‘No regrets’: Retired swimmer Giaan Rooney’s new life

It hasn’t been easy but retired swimmer turned macadamia farmer Giaan Rooney has not regretted her “tree change” for a moment.

It hasn’t been easy but retired swimmer turned macadamia farmer Giaan Rooney has not regretted her “tree change” for a moment.

And that’s despite her new venture being ravaged by floods, Covid and all its border closures, increased production costs and plummeting nut prices in the three years since she and husband Sam packed up kids Zander, 9, and Lexi, 6, to move to northern NSW.

“In our short time as full-time farmers we have dealt with the fallouts of receiving 4.7m of rain in a year – when the normal yearly average is 1200mm … to now conserving water wherever possible after a dry winter and a forecast El Nino summer — yet we haven’t regretted it for a second,” Rooney tells Saturday Confidential.

“The farming lifestyle is nothing new to Sam — he’s a fifth-generation farmer, whereas it has been a huge learning curve for me, the city girl.

“I feel so incredibly fortunate to work in the city then come home to the country — I drive down our driveway after a stint away and feel a sense of peace, it is almost spiritual.

Giaan Rooney says her family loves the lifestyle of running a macadamia farm. Picture: Jess Kearney

“We are on 170 acres, not a huge plot by most farming standards but the feeling of space, of room to roam and explore — of being surrounded by beautiful, evergreen macadamia trees with wildlife in such abundance — is a lifestyle the kids and I have so quickly fallen in love with.”

Tomorrow is World Nut Day and, to celebrate, Rooney will co-host a celebratory dinner at Chiswick next month with Matt Moran — an occasion she’s happy to leave her piece of paradise for.

She says learning farming has been a steep learning curve for her. Picture: Jess Kearney

“I will never say never — being a farmer wasn’t on the radar — but I find it hard to picture us ever living in a city full-time again,” she says.

“This lifestyle is not for the faint-hearted but I am so proud to call ourselves primary producers.

“It doesn’t hurt that I have absolutely fallen in love with what we farm … we’re very happy to be nutty nut farmers.

“I now know that it often doesn’t matter how hard you work, how passionate about farming you are, how innovative you try to be or how many ways you try to plan for every eventuality, Mother Nature has mastered the art of curve balls …

She loves macadamia’s but will be keen to pick up cooking tips from chef Matt Moran. Picture: Jess Kearney

“Five years ago our previous owners and now friends were buying water and watching fires surround the property. And we were all but submerged last year.

“This year we are conserving water and have upped our water holding capacity to try and get through the dry summer.

“We hold on to the fact that the farm has never run dry and the trees are resilient enough to produce nuts even under extreme stress.”

Speaking about her dinner with Moran, she said: “I love food but wouldn’t call myself the greatest cook – so I’m thrilled Matt Moran – a farmer himself – is on board to showcase the versatility of macadamias and how adding them to even the most simplest of dishes has a way of elevating it to the next level.

“I will be taking many notes!”
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