BRAD FRASER
Christmas Tree Farmer
GRANITE BELT CHRISTMAS FARM
Location: Stanthorpe, Granite Belt Wine Country, Queensland
Brad co-owns and operates Granite Belt Christmas Farm with his wife Katrina Fraser (chocolate maker!). Brad is known for farming beautifully shaped Christmas Trees – they are the real deal and also for creating fun family traditions for families!
When did you begin growing Christmas trees?
“2015 we planted our first crop of Christmas Trees. It was definitely character building! Evelyn our daughter was only 3 months old.
My wife and I planted 1000 trees whilst pushing Evelyn up and down the rows in the pram. ‘It was hard going’ Now we have 10,000 real trees!”
What made you decide to become a Christmas tree farmer?
“It’s an industry that I could bring my kids up in and also for the love of Christmas.”
What did your introduction to Christmas tree farming look like?
“What’s another word for ‘Hard’?! The Christmas Tree world is very secretive and there is no public information on growing them in Australia.
So it has been a tough road to perfecting the perfect Christmas Tree, but I love a challenge!”
What did you do before the Christmas Farm?
“I have always been a jack of all trades, I did 3 years of building in the Kimberley’s, before settling in to station life in outback Queensland where I chased cows for a living.
This is where I met my wife and decided for a tree change to Stanthorpe.”
What does your day-to-day actually look like?
“My morning starts feeding all the animals including reindeers, donkeys, goats, sheep and chickens, then into the paddocks keeping a constant eye on the water and moisture level in the Christmas trees. I am either spraying, pruning or doing general maintenance for the rest of the day.”
Do you have a favourite tool in your trade, that you just couldn’t work without?
“My ride on mower.”
What do you wish everyone knew about your trees?
“We are the location to get the beautiful Christmas Trees. I’d love people who haven’t had a real Christmas Tree to experience a true Christmas with the scent of pine in your house.”
When you’re not busy at the Christmas Farm, what do you like to do out and about on the Granite Belt?
“Bushing walking in the National Parks.”
Where you’ll find Brad…
On a visit to Granite Belt Christmas Farm most days you’ll see Brendan somewhere about the farm and meet his wife Katrina Fraser in the Christmas Store for yummy hot Belgian chocolates and more.
…Click to Learn More about visiting Granite Belt Christmas Farm
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