Gayle & Mike Quarmby

Mike and Gayle’s mission with Outback Pride is to replicate Rex’s model of significant mentorship; to develop an industry that people could access without leaving their traditional lands.

In 2011 I moved house, and growing in the new backyard was a lilly pilly tree. Within a couple of months the bright pink fruits started to form. I knew lilly pillies were a type of native fruit but before this I had only ever tasted them frozen. The fresh fruit was so much more dynamic and alive with flavour and they sparked an idea for a new dessert at Quay. The challenge was to find someone who could, on a regular basis, harvest the fresh fruit on a commercial scale and send it to me at Quay within a couple of days. This requirement proved very difficult to fulfil. Most people who made lilly pilly jam and conserves did so with fruit from their own trees. It seemed no one was able to supply this native fruit fresh on a large scale until I found the Outback Pride website. The website listed a vast array of native fruits, herbs and spices, so I rang the phone number and spoke to Mike Quarmby.