AUSSIE TEA MONTH: CHOOSE AN AUSSIE BREW
With 750 million cups of tea produced in Australia each year, it’s time to support the local tea industry and choose an Aussie brew. Our own backyard is the source of a small community of tea-growers, cultivating black, green and oolong tea, amongst other variants. The Australian tea industry produced approximately 1.41million kilos of tea in 2021: that’s 750 million cups of tea! Yet only 1 in 10 cups of tea consumed are Australian-grown. So, throughout the month of May we’ve launched Aussie Tea Month to urge tea lovers to choose an Aussie brew. It’s the chance to put the world-class quality of Australian tea in the global spotlight, because our locally grown tea is nothing short of tea-riffic.
The Atherton Tablelands in Far North Queensland is home to Australia’s largest tea estate, with 360 hectares of tea planted on the single-origin estate owned by Nerada Tea. It’s responsible for 85% of the tea grown in Australia. However, there are tea fields a-plenty in other parts of the Tablelands, along with other parts of the country, in Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales. Need another reason to choose an Aussie cuppa?
- Australian tea is proudly pesticide-free, unlike most of the tea grown around the world. This is thanks to strict border control policies, which keep our country free of the pests other countries must manage
- Buying local will help the Australian tea industry to grow, creating and keeping jobs in our local rural areas. Nerada alone supports 85 Aussie families and some fabulous local suppliers as part of our village. You can read more about our partners here.
- Nerada tea is Rainforest Alliance certified - the only agricultural entity to utilize this prestigious seal in Australia. At a time when sustainability matters more than ever, this stamp of approval ensures you are drinking tea produced with the environment in mind. The incredibly rare Lumholtz Tree Kangaroos, living peacefully on the tea estate, an important part of the ecosystem
- Many of the tea plantations in Australia are located at altitude giving a distinctive flavour and a quality brew.
The rich volcanic soils and unique microclimate in which tea is often grown is a mark of quality. Plus, we’re needed to be innovative in our approach, building machinery like our harvesters to compete with some of the other tea producing nations in the world. Read more about this Australian ingenuity
Nerada Tea's Plantation Director Tony Poyner said,
"We've been growing tea in Far North Queensland for just over 50 years and we're excited to put a spotlight on Australian growers during Aussie Tea month. Growing tea in Australia is no mean feat, but the quality is exceptional. We'd love tea drinkers to support our industry by pouring and enjoying a cup of Australian tea. It’s time to make the switch and choose the Aussie brew."
The Australian Tea Cultural Society is encouraging Australians and its members to organise tea parties for International Tea Day, and the Cancer Council famously hosts their "Biggest Morning Tea' in May. There are so many reasons to celebrate and enjoy Aussie tea. David Lyons, Founding Director of the Australian Tea Cultural Society said, "It is brilliant to see tea in Australia continuing to grow and evolve. International Tea Day, and now Aussie Tea Month, are great ways of celebrating the ingenuity of the tea industry."
Want to learn more about Australian tea? Read more in some of our other feature articles:
What is actually Australian Tea?
Confused about what tea is actually Australian grown? Don’t have the wool pulled over your eyes, take a closer look at what tea brands are using Australian made tea in their blends. You may be surprised at what you find.
Why Single-Origin Tea?
Have you ever wondered why your favourite Nerada tea has such a distinctive flavour? Just like wine, the place of origin impacts the taste. We explain why single origin teas like Nerada has such a unique flavour profile.
Rainforest Alliance Certified
Did you know that our Nerada is proudly the only agricultural entity in Australia to be Rainforest Alliance certified? We’re incredibly proud of our environmental footprint. Read more to learn about why this certification helps to ensure the quality of your tea, but also protect our local ecosystem.