Is Coffee Grown in Australia? From New South Wales to Queensland
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Australia is famous for its flat whites and café culture, but few people know the country also grows its own beans. So, is coffee grown in Australia? Yes. A small industry of around 50 growers farms Arabica coffee in two main areas: the subtropical Northern Rivers of New South Wales and the tropical Atherton Tablelands around Mareeba in Far North Queensland. It is a tiny crop, less than one percent of the coffee Australians drink, but it has a long history and one world first.
Here is where it grows, how it tastes and why you rarely see it outside Australia.
Key takeaways
- Coffee was reportedly first planted at Kangaroo Point in Brisbane in 1832, and commercial plantations followed from the 1880s.
- The early industry faded because of high costs and labor shortages, then lay dormant for decades.
- A mechanical harvester built in north Queensland in the early 1980s, credited to Nat Jaques, helped revive the industry.
- The two key regions are Far North Queensland (Atherton Tablelands, Mareeba) and northern New South Wales (Northern Rivers).
- Australian-grown coffee makes up less than 1% of the coffee consumed in Australia.
In this article
- Is coffee grown in Australia?
- A short history
- The two growing regions compared
- The harvester that saved an industry
- What Australian coffee tastes like
- FAQ
Is coffee grown in Australia?
It is, though most of the world’s coffee grows between the tropics, in what is often called the coffee belt. Far North Queensland sits inside the tropics. Northern New South Wales does not: it is far further south of the equator than classic coffee regions, which is why Australian growers there describe it as one of the southernmost places coffee is farmed commercially.
What makes both regions possible is the same combination: frost-free winters and plenty of rain. What makes them unusual is the business model. Labor is expensive in Australia, so growers rely heavily on machines rather than hand-picking, and they sell mostly to local roasters and visitors who want a home-grown cup.
A short history of Australian coffee
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1832 | First coffee reportedly planted at Kangaroo Point, Brisbane |
| Around 1862 | Italian laborers on Queensland sugar plantations receive coffee in their weekly rations; coffee is planted on an estate near Cairns |
| 1880s | Commercial plantations spread along the east coast into northern New South Wales |
| 1890s to about 1920s | Coffee grows in the Northern Rivers area of New South Wales |
| Early 20th century | High production costs and labor shortages push the industry into decline |
| Early 1980s | A mechanical coffee harvester is built in north Queensland |
| 1987 | The MacLaughlin family establishes Skybury near Mareeba; around the same time, John Zentveld starts growing coffee at Newrybar, NSW |
| Today | Around 50 growers, mostly in northern NSW and Queensland |
Early Australian coffee reportedly won medals in Europe, but the economics never worked with hand labor. Growers in Mareeba also had another reason to switch crops later on: when tobacco farming ended there, some farmers turned to coffee.
The two growing regions compared
| Far North Queensland | Northern New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| Main areas | Atherton Tablelands, Mareeba; also Mount Tamborine, Proserpine, Mourilyan | Northern Rivers: Newrybar, Tintenbar, Ballina, Nimbin; also Coffs Harbour |
| Climate | Tropical, higher altitude, frost-free, high rainfall | Subtropical, low altitude, cooler, high rainfall, frost-free |
| Soils | Often sandy | Former Big Scrub rainforest country |
| Scale | Australia’s biggest coffee-producing area; larger plantations | Smaller family farms and single estates |
| Typical flavor | Nutty, biscuity, sometimes earthy | Sweet and chocolatey, helped by a long ripening season |
| Notable names | Skybury, Jaques Coffee Plantation | Zentveld’s, Mountain Top Coffee |
Far North Queensland
The Atherton Tablelands, inland from Cairns, are the heart of Australian coffee. Large plantations around Mareeba can use mechanical harvesters across wide, flat rows. A 2012 BeanScene report quoted the owner of Skybury estimating the region’s output at close to 300 tonnes a year, small next to major producing countries but significant for Australia.
Northern New South Wales
Further south, the Northern Rivers hinterland behind Byron Bay and Ballina is greener and cooler. Farms are smaller, and growers often sell direct to visitors and local cafés. Land prices in the Byron Bay hinterland are a real barrier for anyone wanting to start a new farm.
The harvester that saved an industry
Hand-picking is the single biggest cost in coffee farming, and in Australia it made the crop uneconomic for most of the 20th century. Nat Jaques, who moved to Australia from Tanzania in 1979, tried adapting a grape harvester and a berry picker before developing what is described as the world’s first mechanical coffee harvester. The original machine, Coffee Shuttle One, built in north Queensland in the early 1980s, is still in use at the Jaques family plantation near Mareeba.
Mechanical harvesting cut picking costs and shortened the time between ripening and processing. It turned coffee from a hobby crop into a viable business and laid the groundwork for the modern industry. Curious how harvesting works elsewhere? See our guide to the coffee harvest.
What Australian coffee tastes like
Australian coffees tend to be gentle rather than bright. Growers in northern New South Wales describe a sweet, chocolatey cup thanks to slow ripening in the cooler climate. Far North Queensland coffee is often described as nutty and almost biscuity, with some drinkers calling it earthy.
Many growers also say pest and disease pressure is low in their regions, and most Australian coffee is grown without pesticides, though most farms do not seek formal organic certification.
How it compares
- Versus Hawaii: both are high-cost, non-traditional origins that sell to a home market and visitors. Hawaii’s Kona is far better known abroad. Read more in our Kona coffee guide.
- Versus neighbors: Papua New Guinea, just across the Torres Strait, has a far larger coffee industry.
Taste the neighborhood
We do not sell Australian-grown coffee, but you can explore the same corner of the world. Our Papua New Guinea from the Chimbu highlands is sweet and smooth with caramel, honey and fruit notes from Bourbon and Typica varieties. Bali Blue brings deep dark chocolate and molasses from Indonesia’s volcanic Kintamani highlands, and our Asian Plateau Blend combines Southeast Asian coffees for a heavy body and herbal notes. If you prefer the chocolatey side of Australian coffee, any of these makes a great flat white.
Australian coffee FAQ
Where is coffee grown in Australia?
Mainly on the Atherton Tablelands and around Mareeba in Far North Queensland, and in the Northern Rivers region of northern New South Wales, with smaller farms elsewhere in Queensland and around Coffs Harbour.
How much of Australia’s coffee is grown locally?
Less than one percent. Almost all coffee drunk in Australia is imported.
Why is Australian coffee expensive?
Labor and land costs are high, production is small and demand from local roasters often exceeds supply.
Can you visit coffee farms in Australia?
Some farms welcome visitors. Check opening times before you go, as many are small family operations.
Sources
- Everything You Need to Know About Australian-Grown Coffee, Bron Maxabella, SBS Food, 2021 (updated 2026).
- Home Grown: The Revival of Australian Coffee Farms, BeanScene, 2012.
Facts checked in October 2026.
Keep reading: Australian coffee culture · Grow a coffee plant at home · Single origins