Christie Mcleod

PLEASE DO NOT SPONSOR THIS PROJECT - DUE TO AN OVERWHELMING LAUNCH OF OUR HAZELNUT OIL WE HAVE SOLD OUT OF OUR FIRST BATCH IN JUST 2 WEEKS.  AS WE CANNOT GUARANTEE DELIVERY WE HAVE MADE THE DIFFICULT DECISION TO ABANDON THIS FUNDING CAMPAIGN FOR NOW.  THE TREE PLAQUE ACTIVITY WILL STILL BE COMPLETED BY MARCH AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC HOWEVER IT WILL BE AT A SMALL CHARGE.  WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THEN :-)
Sponsor a tree plaque today! 
Become part of our story and help us provide a free activity in our stunning orchard, create jobs, and bring more visitors to a beautiful part of Tasmania!
Show everyone you supported this new development by purchasing a tree plaque engraved with your name or business.  You'll be known as our founding sponsors and recognised for sharing our vision for creating this brand new and innovative agri-tourism attraction!  
Love our nuts? Purchase a hamper of our favourite, and brand new products including the limited release of Tasmania's very first Hazelnut Oil. ideal for dipping, salads, and flavouring cakes and hot milk drinks, be the envy of this year's Christmas function with this exclusive new product!

Hazelbrae is home to the very first 5000 tree hazelnut orchard in Tasmania.  The slowly maturing trees present a stunning picture with the Great Western Tiers rising in the background.  With commercial production now underway, it is time to invite visitors to the farm to wander, taste, experience and enjoy the beauty and flavours of this wonderful place.

Hazelnuts are new industry for Australia, and Tasmania.  Hazelbrae has been a leader in developing the beginnings of this niche crop, and in developing quality hazelnut products for sale at farmer's markets, gift shops and gourmet food stores around the state.  Our customers are amazed with the flavour of freshly cracked nuts and we are proud to be setting a new standard for nut lovers!

Too beautiful to keep to ourselves, owners Micheal & Christie, and our 4 year old son Jack, are looking forward to creating a free family activity, with your help, to be enjoyed by visitors including, locals, tourists and school groups.  The property already hosts tours and private luncheons and will be offering farm gate sales of our hazelnut products from 2015.  Pending a successful government grant application, we will also be building a farm shop and processing facility to support other growers of hazelnuts. We have already invested heavily in the orchard and farm so we are on a very tight budget and it is not possible to make this activity free without your support.  The Hazelnut Treasure Trail is a key ingredient in our plans for developing Hazelbrae into a education and tourist centre for promoting Tasmanian Hazelnut products and agricultural experiences.  We also hope to increase employment as we grow and welcome more visitors to the area to help stimulate the local economy. 

While our minimum target will fund the activity itself, we would love to make some other additions to complete the project.  Our goals, in order of importance are:
$10,000 
Tree plaques with YOUR NAME or BUSINESS will be positioned at the base of each tree in the orchard for visitors to use when following the treasure maps provided by us.  Visitors will follow the directions leading them to the final plaque (X marks the spot!) and this can be written on an entry card for a monthly Hazelbrae Hamper.  So not only is the activity free - but you could win free stuff too!
$5,000
Rewards and taxes. Yes. We have to pay tax on your donations - not too much though because we'll spend it on claimable items! 

$5,000
To upgrade our toilet facility so you don't have to use a port-a-loo when visiting!

$10,000
Orchard furniture, daybeds, benches, and special Hazelbrae Private Picnic Pods! Enjoy some leisure time while the kids entertain themselves for free!

We can think of lots of other things we'd love to build or provide, but this would make a fabulous start and we will eventually put it all together as we go... and we don't want to seem greedy!

Our biggest challenge is raising these funds.  We recognise it's a lot to ask a community to support a private business in this way however we feel that what we are offering will give back to the community in many ways by not only providing an inexpensive activity for budget conscious families, but also in stimulating economic development in a regional area as well as further developing a market for farmers to sell this new crop into.  This project will go ahead whether our recent grant application is successful or not, it will just take a bit longer to be operational 7 days a week and will be limited to weekends only until we are able to complete our other plans. We are supported by Meander Valley Council and have planning approval in place, and also have the support of other Hazelnut growers and the Hazelnut Growers Association of Australia for all of our plans. We are also very fortunate to have the advisory services of Paul Badcock, famous for developing the Cherry Shed at Latrobe, assisting us with the orchard and business development. With all of this support we are sure to create an exciting new development at Hazelbrae!