Our Story

Our Farm & History

In 1997, Mr Kunitaro Nakamura began laying the foundations for a dream: to find a place in the Southern Hemisphere where high-quality tea could grow.

He and his team travelled across Australia’s states and territories, searching for suitable land in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and beyond. Their search eventually brought them to Mangrove Mountain, New South Wales. Here, in 2003, they established the tea garden that we care for today.

Looking across these green fields, we often think about the courage and persistence it took to begin. To bring a dream to unfamiliar soil, plant it, and patiently nurture it into a thriving tea estate was the work of many years.

The tea plants took root. Japanese knowledge and craftsmanship found a home in the Australian landscape.

“Green tea grows very well on the Central Coast and the quality produced at Mangrove Mountain is to the very high standard required for export and acceptance for shipment to Japan.”

Mr Kunitaro Nakamura

Japanese Tea-Making Heritage

Because of their commitment, these fields are still here.

Mr Ito continues to guide the cultivation and processing of our tea. His knowledge connects the estate’s beginnings with its future, helping us carry forward the care, discipline and attention to quality on which it was built.

Meet Our Tea Masters

Mr Motomi Ito Hanko seal of Mr Motomi Ito

Signed and Endorsement of Product.

After many many years as Tea master in Japan he brought the ethos of his culture to Australia with Mr Kunitaro Nakamura.

Born 1954 in the very well known green tea growing area of Shizuoka.

His birthday, he claims, has special spiritual significance for a green tea master for it occurs on the 88th day from the start of spring. This is the day celebrated as the start of the season. When the first and the finest tips of the green tea leaves are picked.

Mr Akio Onozawa Hanko seal of Mr Motomi Ito

Signed and Endorsement of Product.

Producing and blending also of the finest authentic Japanese green tea in Australia together with Mr Ito.

Mr Akio Onozawa has been employed continually for 20 years working for Kunitaro Japan.

He began with the clearing of land and establishing and planting of the green tea plants on Mangrove Mountain. Since the beginning he has been humbly cultivating, feeding and tending the trees up on the Central Coast.

The Estate's Difficult Chapter

Then came a time when that work was almost lost. After Mr Nakamura passed away following illness, the estate faced the difficult years of COVID-19. The fields became overgrown, and the future of the farm grew uncertain.

As the Japanese parent company underwent restructuring, the estate faced the prospect of its tea plants being burnt and its machinery dismantled.

At the age of 86, Bill Atkinson stepped forward. He could not bear to see a generation’s work disappear—the dream of a pioneer, and more than twenty years of effort, brought to an end.

With the support of senior Japanese tea master Mr Motomi Ito and Akio, who had remained with the estate through its difficulties, Bill took on the farm. Together, they established Green Tea Estate as an Australian brand, giving the tea garden a chance to survive and continue.

Know these two green tea farmers and you know the honesty and quality of our Matcha, Sencha and tea products. Money cannot buy better quality.

Long before the sun rises, bringing warmth and light to the dew drops of the fresh, young, tea tips, our tea masters are working towards the special and celebrated another day of Green Tea Estate’s first spring harvest.

Our responsibility, and our hope

We feel fortunate to be the next custodians of this place. For Helen, that responsibility begins with caring for the land and respecting the people whose work made this tea garden possible.

OUR PARTNERS

Our tea is grown, tested and traced to standards that our partners verify.

We are honoured to supply tea as a raw material to Maruyama, a respected Japanese organic tea company, having met their rigorous testing requirements and exacting quality standards.

We look forward to continuing our relationship with a company so deeply committed to excellence, and to supplying trustworthy, traceable green tea products to the world.

Laboratory test reports Japanese organic certification ( 2023 )

OUR VALUES

“I hope to protect this special place and continue in the spirit of those who came before us—to work carefully, remain committed, and keep learning.

There is so much here worth preserving, and so much still to explore.” — Helen & Ivor

As we look ahead, we hope to bring Australian science, technology and creativity into this continuing story. Through new products, research and collaboration, we want to explore new possibilities for tea grown here and help build a tea culture and brand that Australia can call its own. It will take patience, practical work and people willing to share their knowledge. We are ready to do our part.

In the morning, birds still sing across the fields at Mangrove Mountain. New leaves appear, another harvest approaches, and the work continues. We are here to care for what has been passed on to us—and to help it grow.