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Surrounded by regal purple flowerbeds, Heather Walford has blended her favourite colour and passion for floriculture perfectly.
There’s an unmistakable aroma which drifts out of Carlotta, just south of Nannup. One of deep relaxation with soothing tones.
“I moved to Nannup in the late 1990s. I bought a 16 acre block of land and was researching what I could do with it” Heather opened.
“I’d been reading a book called ‘Don’t Dream It, Do it’… and the front cover was a picture of a lavender farm.”
And so, Heather did do it. In 1999, just ahead of the new millennium, Nannup Lavender Farm was born. Today, it claims the title of the only farm south of Perth that is open to visitors, with a business model spanning agriculture, wholesale, and destination tourism.
A place where ideas bloom
Heather’s love for lavender grew alongside her business.
“Although the book I was reading had 20 different examples of ways I could use the land, I just kept coming back to lavender – purple is my favourite colour, and I did want to do something floral-related” Heather shared.
“During the late 90s people were growing tulips in Nannup, so doing something connected to flowers I felt would work well in the community. I started planting lavender in 1999, and we’ve been slowly building the farm ever since.
“It hasn’t always gone according to my business plan, but we’ve been flexible, pivoting to make it work over time.”
Stemming from SBDC support
One day 27 years ago, Heather made the short journey up to Perth and walked into the Small Business Development Corporation. That conversation would change the course of her life.
“Running a business was something I felt I could do given my skills running a small non-for-profit organisation. Having worked in Perth within the social services sector, I always knew talking to the SBDC was an option.” Heather conveyed.
“I sat down with a business adviser from the SBDC and we went through some things I needed to think about – branding, name, and business plan – the basics. I got enough from that to get started.”
“I then got a follow-up visit from a representative of the SBDC Regional service. The most important thing I got out of that meeting was pricing and ensuring my margins were good.” Heather added.
“It helped me to understand my pricing structure and assess if I’m making a loss on any products, including what products I could change.”
Sometimes it takes grit over soil
Through establishing and building Nannup Lavender Farm into the business it is today, Heather has shown perseverance and spirit.
“The challenge has always been getting people through the doors, considering our distance from the market (the farm is located around 15 minutes from the town of Nannup, on the Vasse highway). When the global financial crisis hit in the late 2000s, we didn’t have enough people visiting to justify opening the farm, so we had to close” Heather revealed.
“We pivoted, changing our approach. Although too far out from Margaret River where tourists visit, we are still on a main route. That’s when we developed the campground and accommodation.”
Heather and the team put an action plan together, not only offering a place to stay, but reaching out to the online market directly and through wholesalers, which effectively kept the business going.
The COVID pandemic is often seen as having had a negative impact on small businesses. Heather’s experience was different and emphasised the importance of having a diversified business model, which meant they could offer customers an array of choices when doing business.
“COVID changed the ball game. That period brought so many people past our doors, meaning we could reopen the café. Having lots of arrows in your bow is a good strategy!”
A violet victory
“I think what I’m most proud of is that we got there. We’re finally making a profit and can live off what we’re making from the farm in all its endeavours.” Heather reflected.
Today, Nannup Lavender Farm has an abundance of products and services, from a farm shop and café to a campground, cottage and private flower garden. These allow the business to extend its season beyond December and January, when the lavender season is at its height and the field is awash in purple shades.
“I’m proud of how the campground worked to save us during the global financial crisis; of all our products; and for what we’ve achieved on a block of land that isn’t really suited for agriculture. In that sense lavender has been very forgiving as not many other flowers would have survived.”
Heather shared more about her work beyond the farm’s boundaries.
“The best part is being able to contribute back to the community. We’ve been involved in several significant events in our town, that are now well-established and generate a great deal of excitement locally. It’s a legacy we are proud to leave.”
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