Shepparton

Shepparton grows half the fruit in Victoria. The Greater Shepparton region produces a quarter of the state's agriculture—$729 million annually, with fruit production representing nearly half. Stone fruit, pears, apples, and tomatoes travel from here to Asia, the Middle East, and beyond.

The Goulburn Valley's irrigation infrastructure made this possible. Water from the Goulburn River feeds orchards that wouldn't exist in the natural semi-arid climate. This dependence creates vulnerability: in drought years, with low allocations and high water market prices, permanent plantings die without water. The trees can't wait for rain.

The region contributes $900 million to Victoria's economy plus $2.06 billion in global exports. The council promotes exports at Asia Fruit Logistica; in February 2025, importers from ten Asian countries toured local farms. New protocols—particularly for plum exports to Vietnam—open additional markets.

What began as processing fruit and dairy country now diversifies into vegetables, fresh fruit varieties, and large-scale irrigated cropping. But the industry faces existential risks: Queensland fruit fly threatens the entire Goulburn Valley horticulture sector without adequate Area Wide Management funding.

Shepparton's population includes one of Australia's largest proportions of residents born overseas—successive waves of Italian, Greek, Albanian, Iraqi, Afghan, and Indian migrants who came to pick fruit and stayed to grow it.

By 2026, Shepparton tests whether irrigation agriculture can survive climate variability, pest pressure, and water market volatility.