Story – Bangadang Farm

Celebrating Western Australia's diverse ecosystem

BANGADANG FARM is a family run 850 acre property situated along the Preston River in the Southwest region of Australia. Today as we take a look around at the farm, it is difficult to imagine that just a few short years ago this farm was an empty piece of land. When we first met Bangadang, she posed equally as both an opportunity, and an unknown. We have had many dreams of what this farm could be, but we first had to build the necessary building blocks and infrastructure, to get to know our land from scratch. Step by step, small progresses led to incremental milestones. And now we turn our attention to regenerating the land.

We are committed to the reforestation of the barren paddocks, replanting native species to assist in conservation projects. We have undertaken such projects as the river regeneration in 2020, the reforestation of 10 acres in 2021, the planting of 1000 trees in 2023. As well as the addition of various native trees, shrubs and plants that have been positioned across the farm. We have transformed our farm dams into green spaces filled with native flora and the native wildlife is thriving. We have worked to regenerate a parcel of land into a lush oasis with the creation of our food forest following permaculture principles, from which we are undertaking the production of fruit jam, chutneys, and marmalade.

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The first inhabitants of Australia’s South West were the Noongar Aboriginal people who have had a meaningful connection with this land for 50,000 years. We would like to acknowledge the Noongar people as the traditional owners of this land. At Bangadang we strive to operate with respect to this culture and care for the Boodja (country).

Food Forest

Our Food Forest spans over 2.5 hectares, brimming with citrus and stone fruits, figs, mulberries and a variety of nuts. With over 50 species trees, we continue to add to and expand production while continuing our efforts to research and develop healthier soil for more sustainable and healthier harvests.

Reforestation

This land would have once been a jarrah and marri native forest. With the rise of agricultural practises and the demand for timber, these have been cleared over time. Here at Bangadang we have taken on a reforestation project, having already replanted over 30 acres of native forest. We now are set to replant over 80 acres of trees with a range of native and deciduous species to maximise biodiversity across the farm.

You can follow our progress on YouTube.

Marron

The purpose of the “Marron Project” at Bangadang Farm is to increase the production of marron across the state, focusing upon dam farming. At Bangadang we are looking to produce a meaningful and consistent biomass of Marron from dams, with the view to double the production of Marron sales in WA. We aim to revolutionise the dam farming practices through the implementation of innovative infrastructure and Aquatic Agri-Tech practices. Our aim is to reflect within the dam environment biomass output closer to that of semi-intensive marron farming, i.e., ponds. It is our view that through collaboration with other farmers holding freshwater resources, we can create an opportunity to meet consumer demand domestically and internationally.

Avocados

In one corner of our farm, Hass avocado trees span across 7.5 hectares. Planted in January 2018 our trees now produce a plentiful crop. We irrigate them using our dam water and adopt a minimal spray policy. Indeed, we are now transferring over to an organic fertiliser and pesticide that can be fed through the irrigation system. We are licensed avocado growers, and uphold the FreshCare and ICA 30 standards. These avocados are proudly sold across Australia including in national supermarkets. In 2023 we have begun our transition to farming avocados organically.

You can follow our progress on YouTube.

Truffery

Traditionally considered to only be cultivated in France, Spain, and Italy, it is not generally known that West Australia is one of the burgeoning producers of black truffles in the world. The soil and climate of West Australia is suited to the cultivation of French black truffle, Périgord truffle. Truffles are the fruiting bodies of soil fungi that live in a symbiotic relationship with the feeder roots of trees. Host tree seedlings are inoculated with truffle spores in the nursery before planting out in the field, and production and harvest begins five to seven years later. We have planted our own truffle orchard in 2023.
You can follow our progress on YouTube.

Our Garden

Our kitchen garden provides a plethora of produce; traditional crops of garlic, sweetcorn, and broad beans are met against swathes of rosemary, dill, and lemon & cinnamon myrtle. The garden is bordered by seasonal pollinators, sun flowers, roses and lavender. Our focus is to grow the most nutrient-dense organic produce possible.