Locals rally to transform one tonne of olives into oil
Fruit Rescue’s 2026 South West olive harvest has shown how small community actions can add up to something significant, with more than one tonne of locally grown olives collected and transformed into over 150 litres of olive oil.
The initiative, now in its second year, expanded collections across Warrnambool, Koroit, Port Fairy and surrounding areas, making it easier for more people to take part.
Whether by picking a bucket from their backyard tree, hosting a small harvest with friends, or dropping off a grove’s worth of olives to a collection point, hundred’s of people contributed to the success of the project.
Fruit Rescue Director Courtney Mathew said the project is designed to give people a simple, practical way to contribute to their community.
“Not everyone has time to volunteer regularly, but this is something tangible people can do,” Ms Mathew said. “Picking a few kilos of olives might feel small, but when it all comes together, it has a real impact.”
More than sixty sites were harvested across the region, with volunteers and contributors of all ages involved. From organised picking days to spontaneous contributions from passersby and visitors, the harvest brought together a wide cross-section of the community.
“At one site, some people were visiting from the Mornington Peninsular and saw the harvest happening. They thought it was really cool and asked if they could help,” Ms Mathew said.
“Of course we said yes, and they happily plucked some fruit to contribute. Even on holidays, people are willing to share their time for a project they can see the value in.”
Once collected, the olives were processed by Grampians Olive Co., turning a scattered and unused resource into a high-quality local product. The project fills a practical gap in the local food system, creating a pathway for produce that would otherwise go unharvested to be processed and shared locally.
In keeping with a low-waste approach, all by-products from the pressing process are repurposed, with organic material returned to farms or used as animal feed.
Participants in the harvest will receive a share of the oil, with the remainder available to purchase at the Warrnambool Community Garden Wednesday afternoon market. Funds raised will cover the costs of the project and support Fruit Rescue’s ongoing work in food redistribution and improving access to fresh, locally grown produce.
Since launching in 2023, Fruit Rescue has redistributed nearly eight tonnes of produce across the region, helping to reduce food waste while strengthening community food networks. This represents over $60,000 value that is returned to the community from volunteer efforts.
Following strong participation this year, the organisation plans to offer the olive harvest again in 2027, building on a model that turns small, local actions into lasting community benefit.
