Benalla makes it 3 sites for Speciality Trees

The house beyond the trees. Speciality Trees are now owners of 75 acres - the site of Yalkuri Trees

Still in their 40th year, Speciality Trees is pleased to announce the addition of a third growing site to its wholesale production nursery business.  Today, some 41 acres already established at Narre Warren East across two properties, has been bolstered by a further 75 acres at Benalla, thanks to a deal struck with Yalkuri Trees owners David and Jill Rush. 

Meaning ‘place of rushes’, Yalkuri has been home to the Rush family literally for decades. For David and Jill, the establishment of Yalkuri Trees came about in 1995 when certain areas of the property were sectioned off to commence nursery production of ornamental trees and there boomed a successful business spanning 22 years.

Big supporters of the NGIV and Tree and Shrub Growers Victoria, David and Jill are well known personalities and revered stalwarts of both the nursery industry and the Benalla community in which they live. “They are long term friends, instrumental in assisting us with stock recovery when we were on our knees after hail hit the business in 2010 and we have continued to be close ever since. They are both fabulous people and good operators and we are so appreciative of their patience in waiting for us to negotiate a deal under the right set of circumstances”, says Hamish Mitchell, Managing Director of Speciality Trees.

Growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together and that is very much the case here.  “Still in our 40th year we are proud to announce a move that will see us producing into the next 40” says Hamish. “The Yalkuri site enables us to grow larger numbers of locally produced product and increase our serviceability into country Victoria.  Our decision reflects a confidence in the markets we service, our systems and quality assurance processes, and in our ability to supply trees as a solution to a wide range of urban environmental issues”.

David and Jill have been reliable allies since the start, cemented by the hail storm of 2010 and reinforced over the years since,  accommodating our crew and requests to grow product in a particular way. They have been amazing for us and we will always be grateful for their kindness” says Hamish. “We are thrilled to be allowing David and Jill to begin the start of their next adventure and we wish them all the best in years to come”.

As a sign of respect to the Rush family, the purchase agreement allows for David and Jill to continue on in a role within the Benalla operation until such time as both are ready to officially step away from the nursery and the property.  As Manager, Brett Fleming has been employed to oversee production operations at Benalla and comes to the business with a wealth of nursery production knowledge both here in Victoria and also in Queensland - experience which is so important when developing and transferring processes. The Speciality Trees business is excited to have someone with the ability and passion that Brett brings to this role.

For the extensive network of friends of David and Jill, they will still be residing on the property for a while to come, so regular visitors will still be able to drop by and say hello. They are in no rush, pardon the pun, to go anywhere in the short term.   There is no one with conversational wit like David and ability to put on a morning tea spread for guests quite like Jill.  No doubt Speciality Trees staff don’t want either of them going too soon either!