HISTORY

Gillebri and Bleinheim, our two properties are located in the St George Irrigation Area in South West, Queensland, Australia. In 1979 Jeff Moon moved his family to Gillebri from the Lockyer Valley, and started growing cotton. In 1986, the company expanded its operations to include contract cotton harvesting, today Gillebri Cotton Co still exists and is known locally and as far a field as Emerald and Moree for their consistent and high quality workmanship in contract cotton harvesting.

Gillebri Cotton Co. is a proprietary limited Australian company owned by the Moon family. Today we also trade as MOONROCKS.

Originally a cattle & sheep grazing farm, the land has seen varieties of forage crops before starting as a cotton growing farm in the 1980’s. Gillebri was the first property owned by Jeff Moon and family and as he recognised the non usable sand blocks on the farm Jeff saw an avenue for Australian wax flowers.

From 1985 to the last commercial plants being removed in 1992 Moons Wax Flowers was a sideline which saw Jeff Moon’s name become known in the Australian marketplace. The Kangaroo Paw & Geraldton Wax varieties were grown, harvested and arranged from a small tin shed and cold room where the office stands today. These flowers were exported to predominantly Asian countries.

Today some Geraldton Wax trees remain and have taken on their own lives creating a corridor to one of the private residences. It was this business venture that saw Jeff Moon’s signature marketing and vision for greater opportunities in St George.

Due to the drought, Rockmelon production began in 1994 as it uses less water than cotton, and has become one of our major farming activities. With rockmelons the company developed the brand ‘Moonrocks’ and have successfully formed a reputation in the Australian melon industry.

Rockmelons required intensive infrastructure and therefore, one of the first in the Southern hemisphere, a grading line running over 30 metres was installed in what is today a sizeable packing shed. With several varieties of melons grown each season since, the Moon Family today also grow varieties of Honeydew melons, Watermelons, Butternut Pumpkins, Table Grapes and Onions. The name has also expanded, with help from the company employees, we now have Moonrocks, Honeymoons, Moonberries, Moonuts and Moongold brand names.

In 2002 onions were first trialed at Moonrocks. With a successful trial, the Moon Family has led the way in turning Moonrocks into one of Queenslands largest summer onion suppliers. So in 2003 and 2004 Gillebri, saw major changes to the landscape as it turned a machinery storage shed into a onion grading and packing line. The onion shed employs up to 20 people for 3 months of the year.

Table Grape production began with the purchase of Bleinheim Farm in 2001, a Full Time Grape manager was employed to manage the mix of varieties, and a further 40 acres were set up at Gillebri farm on the ideal soil, the sand block.

As the company has grown so to has the Moon Families reliance upon trusted and experienced staff.

Today fourteen staff are employed on a permanent basis. As well as administration staff to keep financial records, assist with marketing, business planning, human resource management and quality assurance. Moonrocks staff have proven assets to the business as they are highly valued in decision making and the hard labour required to keep up the production levels. Moonrocks dominant production season is in the summer months and has seen up to 250 casual staff employed through the summer harvest season.

Jeff Moon, and his wife Pam, their sons David and Andrew and their families manage the farming operations today. Jeff Moon has raised his sons with traditional values and with their ever moving minds they have created a thriving business with old values, vision and new technologies.

Today Moonrocks have a steady wholesale client base, with new avenues opening regularly. Customers contact Moons directly to praise efforts and to commend their bought produce. Moons pride themselves on direct communication with retailers and being in touch with the consumers desires.

Annual pilgrimages arrive from Government bodies, University groups and specialists in our fields to experiment, discuss and observe the production of Moonrocks. To date Moonrocks have funded University of Queensland student study trips to Singapore and Dubai, attempting to encourage students to enter rural industries upon graduation. Moonrocks supports groups and charities with significant donations made to the Burleigh Heads Life Saver Club, Local schools and events.

The strength behind the thriving Moonrocks enterprise is a close family, united in their quest for excellence. Their aim is simple: to continue to lead the industry in growing premium produce and to make sure it reaches their customers on time and in pristine condition.