She took out two golds, one silver and four bronze medals at the Royal Canberra Olive Oil Show last September. Of these, three were for Bentivoglio Estate oils and four for Rylstone Olive press blends. To top it off, champion oil of the show went to a Bentivoglio Estate organic oil. Not bad for a small company which has been pressing olives for just five seasons.

"Word can’t explain how I feel," exclaimed a buoyant Jayne Bentivoglio. "It was a huge highlight, just the best". Bentivoglio and her husband Peter have planted 6000 olive trees on their central west NSW property over the past six years. They include eight varieties – frantoio, corregiolo, leccino, pendolino, coratina, barnea, manzanillo and picual – all of which are excellent for pressing. "We'll process seven tonnes of our own estate olives this year," she said. "And we’ll press 250 tonnes of olives from other growers on the central tablelands."

Bentivoglio belongs to a new band of dynamic women involved in the olive oil industry in Australia. They include Lee Hallett of The Olive Press in Riverton, South Australia; Margaret Kirkby of Gwydir Grove in Moree, northern NSW; Lisa Rowntree of Long Ridge Olives in Coonalypn, South Australia (and winner of this year’s South Australian Rural Women’s Award) and Annie Ashbolt of Ashbolt Olive Oil at Plenty in Tasmania.

 

 

According to Bentivoglio, it's an industry which lends itself to women. "They seem to have a more TLC approach in the grove," she remarked. "They’re always out there looking to see what needs to be done whether it be pruning, watering or fertilising". "They’re all passionate about the industry", remarked Paul Miller, president of the Australian Olive Association. "And they take a broad business approach." Miller speaks highly of the qualities each has brought to the fledgling industry.

"Margaret Kirkby is a leading light with one of the best palates around, Annie is an innovator, Lee is a hard-working inspirational country woman, Lisa is immensely capable and has pulled together the olive industry in South Australia and Jayne leads by example running field days and workshops for novice growers at her mill. We’re lucky to have them."

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