Macadamia Society and learning directly from growers. After multiple near-misses on properties further north, the couple ultimately established greenfield orchards in the Northern River, which is a region deeply connected to the macadamia’s rainforest origins.
From the outset, the vision extended beyond commodity production. Sustainability, regeneration and a desire to create long-term value shaped the foundations of Gondwana Macadamias.
The Challenge
Like many new orchard developments, Gondwana Macadamias faced long lead times before meaningful production. This challenge was compounded by extreme weather events. In 2022, catastrophic flooding inundated the Dungarubba property, wiping out approximately 80% of young trees and forcing extensive replanting. Cyclone Alfred impacts followed in 2025, creating further setbacks.
At the same time, broader industry pressures emerged. A significant drop in farm-gate prices in 2023 highlighted the macadamia sector’s heavy reliance on snack-based consumption and commodity markets. For a young farming business still rebuilding, relying solely on volume production was neither viable nor desirable.
The challenge was clear: how to generate cashflow during early production, build resilience against market volatility, and create a differentiated position in a competitive and evolving industry.
What They Changed
In response, Gondwana Macadamias accelerated its move into value-adding by building a brand that also offered food options like oils, crumbs and granolas, as well as skincare. What was initially considered a small side project became central to the business strategy. By cracking, roasting and cooking on site under New South Wales Food Authority accreditation, the business gained control over quality, storytelling and product development.
Rather than competing in a crowded snack category, Gondwana Macadamias positioned itself as “every other way to enjoy macadamias”. Drawing on Mel’s background as a chef, the product range includes slow-roasted nuts in shell to ready-to-use macadamia ingredients designed for everyday cooking, gifting and entertaining.
On farm, regenerative practices underpin operations. The business prioritises soil health, organic matter, biodiversity and low-impact systems, while also establishing a grove of historic macadamia varieties to support conservation, storytelling and future planting material for home gardeners.
Program Experience
Gondwana Macadamias’ participation in the Industry Growth Program (IGP) introduced the business to the Food & Agribusiness Network (FAN) and Cluster Connect. Initially hesitant to engage, assuming FAN was geared toward large and more established brands, the experience proved transformative.
Through FAN and Cluster Connect, the business gained access to a depth of technical, commercial and strategic expertise rarely available to small regional operators. This not only fast tracked its goals, but strengthened its strategy. Access to technical advisors, education and programs. Suppliers, co manufacturers like minded businesses. Experienced and well-connected sounding boards.
Support extended across food safety, distribution, labelling, marketing, financial modelling, go-to-market strategy, distribution, compliance, and scaling considerations. Just as importantly, FAN fostered a strong sense of community, connection and confidence during a challenging growth phase.
Outcomes So Far
Despite floods, cyclones and replanting, Gondwana Macadamias is now approaching a major milestone: approximately 95% of its 15,000 trees are in production or early production. Harvest runs from March through to August, with staggered varietal drops helping manage labour and processing demands.
On the brand side, Gondwana Macadamias has established direct-to-consumer and business-to-business sales through its website and social channels, alongside early retail partnerships. A clear long-term vision and roadmap are now in place, aligning orchard development with product expansion and market growth.
Sector Impact
By combining regenerative farming with value-adding and conservation, Gondwana Macadamias contributes to a broader shift within the macadamia sector toward resilience and differentiation. The business adds value locally, supports regional employment, and reinforces the Northern Rivers’ role as the birthplace of the macadamia.
Conversations with other growers suggest Gondwana’s approach is helping inspire alternative pathways within the industry — particularly for producers navigating early-stage production, climate risk and commodity price volatility.
Goals & Vision
Gondwana Macadamias’ commercial goal is to achieve 10% of total crop sales through direct-to-consumer and value-added channels, while advancing its ESG objectives of attaining carbon neutral status and certification, improving resource efficiency, deepening community engagement through the completion of the Wild Macadamias Arboretum planting, and supporting the Platypus Conservancy via research projects and donations from product sales, alongside strengthened participation in the AMS Benchmarking Program and Freshcare Certification.
Longer-term ambitions include export opportunities, expanded retail presence showcasing innovative ways macadamias can be used, and the development of macadamia-based botanicals and oil for food and skincare applications. At its core, the vision is to become a global voice for macadamia stories from Australia’s ancient rainforest origins.
Advice for Other Startups
Gondwana Macadamias’ key advice is simple: don’t wait to be ready. Start, learn, and pivot. Asking for help, building networks early, and being brave enough to step into unfamiliar territory is key.
One lesson stands out: the level of support available across Australia’s food and agribusiness ecosystem is extraordinary. Tapping into that generosity of knowledge has been instrumental in navigating challenges, maintaining momentum and turning adversity into opportunity.