Nestled in the high country of Oberon, just a scenic 2.5-hour drive from Sydney, RedGround was created as Neil and Jill O’Grady’s shared vision: to transform 60 acres of bare paddock into a clean, biodiverse environment, and a world class truffle farm.

Drawing on Neil’s background in business strategy and Jill’s expertise in commercial banking, cotton farming, sustainable land management, weed control, and biosecurity, the couple took on the challenge of regenerating land that had been grazed by cattle and sheep for decades. In 2012, they began their project by giving the land a break from livestock and planting 722 inoculated truffle host trees.

Their approach not only nurtured the soil but also helped capture carbon from the atmosphere, creating a biodiverse, climate-resilient environment.

Water management, crucial for growing truffles in Australia’s often harsh climate, was a top priority. The O’Gradys first irrigated the young tube stock trees using an irrigation system. As the farm matured, they installed rainwater tanks at the property’s highest points to collect water from shed roofs. Using a gravity-fed irrigation system, this water now flows directly to each tree’s sprinkler, delivering moisture precisely to the root zone with minimal waste and no need for electricity.

Today, RedGround’s meticulously maintained truffière produces a range of seasonal truffles: summer truffles, Burgundy autumn truffles, spring white Italianstyle truffles, and the highly prized Perigord black winter truffle (Tuber melanosporum). The farm’s truffle dogs, Sarge the Kelpie and Scout the Border Collie, work year-round to uncover these culinary treasures.

The property supports critically endangered grassy woodlands protected under New South Wales law. These rare ecosystems, featuring sparse stands of Snow Gum, Black Sallee, Ribbon Gum, and Candlebark, are grounded with native grasses like kangaroo grass and snow grasses, along with seasonal wildflowers.

They’ve become a thriving refuge for native wildlife, including wombats, kangaroos, echidnas, and a diverse array of birds. Among them is the vulnerable Dusky Woodswallow, which now nests and breeds in the heart of the truffière.

With year-round truffle production, immersive truffle hunts and cosy lodge and cottage accommodation, life at RedGround is anything but quiet.