Some of Australia’s oldest surviving plants may soon become commonplace thanks to one of the most cutting-edge and sophisticated farming techniques. BoomaFood, an Indigenous-owned business, has an indoor vertical farm located in Cessnock, NSW Hunter Valley, and all of this is part of their long-term goal. The founder of BoomaFood, Corey Robertson, plans to grow native herbs and vegetables in addition to the microherbs and greens that are now grown on the farm.

“We’re working with traditional owner groups wherever possible to understand where they have access to certain indigenous seeds … and working with them on how to propagate those,” he said.

According to Mr. Roberston, the company was about to enter the market by completing testing of its mainstream lines and planning to introduce native plants later.

Vertical farming involves growing plants in vertical rows instead of horizontally, as done in traditional farming. This method is gaining popularity due to its “season independence” and sustainability. Farms can be housed in warehouses, greenhouses, or specially designed shipping containers, like those used by BoomaFood. Compared to traditional methods, these farms are able to produce more food in a smaller footprint because they use artificial light, temperature, water, and humidity control.

At BoomaFood, micro herbs can be harvested just seven days after planting. In its 2,000 square meter shed, the company can produce more than 5,000 heads of lettuce in 36 days, 22,000 herb plugs in 28 days, and 80 kg of microgreens every seven days from each food box.

According to Paul Gauthier, a protected cropping expert at the University of Queensland, vertical farming uses 92% less water and reduces land use by 52 times compared to traditional methods, all while increasing crop output tenfold. He emphasizes that vertical farming will become increasingly important as climate change progresses.

“We can’t even predict the weather for one week,” he said.

“But when you put all the plants indoors, you can predict the weather inside your cubic farm for the next week, the next month, the next year … for the next 100 years, as long as you have power.”

According to Dr. Gauthier, the automation associated with vertical farming decreased labor costs in addition to its positive effects on the environment.

“Labour cost is quite significant because we have some of the highest wages in the world,” he noted. “And in farming at the moment, that is critical, because it’s very difficult to find people to get into farming.” While automation reduces the need for entry-level jobs, it requires skilled and educated employees to oversee the process, often at a higher cost. For Mr. Robertson, this underscores the importance of BoomaFood. The project aims to create at least 16 local jobs, with a focus on employing young people, women, and Indigenous workers. “We have accredited units of training to ensure that the staff joining us and our supply chain have the necessary qualifications,” Mr. Robertson explained.

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