The horticulturist and former presenter of ABC TV series Gardening Australia has largely disappeared from the public eye in recent years, after making a conscious decision to step away from the spotlight and enjoy a quieter life with his partner, Joi Heald, and their children Eden, 13, and Bonnie, 11, on a 20ha property in the rural hamlet of Premaydena.

But despite Carnevale’s gardening antics no longer being captured by camera crews, he’s certainly not idle.

He’s busy managing a 4ha cherry orchard at Port Arthur – a job he loves – and he admits he feels right at home tending to irrigation lines and netting while also taking care of the property’s 8000 trees.

When we chat, it’s a beautiful sunny day, and Carnevale is at home in Premaydena, having just taken a break from brushcutting. He’s looking out across a landscape dotted with hay bales, after recently having the grass baled, and his trusty sidekick – Dougal the dog – isn’t far away.

The property, which Carnevale describes as “bush, with a gully and a little creek that runs through it’’ has been split into two zones – there’s a 4ha area around the house that he has fenced off and farmed, while the other 16ha of bush “looks after itself” and remains largely untouched, apart from Carnevale planting a few native trees.

“Certainly the first year you go at it with gusto – and then you realise there’s only a certain amount of hours in the day and you scale back and prioritise,’’ he says.

He has seven sheep – five merino and two black-face Suffolks – with “amazing” wool that Heald, an enthusiastic knitter, will soon transform into beanies.

More than a dozen chickens – with names like Jonquil, Iris and Tulip – call the farm home, with monikers for the entire flock inspired by flowering bulbs. There’s also a vegie patch – of course – and about 150 olive trees, a nod to Carnevale’s Italian heritage.

Carnevale says moving to the Tasman Peninsula has turned out to be one of the best decisions he’s ever made.

“Joi grew up in the Huon Valley and I grew up in the Derwent Valley and we kind of looked at properties in those places as we had connections with them,’’ he explains.

“But I’d been coming to the peninsula every year to go to Koonya Garlic Festival, and it was always the place we’d come to go for a swim or a surf. And suddenly we went, ‘hold on, that’s an option’.’’

They found a place that was suitable – it had “more land, and better land, than we expected,” Carnevale says. But even better was the wonderful community they found themselves becoming part of.

Carnevale is a volunteer member with both local fire brigades – at Koonya and Port Arthur – and he’s also captain of the local cricket club, which he finds laughable as he reckons he’s “the worst cricketer in the world”.

“Cricket was always that thing you’d listen to on the radio – and now I’m playing it,’’ he laughs.

He also plays soccer every Tuesday night. His daughters attend the local district school, while Heald, an artist, is involved with The Pear Shed Gallery at White Beach and also works at the same Port Arthur orchard as Carnevale, and also at a vineyard.

There are plenty of like-minded gardening and farming enthusiasts nearby too – one of Carnevale’s neighbours is horticulturist, author, Sunday Tasmanian columnist and former ABC TV Gardening Australia presenter Angus Stewart.

“We’re really loving it,’’ Carnevale says of country life.

“It’s one of the best decisions we’ve made, I suppose, for lifestyle and quality of life. We’ve found a lovely community down here, that we really enjoy hanging out with.’’

And, of course, Carnevale is also involved with the Koonya Garlic Festival, an event that continues to grow in popularity.

The festival – which is said to be Australia’s longest-running garlic festival and has become one of Tasmania’s most anticipated annual harvest events as it celebrates “all-things garlic” – attracts a sizeable crowd of passionate gardeners, garlic growers and foodies from across Tasmania and interstate.

The event began in 2014 and quickly grew, with the festival – which is held at Koonya Hall and spills into the surrounding grounds – now able to cater for 3000 visitors at any one time.

This year’s event will be held on Saturday, February 22, from 10am-4pm, and has added significance as it returns after a one-year hiatus.

Organisers say volunteer shortages, poor growing conditions and other challenges led to a “disappointing but necessary” cancellation in 2024, but they are excited that the festival is back for 2025.

A core component of the festival is its expert talks and masterclasses and this year’s eclectic line-up promises to be entertaining and informative.

Festivalgoers can join Kirsten Bradley of Milkwood Permaculture and Paulette Whitney from Provenance Growers in conversation, sharing “stories of garlic” in its many useful forms. They can also embark on a spirited botanical journey with master distiller William McHenry from McHenry Distillery; listen to Seed Freaks’ Flo Bonenfant share his expertise and tips around successfully growing garlic in Tasmania’s climate. Attendees will also have the chance to join Ian Kingston from Tasman Honey to hear about his bees’ role in garlic pollination and there will also be an opportunity to try his garlic honey.

Visitors will have the chance to learn from Tasmania’s ‘Wild Man of Ferments’, Adam James, from Rough Rice, who will demonstrate how to create fermented garlic two ways – a confit garlic shio koji, and a fermented garlic, ginger and turmeric salsa.

Meanwhile John Churchill – a Tasman local, head chef of 1830 Restaurant and Bar, and food and beverage manager at Port Arthur Historic Site – will celebrate the produce of the Tasman Peninsula. Churchill will be cooking with fire, working with local abalone marinated in garlic, lemon zest and local olive oil – slow cooked, thinly sliced, and grilled on the fire to enhance its delicate flavours – alongside a braised and seared smoky creation using Premaydena Hill Beef.

Foodies will also enjoy a presentation by The Judge & The Jeweller – former Supreme Court judge, cook, foodie and blogger Stephen Estcourt will join forces with passionate hunter and forager, designer and jeweller Shauna Mayben Pickin (The Honest Hunter) to present their take on “eating the problem” – watch as they make rabbit and garlic sausages from scratch.

The festival features live music from talented regional musicians – the family-friendly event also features a children’s tent with plenty of fun activities.

There will be local growers selling garlic, and loads of food and drink vendors, including local brewers, distillers and vintners.

Carnevale says the festival is also a good opportunity to pick up some gardening tips as now is a good time to start thinking about planting garlic – some varieties can be planted as early as late March or April, while others can wait until May, June and July, with the garlic harvest typically beginning in December and continuing through to March.

Carnevale was invited to the inaugural Koonya Garlic Festival in 2014 but was unable to attend as he had another commitment interstate.

However, he ensured he was available the following year and has been involved since.

“I was really disappointed that I couldn’t attend,’’ he says of that first year.

“But the second year, and every year after that, I’ve had something to do with the festival and I absolutely love it.’’

He was initially a presenter, but in more recent years has turned his attention to judging the hotly contested garlic growers’ competition.

Carnevale is one of three judges – he works alongside Benjamin Bate, former international chef and restaurateur, teacher and garlic aficionado; and festival stalwart and renowned local sculptor Colin Langridge. Langridge is the founding director of Koonya Garlic Festival, playing a pivotal role in its creation and ongoing success. A passionate garlic grower at Premaydena Garlic, he has won multiple awards for his garlic over the years – including Best in Show.

Being a judge may sound prestigious, but Carnevale laughs that – while he enjoys it – it’s not particularly glamorous as he and the other judges spend several hours on the day before the festival eating raw garlic.

“I’ve always loved garlic, but I don’t (usually) eat it raw,’’ Carnevale says.

The judges are interested in the look of the garlic, and symmetry, but, Carnevale says, “it’s mostly down to flavour”.

“Initially, it’s hard to tell the difference,’’ he says.

“But once you get into it you realise different varieties have subtle – or not so subtle – differences. As gardeners and farmers it’s a very interesting process learning about the subtle differences of varietal flavours.’’

While eating so much raw garlic is not for the faint-hearted, Carnevale and his fellow judges have a few tricks up their sleeves to make the experience of judging the competition – which attracts more than 50 entries each year – easier.

A palate cleanser between each tasting is essential – blueberries work surprisingly well, as does lemon sorbet.

In fact, Carnevale jokes that he only puts his hand up to judge as it gives him an excuse to eat lots of lemon sorbet.

Plain Turkish bread also works well.

“Those kind of things are essential,’’ he says.

“Having those kind of cleanses in between is a must.’’

Despite the festival being cancelled last year, the garlic competition still went ahead.

The competition is open to both professional and amateur garlic growers.

There are sections for adults and children, and Carnevale loves that the winners are not always the most experienced growers.

“A lot of times, someone in the kids’ section has been the overall winner,’’ he explains.

“It’s a good leveller, growing garlic – anyone can do it.’’

And he hopes that having such talented young people in the wider community will help ensure the future success of the festival.

“Although I’ve never met these kids, seeing the same kind of names pop up (each year) means that there’s hopefully going to be some exceptional garlic growers in Tassie over the next 10-20 years,’’ Carnevale says.

He says with a thriving garlic festival at Koonya in February, in addition to the newer Nubeena Bee Festival in October, the Tasman Feast in January and various other open days and events, the Tasman community was showing it was small but mighty when it comes to showcasing the region.

“Down on the Tasman Peninsula – and I don’t want to be too parochial – but we punch above our weight with festivals,’’ he says.

“And the garlic festival is just a lovely little festival, it’s one of those true little country community events that are warm and welcoming, and people can have fun and it’s exciting – and there’s garlic!’’

He says taking the leap and uprooting his family’s life in Hobart to move to the Tasman Peninsula for a quieter existence was a big decision, but one that he is certainly glad to have made.

“I sort of gave everything away all at once,’’ explains Carnevale, who was not only well known at the time as a Gardening Australia host, but also as a radio presenter and a columnist for the Mercury.

“It’s an interesting job being in the public eye, but I’m as far removed from that stuff here as you can get. The only thing I really do on that (publicity side of things) now is anything like this, to support the local community.

“It felt like it was the right time to move. Life changes and you’ve got to roll with it. Sometimes things get a bit stale … I’m keeping life interesting.

“We’re still marvelling at the decision we’ve made.’’

Koonya Garlic Festival will be held on Saturday, February 22, from 10am-4pm, at Koonya Hall. Tickets are $15 adults, children (17 and under) are free. To find out more – koonyagarlicfestival.org