Carob Growing

Carobs have been grown in Australia ever since the native bushland was cleared for agriculture in the 1900s. Seeds brought by settlers readily sprouted and eventually provided the ecosystem services recognised in the Mediterranean region for centuries: shade, windbreak shelter, food, fodder, and beautification.

The first commercial orchards were planted in the early 1980s, and in the last carob tree census ten years ago there were some 170 hectares nationally. The number of carob plantings has steadily increased since then because of a range of new industry developments by growers, nurserymen, scientists and Carobs Australia. Australian farmers have benefited from their stock grazing the sugary pods that have fallen from carob trees inside and on the edges of paddocks in the dry summer season. The tree’s bark is very tough & resists ringbarking by cattle and sheep. High yielding varieties have been selected which drop carob pods. The development of processing methods for making carob syrup has expanded income-earning options for growers.

Carobs are already growing in all five Australian states and the Northern Territory as the city street & park ornamental shade trees, around rural homesteads, in and around paddocks, and in orchards. The biggest orchards planted so far are in western NSW, the southern parts of South Australia, and the northern agricultural region of Western Australia.  These were planted by innovative farmers such as the Ainsleys, Gebhardts, Jolleys,  Matchetts & Solomons.  Recent new plantings are largely in the western parts of Queensland, NSW, and Victoria and the agricultural areas of SA and WA.

To process carob pods into kibble, powder or syrup contact:

Carobs r Us (ph 0418 556 549 and matchgs@optusnet.com.au)

Australian Carobs Pty Ltd (ph 0408 891 994 and auscarob@bigpond.com)

Contact Carobs Australia for more details