1888-1907

William & Elsie Smith

Willie planted the first apple tree of the orchard we still pick from today. Elsie, daughter of valley pioneer Charles Oates, shaped the family's direction as much as Willie did.

1907 - 1964

Ron & Ruth Smith

Andrew's grandparents inherited the orchard and R&R Smith Orchard was born. Ron served in the first world war while Ruth ran the business. After seeing the world, Ron came back and began shipping apples around the globe. These were the boom years of the Apple Isle's export industry.

1941 - 2023

Ian Smith

Andrew's dad, Ian, took over the farm at just age 21 and in the decade that followed had to rebuild the business twice. In 1967 bushfires burnt the packing shed to the ground. In 1973 the Tasmanian apple industry collapsed when cheaper European fruit flooded the British market. Ian and his wife Dianne worked to create a whole new approach. in the 1980's Ian was an innovator of the new way of cool stores. He helped build controlled atmosphere storage that changed the apple industry completely. He installed a modern grader in the shed and started packing fruit in cardboard cartons and explored new markets in Asia.

1970 - Present Day

Andrew, Ian's son at 20 years old made a deal with his dad - to work on the orchard for 6 months if he could go travelling for the rest of the year. It wasn't your typical Aussie backpacking trip. Andrew visited apple growers in Holland, Belgium, Germany and England. After returning to Tasmania he then travelled to the USA visiting orchardists in Washington State.  Andrew returned to the family farm with a wealth of knowledge and ideas for intensive planting and converting to organic growing. In 1998 R&R Smith became the first certified organic orchard in Australia. In 2012 their sister company Willie Smith's Cider was born and we became Australia's first organic cidery.