About Us - History

Escaping a hectic city lifestyle we established Thurlby as a family business more than 20 years ago as a natural progression to a self-sufficient lifestyle in the southern coastal town of Walpole, 420 kilometres south of Perth.

As part of our new life in the country, we began growing herbs and making soaps and potpourris from the herbs in our extensive garden. Garden gifts and soaps from the kitchen were popular with friends who then encouraged us to produce them for sale.

Thurlby Herb Farm started originally by selling potted herbs. In those days however, there was little consumer demand for herb plants, so we began looking at ways of adding value to what we were growing. The herbs and flowers from the garden were soon being used in a variety of fragrant products such as Herb Pillows and potpourris.

The business started in a very small way selling handmade products at local markets and regional shows. We then began supplying gift shops in Perth and started developing a wider range of products aimed at the tourist and gift markets.

Early on, we set ourselves the task of doing one thing towards producing saleable products each day, interspersed with the work of having two young children and our commitments to the local community.

It soon became clear that there was more work than we could manage, so we employed someone for one day per week to help finish the labelling etc. Not long after this we took on a full time employee as well. Now the treadmill really started to turn and more time needed to be devoted to marketing.

Thurlby now attends five wholesale Gift Trade Fairs each year in the major cities of Australia and we currently supply over 900 retail outlets in Australia and currently export to Europe, Asia and New Zealand.

Whilst developing the wholesale side of the business, a Café and Gift Shop at the farm was being developed, for the growing tourist trade.

Visitors to Thurlby can enjoy garden fresh gourmet lunches, homemade cakes and rosemary scones. The Gift Shop is filled with interesting gift items from many countries as well as the complete range of soaps and aromatherapy products made at Thurlby.

Thurlby Herb Farm now has approximately 20 employees at the farm and another 20 contractors that work from home on a part-time basis.