Macadamia Nuts (Macadamia tetraphylla (light pink flowers): M. integrifolia (ivory white flowers) (Proteaceae))

The macadamia pages on this site include listings of macadamia nurseries, growers, sales as well as industry overviews, propagation information, macadamia products and a range of other macadamia related information.

Native to Australia, macadamias are the sole native plant food crop existing commercially as a food crop outside Australia.

Commercial Plantations
Macadamias are cultivated along the coastal strip of eastern Australia between Queensland's Atherton Tablelands south to the Numbucca Heads region of New South Wales. The majority of plantations are located in the south-east of Queensland, especially around Bundaberg in Queensland, and north-eastern New South Wales along the eastern side of the Great Dividing Range. There are smaller plantings in the north-central New south Wales coast, northern Queensland and Western Australia.

Australian Macadamia Industry
Cultivation and Processing
CSIRO Macadamia Research
Health and Nutrition
Festivals and Exhibitions
MacMan
Macadamia Tree Nurseries
Australian Macadamia Growers
Australian Macadamia Processing and Sales
Conservation
Additional References
Overseas Sites

Of the 9 species worldwide, 7 species of macadamia are native to Australia but only 2 are edible (Macadamia tetraphylla and Macadamia integrifolia). Both species originate from latitudes 25° to 31° south. Integrifolia is more common in the northern area of the range while tetraphylla is more common to the southern area. The flowers of integrifolia are white and the nut is more rounded and smooth. The flower of tetraphylla is a light pink and the surface of the nut more textured.

Australia and Hawaii are the major producers, but macadamias are also grown in various countries in Africa as well as in Brazil and the Central American region.

Australian Macadamia Industry Macadamia nuts account for around 2% of the world nut tree trade of which Australia's share is 45%. Australia is the world's largest producer of macadamias and has more than 13 million trees in the ground. Australia's macadamia industry is worth nearly $100 million at the farm gate. About 60-70 per cent of Australian macadamias are exported every year - (CSIRO) The 2011 crop is anticipated to be 35,000 tonnes NIS which equates to around 10,000 tonnes of kernel. (Australian macadamia Society - April 2011) Australians are the highest per capita consumers of macadamia nuts. For more information on macadamia production and markets see Macadamia Production, Industry and Markets Macadamia Industry Strategic Plan 2009 - 2014 (HAL) Australian Macadamia Society The Australian Macadamia Society is the peak body representing the Australian Macadamia industry. It is a body of approximately 800 Australian and 30 overseas members representing all facets of the macadamia industry in Australia. Whilst the majority of members are growers, membership also includes such diverse occupations as processors, administrators, business people, investors, marketers, consultants, researchers, engineers, teachers and other macadamia enthusiasts. Access the website of the Australian Macadamia Society for more information.
Harvesting macadamias courtesy of Australian Macadamia Society

Australian Macadamia Industry

Macadamia nuts account for around 2% of the world nut tree trade of which Australia's share is 45%. Australia is the world's largest producer of macadamias and has more than 13 million trees in the ground. Australia's macadamia industry is worth nearly $100 million at the farm gate. About 60-70 per cent of Australian macadamias are exported every year - (CSIRO)

The 2011 crop is anticipated to be 35,000 tonnes NIS which equates to around 10,000 tonnes of kernel. (Australian macadamia Society - April 2011)

Australians are the highest per capita consumers of macadamia nuts. For more information on macadamia production and markets see Macadamia Production, Industry and Markets

Macadamia Industry Strategic Plan 2009 - 2014 (HAL)

Australian Macadamia Society
The Australian Macadamia Society is the peak body representing the Australian Macadamia industry. It is a body of approximately 800 Australian and 30 overseas members representing all facets of the macadamia industry in Australia. Whilst the majority of members are growers, membership also includes such diverse occupations as processors, administrators, business people, investors, marketers, consultants, researchers, engineers, teachers and other macadamia enthusiasts. Access the website of the Australian Macadamia Society for more information.

Harvesting macadamias courtesy of Australian Macadamia Society

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Cultivation and Processing Macadamias prefer climates with distinct wet and dry seasons. While integrifolia is most commonly used for commercial production, growers in the south often use tetraphylla as root stock for grafting integrifolia. Macadamia trees bear fruit at around 10 years old. Cuttings and grafts flower after 3 to 5 years. It is natural for macadamias to flower, form nuts and bear nutlets and mature nuts similtaneously although the nuts fall and are collected between February and September. Flowers form on racemas (flower stems) and around 10% survive to become nuts. From the time the fruit sets, it takes around 6 months until the fruit is ripe. The fruit comprises the green outer husk and a brown hard shelled nut containing the kernal. Nuts fall and are collected between February and September. Nuts are collected from the ground, using hand harvesters, then taken away for machine dehusking.	Macadamia flower stems (racemas) - Courtesy of Maccacorp Ltd.

Cultivation and Processing
Macadamias prefer climates with distinct wet and dry seasons. While integrifolia is most commonly used for commercial production, growers in the south often use tetraphylla as root stock for grafting integrifolia. Macadamia trees bear fruit at around 10 years old. Cuttings and grafts flower after 3 to 5 years.

It is natural for macadamias to flower, form nuts and bear nutlets and mature nuts similtaneously although the nuts fall and are collected between February and September. Flowers form on racemas (flower stems) and around 10% survive to become nuts. From the time the fruit sets, it takes around 6 months until the fruit is ripe. The fruit comprises the green outer husk and a brown hard shelled nut containing the kernal. Nuts fall and are collected between February and September.

Nuts are collected from the ground, using hand harvesters, then taken away for machine dehusking.

Photo: Racemas Macadamia flower stems (racemas) - Courtesy of
Maccacorp Ltd.

Important information for buying good quality planting stock when establishing an orchard. This note includes information on what to look for when buying trees, checking the root system, checking for pests and diseases and, checking trees for other problems (Department of Primary Industries - NSW)

The Higher yielding macadamia trees information sheet provides information on the macadamia breeding program, the latest selection of high-performance macadamias and progress towards delivering new commercial varieites

Organic macadamia growing (Department of Primary Industries - NSW)

Processing
After dehusking, macadamia nuts are placed in drying bins until the kernal hardens and the shell is ready for cracking, this can take up to two months.

As macadamia shells are vey hard (taking over 2,000 pounds per square inch of compression to break the shell) they require machine cracking. The freed kernals are then sorted and roasted or prepared for inclusion in a range of products.

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CSIRO Macadamia Research
The following are information sheets on research activities relating to macadamia nuts. For information on the role of CSIRO see CSIRO.

The Higher yielding macadamia trees information sheet covers information on the macadamia breeding program, the latest selection of high-performance macadamias and progress towards delivering new commercial varieites.
The Macadamia research - making the most of our native nut information sheet includes information on breeding better macadamia trees, Improving macadamia nut quality and harvest technology.
Breeding bolsters macadamia industry profits - Breeding goals aimed at improving macadamia profitability
Creating the tastiest macadamias information sheet - This information sheet is about trials conducted to identify the type of macadamia nut that consumers prefer.

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Health and Nutrition
Macadamias contain 78 per cent monounsaturated fats. For health and nutritition information on macadamia nuts see the Macadamia Health and Nutrition page.

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Festivals and Exhibitions

Fruit Logistica (Berlin)

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MacMan
MacMan is a management system to monitor and improve macadamia orchard profitability and nut quality. The MacMan project is an initiative of the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Queensland, and is funded and supported by the following organisations:

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Australian Macadamia Nurseries

Bandicoot Nursery (Western Australia)
Daleys Fruit Tree Nursery (Western Australia)
Gray Plantations Pty Ltd (New South Wales and Queensland)
Pacific Plantations (New South Wales)

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Australian Macadamia Growers

Brookfarm (Byron Bay - New South Wales)
Coes Creek Orchard
Coes Creek Orchard (Gympie - Queensland)
Carr's Hunter Valley Macadamia Farm (Milbrodale - New South Wales)
Duck Creek Macadmamias (Byron Bay hinterland - New South Wales)
Goldmac Australian Macadamias (Bundaberg - Queensland)
Gray Plantations Pty Ltd (New South Wales)
Koala Farms (Bangalow - New South Wales)
Macadamias Australia (Bundaberg - Queensland)
Maccacorp (Bundaberg - Queensland)
MacNuts (Baldivis - Western Australia)
Medowie Macadamias (Port Stephens Region - New South Wales)
Pacific Plantations (Bangalow - New South Wales)
Suncoast Gold Macadamias (New South Wales and Queensland)
Waliz Macadamia (Bangalow - New South Wales)
Wodonga Park (Blackbutt Ranges in South-East Queensland)
Wondaree Macadamias (Tolga - Queensland)
Yarramalong Macadamia Nut Farm (New South Wales)

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Australian Macadamia Processing and Sales

Brookfarm (Byron Bay - New South Wales)
Carroll Partners (Victoria)
Carr's Hunter Valley Macadamia Farm (Milbrodale - New South Wales)
Duck Creek Macadmamias (Byron Bay hinterland - New South Wales)
Goldmac Australian Macadamias (Bundaberg - Queensland)
Koala Farms (Bangalow - New South Wales)
Macadamia House (Bauple - Queensland)
Macadamia Processing Co. Limited and International Macadamias Ltd (NSW)
Macadamias Australia (Bundaberg - Queensland)
MacNuts (WA)
Mammino Macadamia Nuts (Queensland)
Medowie Macadamias ( NSW - Port Stephens Region)
Nutworks (Yandina - Queensland)
Pacific Plantations (Bangalow - New South Wales)
Patons Macadamia Plantations Pty Ltd (Victoria)
Stahmann Farms (Queensland)
Stahmann Farms
Suncoast Gold Macadamias (Queensland)
The Macadamia Castle (NSW)
Waliz Macadamia (Bangalow - New South Wales)
Wodonga Park (Blackbutt Ranges in South-East Queensland)
Wondaree Macadamias (Tolga - Queensland)
Yarramalong Macadamia Nut Farm (NSW)

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Conservation

Conservation Management Profile - Queensland nut tree Macadamia integrifolia (and related species) (EPA Queensland)
In a bid to preserve wild macadamia varieties 'gene banks' or plantations have been established in the National Macadamia Germplasm Conservation Program
Jansens Macadamia (Macadamia jansenii) - (ABC)
Macadamia tetraphylla - Environmental status (Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts)

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Additional References

Macadamia Industry Annual Reports ( HAL website)
Macadamia Growers Handbook and Macadamia Problem Solver and Bug Identifier
Living and Working with Macadamias — Answers to Common Questions (Department of Primary Industries - NSW)
Macadamia Culture in New South Wales (Department of Primary Industries - NSW)
Macadamia Costs and Returns for Northern NSW (2004) (Department Of Primary Industries - NSW)
North Coast Region Strategic Overview 2006 (Department of Primary Industries NSW)
Macadamia Processing (My Place Holidays)
Macadamia Pollination (Department of Agriculture and Food - WA)
Macadamia tetraphylla - Environmental status (Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts)
Historic perspective of the Australian macadamia industry. (Macadamia Castle)

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Overseas Sites

Macadamia Advice Centre (UK)
The Hawaiian Macadamia Nut Association
The Southern African Macadamias Growers Association
World Macadamia Library - Cooper's Nut House (US)

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