Laden with mangoes, the banks of the Ord River, near Kununurra, Western Australia are a far cry from the hospital corridors familiar to nurse Bec McMullin. With former police officer husband Luke by her side, the young couple has traded their government careers for a long-held dream in farming.
Mangoes were the furthest thing from the Perth-born couple’s minds as they worked on the frontline in Kununurra during the pandemic. But when Riverfarm Mangoes hit the market in late-2021, it was a leap they couldn’t resist.
Armed with enough energy and passion to offset their lack of experience in agriculture, Luke told ABC Rural they’re determined not to be plagued by regret.
"I think those difficulties sort of pale in comparison to the fact that if we saw someone else take this opportunity and it wasn't us … that would have been a much harder pill to swallow.,” he said.
"We both saw this as a challenge and as sort of scary as the challenge might be, we were also really excited by the opportunity to take it on and go with it.”
Riverfarm Mangoes boasts 250 mature mango trees, mainly of the popular Kensington Pride variety and some of the milder, sweet R2E2’s. Jackfruit and dragonfruit trees also dot the well-established property.
The scenic orchids hold an exciting future for the couple, who’ve embraced the outdoor lifestyle and welcoming community. They hope it will one day be home for the second generation of mango farmers.
“Kids being kids in this amazing backyard,” Luke said.