SIX Generations of Growing in the Adelaide Hills
MEET THE PLUMMERS
We’re Gavin and Sheree Plummer, the husband and wife team behind Plummer’s Pick Your Own, along with our three kids, Levi, Indy and Halle.
When the commercial side of the family apple business was coming to an end, we weren’t quite ready to walk away from it. We wanted to keep the Plummer name going in the apple industry, so we decided to open our orchard to the public and give Pick Your Own a go.
We’re both pretty down to earth people who aren’t afraid of a bit of hard work. We also have jobs outside the orchard, with Gavin working in the vineyards Monday to Friday and Sheree working as a support worker. That means most of our orchard work happens after hours, on weekends and whenever we can find the time.
There’s a lot of work that goes into getting the orchard looking the way it does. From pruning and caring for the trees to mowing, maintaining the property and getting everything ready for the season, we’re the ones out there doing it, with the kids lending a hand along the way.
We take a lot of pride in our orchard and the quality of the apples we grow, and we put a lot of time and effort into making sure both are at their best.
We’ve also got quite a collection of farm animals, which have become a big part of the orchard. We like to keep things relaxed and laid back, where people can take their time picking apples, say hello to the animals and enjoy spending some time outdoors without feeling rushed.
When you come to visit, it’s us you’ll meet too. We’re the ones welcoming you through the gates, helping out around the orchard, chatting with visitors and weighing your apples before you head home.
It’s a lot to juggle at times, but we’re proud of what we’ve achieved together and being able to keep the Plummer family’s apple growing history going
Our Story
The Early Years — Edward Plummer, 1840
The history of the Plummer family in South Australia began with Edward Plummer, who arrived at Port Adelaide on 4 April 1840 after travelling from Launceston, Tasmania.
In 1833, Edward had been found guilty of larceny for stealing a fowl and sentenced to seven years’ transportation. He was transported to Hobart, Tasmania, where he was assigned to work as a farm labourer for John Cox at Longford.
After receiving his ticket of leave, Edward made his way to South Australia, where he married Emma Hancock. Together they raised nine children and established their family in the Woodside district, where they remained for the rest of Edward’s life.
The Beginning of the Orchard — Charles Plummer, 1900–1914
In 1900, Charles Plummer, the fourth child of Edward and Emma, purchased land on Plummers Road at Forest Range.
Fourteen years later, in 1914, Charles planted his first orchard. This marked the beginning of a long tradition of fruit growing that would continue through successive generations of the Plummer family.
The land at Forest Range would become the foundation of a family enterprise built on hard work, resilience and a commitment to growing quality produce.
Horace Plummer and the Market Garden Years
Horace Plummer (1894–1981) son of Charles Plummer acquired the property during the 1920s and continued farming as an orchardist and market gardener.
In those early years, farming demanded long hours and considerable personal sacrifice. Horace travelled to the East End Markets in Adelaide to sell his produce, often sleeping beneath his truck at the markets before beginning another day’s work.
His dedication laid the groundwork for the next generation to expand the family’s agricultural activities.
Horace married Gladys Hoad on 28 November 1925, and together they raised their family while continuing to develop the orchard and market garden.
Stan Plummer (1926-1988) Joins the Business — 1940s
In 1940, Stan Plummer, the eldest son of Horace and Gladys, began working alongside his father.
Stan helped expand the orchard while continuing the production of vegetables, maintaining the mixed farming approach that had sustained the business.
In 1943, during the Second World War, a Chevrolet truck was acquired through a government arrangement associated with wartime Lend Lease provisions. The truck became an important part of the family’s farming and transport operations.
In the late 1940s, Horace and Stan purchased two additional properties. One required extensive timber clearing before further orchard planting could begin.
The expansion represented another significant step in the gradual development of the Plummer family enterprise.
Black Sunday — The Bushfire of 2 February 1955
The 2 February 1955 bushfire, remembered as Black Sunday, was one of the most devastating events in the history of the Plummer family business.
Temperatures reached approximately 43 degrees Celsius, and gale force winds drove the fire rapidly through the Adelaide Hills. The intensity of the blaze left the family’s property and equipment destroyed.
Against the devastation, one vital possession survived: the homestead.
The orchard had to be re established, and equipment replaced. The family faced the enormous task of rebuilding what had taken years to develop.
The fire became a defining moment in the Plummer story, demonstrating the determination required to continue farming in a region where the natural environment could be both generous and unforgiving.
Rebuilding and Modernising — The Late 1950s
In 1958, Bruce Plummer, Horace’s second son, joined the family enterprise after leaving school. His arrival coincided with a gradual shift towards apple production and the increasing mechanisation of the industry.
Bruce later recalled the changes taking place on the farm:
“When I left school in 1958, there was a horse in the paddock. Our first tractor was bought this same year. A John Deere crawler and spraying machine.”
The introduction of the tractor and spraying equipment marked an important transition from traditional farming methods towards more mechanised orchard management.
The following year brought another challenge. South Australia experienced a large apple crop in 1959, but the family’s Chevrolet truck broke down. A new Dodge truck was purchased, enabling Stan to continue transporting the harvest.
That season, Stan delivered apples packed in wooden boxes to Horsham, Victoria, every two weeks.
The journeys reflected the determination and resourcefulness required to get the family’s produce to market, even when equipment failed and transport distances were considerable.
Investment in Storage and Packing — The 1960s and 1970s
As apple production increased, the family business continued to modernise.
In the early 1960s, the first cold room was built on Plummers Road. This was an important development, allowing fruit to be stored under controlled conditions and helping the business manage its harvest and marketing requirements.
During the 1970s, Stan’s sons, John and Ian, began their own careers as fruit growers, continuing the family tradition into another generation.
The growing scale of production created new demands for storage, handling and packing. The business needed facilities capable of managing larger volumes of fruit efficiently while maintaining quality.
A New Era — The 1980s
In the early 1980s, the Plummer family built a larger shed incorporating cool rooms and a modern packing line on the corner of Plummers Road and Lobethal Road.
This development represented a major step forward in the evolution of the business.
The family was no longer simply growing fruit and selling it at market; it was developing the infrastructure needed to store, pack and distribute produce on a much larger scale.
The investment helped position the business for continued growth and greater participation in the wider fruit industry.
Expanding Transport and Distribution — 1995–2001
As the business grew, transporting produce efficiently became increasingly important.
In 1995, Plummers purchased their first semi trailer to transport bins of produce during harvest and deliver fruit to markets and supermarkets.
By 2001, increasing demand had led to the original semi trailer being replaced with a new one.
This investment strengthened the family’s ability to move larger quantities of produce and meet the needs of its growing customer base.
The development of transport, storage and packing facilities reflected the continuing evolution of the enterprise from a traditional family orchard into a substantial commercial fruit growing operation.
The Next Generation
The Plummer family’s commitment to fruit growing continued through successive generations.
James and Anthony, sons of Bruce and John respectively, were involved in the business before eventually embarking on new paths.
Gavin, Ian’s son, joined the family business in 1999, continuing the tradition of younger generations working alongside their fathers and grandfathers.
Like those before him, Gavin grew up surrounded by the orchards and developed a strong connection to the land and the family’s fruit growing heritage.
A Major Apple-Growing Enterprise
Over the following decades, the Plummer business expanded to seven properties, becoming one of South Australia’s largest apple growing enterprises.
The family developed an integrated operation that grew, stored, packed and marketed fruit across South Australia and other Australian markets, while also exporting to a number of overseas destinations.
Innovation and a willingness to embrace new varieties became important parts of the business’s identity.
Plummers were the first in growing Fuji apples on mainland Australia and were the first grower to plant Kanzi in South Australia.
These achievements reflected the family’s ongoing interest in new varieties, evolving consumer preferences and the changing demands of the apple industry.
Changing Times — The End of an Era
After more than a century of fruit growing, the Plummer family business began facing some of its greatest challenges.
Like many family owned orchards across Australia, rising production costs, increasing labour expenses and changing market conditions placed growing financial pressure on the business.
The industry was also hit hard by a series of devastating hailstorms in 2017, 2018 and 2021, which caused significant losses for apple growers across the Adelaide Hills. In some years, growers suffered crop losses of up to 90%, adding further financial strain to an already challenging industry.
At the same time, as older generations began retiring, fewer family members remained to carry on the demanding work of running such a large scale operation.
What had once been a thriving family enterprise, built and expanded over generations, became increasingly difficult to sustain.
Eventually, the difficult decision was made to wind down the commercial orchard business and sell much of the family’s land.
It marked the end of an era for a business that had grown from a small orchard planted in 1914 into one of South Australia’s largest apple growing enterprises.
For a family whose history had been so closely connected to the land, it was a significant turning point.
However, while the scale of the business was changing, the family’s passion for growing fruit remained.
The Plummer story was far from over.
A New Beginning — Plummers Pick Your Own
Determined to keep the family name and its long history of fruit growing alive, sixth generation apple grower Gavin Plummer, together with his wife Sheree and their three children, began a new chapter with Plummers Pick Your Own.
With their own orchard remaining at Forest Range, Gavin and Sheree saw an opportunity to continue the family tradition in a different way.
Rather than focusing on large scale commercial production, they opened their orchard to the public, inviting families to experience the simple pleasure of picking fresh apples straight from the trees.
Plummers Pick Your Own offers visitors the opportunity to enjoy the orchard at their own pace, spend time outdoors and experience a little of the farming lifestyle that has been part of the Plummer family for generations.
With farm animals, open spaces and a relaxed, family friendly atmosphere, the orchard has become a place where visitors can make their own memories while enjoying fresh, locally grown fruit.
For Gavin and Sheree, Plummers Pick Your Own is about much more than growing and selling apples. It’s about preserving a piece of family history, sharing their love of orchard life with the community and keeping the Plummer name connected to the Adelaide Hills.
Three Generations, One Family Tradition
While the business has changed considerably over the years, one thing remains the same, the Plummer family continues to work together on the land. Today, three generations are still involved in the orchard.
Gavin continues to manage and work the property, with his father, Ian, still lending a hand and sharing his years of knowledge and experience. The next generation is already becoming part of the story, too.
Gavin and Sheree’s son, Levi, has begun taking on a more active role in orchard operations, including spraying and helping maintain the trees, while their daughters, Indy and Halle, also lend a hand around the orchard and during Pick Your Own days.
Just as previous generations worked alongside their parents and grandparents, the Plummer children are growing up with the same connection to the land and family traditions.
For Gavin and Sheree, having three generations still involved in the orchard is something special. It represents the continuation of the hard work, knowledge and dedication passed down through the family for more than a century.
A Living Family Legacy
From Edward Plummer’s arrival in South Australia in 1840 to Charles planting his first orchard in 1914, the Plummer family story has been one of hard work, determination, resilience and a deep connection to the land.
Through generations of market gardening, orchard expansion, devastating bushfires, technological advances and the challenges of a changing industry, the family has continued to adapt.
Although the original commercial business has come to an end, its history and traditions live on through Plummers Pick Your Own.
More than 110 years after the first apple trees were planted at Forest Range, three generations of the Plummer family are still working together, growing fruit and sharing their orchard with the community.
For Gavin, Sheree and their children, it’s not about rebuilding the large commercial enterprise of the past, but about preserving what matters most, their family’s connection to the land, their passion for growing quality fruit and the opportunity to pass those traditions on to future generations.
The orchards may be smaller, and the business may have changed, but the family roots run just as deep.
Through Plummer’s Pick Your Own, the Plummer family is proud to continue a story that began more than a century ago, keeping the family name and its fruit growing legacy alive in the Adelaide Hills for generations to come.
Now it's your turn to make memories in the orchard.
For six generations, our family has been growing apples in the Adelaide Hills. Now we'd love to welcome yours. Experience the joy of picking fresh apples straight from the tree and making a few memories of your own.