Australia's Native Superfood
Australia's Native Superfood
Macadamia nuts are Australia's gift to the world and have been harvested by Indigenous Australians for centuries. You might think that these nutrient dense nuts are a Hawaiian delicacy, but only Aussie maccas can claim to be 'the real maccoy'.
In the 1800s they were taken to Hawaii and developed for commercial use. In the 1900s, Australia got serious about its own macadamia industry and began cultivating them on home soil, where they naturally grow best.
Our pre-cut macadamias make snacking on this nutritious, creamy nut into something easy, joyful and experiential. After pre-slitting the shells and delicately dry roasting them to perfection, just an easy twist of the included stainless steel ‘Key to Happiness’ is all it takes to reveal their addictively crunchy kernels.
Let us take you on a journey through our family's farming history and back in time to when ancient macadamias grew wild in Queensland's coastal rainforests.
Heritage
The Steinhardt family has been growing fresh food in Bundaberg since 1958. Cultivating their small plot of land in Bundaberg, the family started with tomatoes, peanuts and other small crops before converting their fertile soils to macadamia orchards in the early 2000s. In 2023, the family business branched off and Freedom Fresh Australia was created. Freedom Fresh Australia now exclusively produces and markets the globally renowned pre-cut and flavoured macadamia range.
Our founding farmers, Ron and Marion Steinhardt
Father and son, Ron and Trevor Steinhardt
Our Region
The productive food basket of Bundaberg rests between pristine beaches and native bushland, at the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Australia. Made famous by the sugar industry and iconic rum sharing its name, Bundaberg has also grown to become Australia’s premier macadamia growing region.
With a sub-tropical climate, year-round sunshine and cool breezes blowing in from the Coral Sea, the native macadamias have everything they need to thrive.
Ancient Origins
Macadamia nuts make up part of Australia’s rich history and have a special connection with Indigenous Australians. Native to the rainforests of South East Queensland, which is part of our growing region, macadamia trees first evolved over 60 million years ago. They have long been considered a nourishing food source, and that is still true today.
To reach the rainforest’s dense canopy, macadamias treelings must compete for light. They often wait decades, growing only a centimetre or two each year, until a neighbouring tree falls and gives them enough sunshine to reach their full potential.
In a modern orchard, where macadamias are free from competition and are cared for in optimal conditions, they can fruit in as little as four years, and reach maturity from around 10 years.
Above: Macadamia historian and industry expert, Ian McConachie OAM, in the Amamoor State Forest on the East coast of Queensland, finding a wild macadamia tree in its natural habitat.
