Golden Valley Harvest

The Farmer

For Portia, who has kept poultry for most of her life, egg farming is a natural extension of her love for chickens. She is the third generation of her family to live on the land and is deeply passionate about responsible land stewardship and supporting women in agriculture.

Rhys, an electrician by trade, hails from the Pilbara region of Western Australia, where he met Portia. After a short visit to Tasmania in 2018, he fell in love with the climate, landscape, and community—and made the move the following year. Rhys continues to work part-time in his trade while helping to establish the farm, with the long-term goal of both he and Portia working on the farm full-time.

By providing nourishing produce to their community, Portia and Rhys take pride in contributing to local food security and building meaningful relationships with their customers and fellow farmers. Over the coming years, they plan to expand their farm’s offerings—so be sure to follow them on social media to stay up to date.

The Farm

Nestled beneath lartitickitheker (Quamby Bluff), Golden Valley Harvest is a small, family-owned farm run by Portia and Rhys. Their 42-hectare property comprises pasture and bushland, spring-fed dams, and a seasonal creek. The farm is managed according to regenerative agricultural principles, prioritising soil health, water retention, and increased biodiversity to support resilient and productive ecological systems.

Portia and Rhys currently care for a flock of 500 pasture-raised, free-range laying hens. Hen welfare—including both physical and mental wellbeing—is the guiding principle of egg production on their farm. The hens are reared on-site from day-old chicks to ensure they grow in an enriched environment that encourages natural behaviours. With a stocking density of fewer than 100 hens per hectare, the girls are housed in fully automated, solar-powered mobile coops built on the farm. These coops are regularly moved to provide continuous access to fresh pasture and varied environmental stimulation, while also maintaining ground cover and improving soil fertility.