Operations
Graham Lohmeyer
Sunraysia Production Manager
Graham started with Seven Fields in May 2008 as a farm manager. He now manages our Sunwest property exclusively, co-ordinating programs with our other Sunraysia properties. Graham worked in various management roles for another horticultural company over a 15 year period, which included a position as irrigation manager for one of Seven Fields' properties (Hattah). Graham has also worked in the Riverland region as a project assistant manager and assistant farm manager of a 600Ha orchard planted to citrus and vines.
Tim Byllaardt
Sunraysia Production Manager
In 2011 Tim was promoted to farm manager of our Sunraysia property, Hattah, which grows a mixture of citrus and wine grapes. Tim has been involved in the horticultural industry his whole life. He grew up in rural Mount Gambier, South Australia, and spent much of his childhood on properties farmed by relatives, which produced vegetables and housed a small dairy. Over the past 12 years, Tim has been involved in the management of wine grape properties, firstly for Brian McGuigan Wines and since October 2009, he was assistant manager of Howcroft Estate (a vineyard managed by Seven Fields).
Tyson Milne
Liaison Officer and Asset Manager
Tyson joined Seven Fields at the end of 2010 as our technical and liaison officer. In this role Tyson is responsible for measuring and reporting on fruitlet size, crop size and maturities, all of which are crucial to ensuring the products we sell meet our customers' requirements. Tyson's role also includes monitoring and measuring on-farm data so that we can record important data on the health of our orchards and vineyards as we strive to improve as growers of quality produce. During the harvest periods, Tyson's role expands to include acting as a liaison between the farm, pack house and marketing team to ensure fruit is packed when required and to the correct specifications.Tyson has a Bachelor of Agricultural Science (majoring in Viticultural Science) and before joining Seven Fields he was the manager of a stonefruit and citrus orchard prior to managing 830 hectares of vineyards.
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Andy Hancock
Katherine Area Manager
Andy joined Seven Fields in July 2008 as Katherine farm manager for our mangoes and citrus. In February 2011, he was promoted to Katherine Area Manager. Andy has direct responsibility for the day-to-day management of over 29,000 mango trees and over 50 hectares of citrus. He is also responsible for overseeing the management of our packing shed in Katherine. Andy previously managed large scale horticultural operations, including vineyards. He has a Certificate 3 in viticulture and is also a board member of the Northern Territory Mango Association.
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Tom Armstrong
Katherine Packing Manager
Tom is the manager of our packing facility in Katherine, and has been in that role since Seven Fields began packing its own fruit in 2008. Tom has had over 20 years experience in horticulture, most of which has been in processing. For five years he ran a packing facility in Bundaberg that processed a number of produce varieties, and from 2005 through to 2007 he was employed by a major processing facility in Queensland to help manage their tomato and mango packing.
Tim (Jock) Delaney
Howcroft Vineyard Manager
Jock became part of the Seven Fields team in October 2009. At this time Howcroft Estate, a vineyard which he had previously managed for AVL, came under the direct management of Seven Fields. Jock began his vineyard experience on the Howcroft Estate in 1998 when it was first developed by Brian McGuigan Wines (now AVL). He has completed levels 1, 2 and 3 Viticulture and took on the management role at the vineyard in late 2002.
Brett Tschirpig
New Residence and Conundrum Vineyard Manager
Brett started with Seven Fields in October 2009 when we took over management of Conundrum and New Residence vineyards from AVL. Brett had been managing the New Residence site for AVL since it was developed in 2000. For the12 months before joining Seven Fields he was the Riverland regional manager, responsible for approximately 4,500 acres of vines (or 1,800 hectares). Earlier in his career Brett was a supervisor on a vineyard for approximately 5 years with another 3 years as a worker on a small vineyard in the Loxton area. He has completed a Certificate 3 in viticulture and is currently completing his Diploma in Viticulture.