When Pam and Martin Brook made a "treechange" from bustling Melbourne to a family farm in the NSW Northern Rivers, rural reality did not match the dream.
Hence their dismay on that day in 1989 when the Brooks absorbed the sorry state of the 96-acre dairy farm they had bought sight unseen in the Byron Bay Hinterland.
The first question to spring to mind was: what on earth have we done?
Fortunately, the earth itself provided the answer, and what has unfolded since is a lesson in resilience, education and regeneration culminating in Brookfarm , one of Australia's leading gourmet and premium natural food producers.
With macadamias at the heart of the Brookfarm natural foods range, the Brook family is a leader in Regenerative Farming (RF), applying its principles and processes to the orchards they planted as well as the restoration of an ancient rainforest on the farm which, in turn, has become a haven for wildlife.
Pam and son Will are also alumni of Southern Cross University, where the RF program is internationally acknowledged. Its ethos of sustainability and renewal is fundamental at Brookfarm.
The company's success is all the more admirable given the lack of farming pedigree in those early days. Pam has a Dental Science degree from Melbourne University, Martin a Communications degree from the University of Westminster in London, and Will a music/education degree from Southern Cross University.
So, how have they managed it?
"As much as were shocked at the state of the farm when we first saw it, we did not lose heart," says Pam. "It was a lesson in the need for diligence and one of the first things we learned was that the land was ideal for macadamias. We sought the best advice. We listened and learned.
"Macadamias were not considered a premium product back then. To us, that registered as an opportunity. So, we planted, continued to network with farmers and the broader industry, and we devised a strong business plan and a similarly strong commitment to RF."
That commitment has continued since Will took over as Brookfarm CEO in 2018 – not that leading the family company was in his initial plans.
As his parents were, as he puts it, elbow deep in muesli, Will's ambition was taking him in a different direction – music. After graduating from Trinity Catholic College in Lismore, he was accepted into the Northern Rivers Conservatorium before starting a Bachelor of Music/Education at Southern Cross University in 2004.
"I was a bass guitarist. Correction, I am still a bass guitarist, albeit one whose music chops are not as they once were," says Will.
"My Southern Cross degree was a revelation. I went into it wanting to be a rock star, but it was a teaching side to the degree that really resonated with me.
"I was living in Sydney when Mum asked if I wanted to do some rep work. The second store I visited, the owner raved about Brookfarm. My plans changed. I was in the family business, boots and all, and I learned on the job."
A desire for greater learning brought Pam to Southern Cross University in 2007 for an MBA in Business Management which she credits for its insights across finance, streamlining, planning, collaboration and investment.
"The MBA was valuable at the time and continues to inform what I do today," says Pam, who with husband Martin has been free to pursue other challenges since Will became CEO.
One of them is Coolamon Community , which Pam started with another Southern Cross University alumna, 2023 Community Impact Award recipient Evie Wood, along with Evie's mother Jennifer. The charity supports First Nations women by providing early motherhood support and essentials.
Meanwhile, Martin is VP of Big Scrub Rainforest Conservancy , a not-for-profit community organisation dedicated to saving critically endangered lowland subtropical rainforest and the species that call it home.
The Brooks are also part of a regional RF group, sharing advice, equipment, and principles around production, crop viability, land preparation, active management and planning.
"Regenerative farming is a journey of the environment," says Will. "Mum and Dad took a lot of risks when they set up Brookfarm. But without them, the rainforest on the farm might never have been saved and the flow-on benefits across planting, pest management, soil testing and carbon capture might never have come."
Unlikely as it may sound, Will adds that his Southern Cross University music/education degree is supporting the Brookfarm agenda.
"Like I said, it was the teaching side of my degree that really impacted on me, and I use its lessons today, albeit in our business through people management and organisation instead of in a classroom or music studio," he says.
"As more people seek our advice on sustainable and regenerative farming, it feels like our success carries a teaching responsibility which I am happy to share. As a family, we think it is important for people who farm to farm well, for themselves and the environment."
With Brookfarm one of the biggest employers in the Northern Rivers, Will is eager to grow the company to other markets while never losing sight of its regional roots.
"We want to grow in our region and for our region," he says. "We love Australian farming and we want to see it flourish."
