Macleay Valley Rabbits:
The Macleay River winds its way through the North Coast of New South Wales, meandering past Kempsey on its way through the Macleay Valley. This picturesque region is sub-tropical, with beautiful countryside kept lush by regular rainfall. Skillion Flat, approx 15km west of Kempsey in The Macleay Valley is home to Macleay Valley Rabbits. Owner/ operators Margaret and John James started with just 30 breeders. Macleay Valley Rabbits is now claimed to be the largest farmer and processor of White Rabbit in Australia.
White Rabbit in Australia is fast becoming a favourite with chefs looking for high quality consistent product that offers real differentiation for their menus. Consistent product is the holy grail for premium produce for restaurants, and Macleay Valley have firmly established themselves in this industry for a number of reasons best summed up by their dedication to breed and feed.
New Zealand White purebred Bucks (Males) are joined with Flemish Giant x Californian Does (Females), maintaining control of the herd by monitoring the breeding programme.
The rabbits are caged in a mosquito and fly proof shed, which is critical for rabbit farming. Both Myxomatosis and Calicivirus are air born diseases spread by mosquitos, and both are devastating for the rabbits. The rabbits are bred and fed in this strictly computer controlled environment until 12 weeks of age, and dress out as 1.5 to 2kg carcasses, consistently throughout the year. The grain pellets are free of hormone growth promotents, preservatives and no chemicals are used in the processing.
While rabbit has a season - Winter - Vic’s Premium Quality Meat is able to supply Macleay Valley rabbit throughout the year at a consistent weight and condition because of Macleay Valley’s commitment to quality feed and the quality shedding environment.
Macleay Valley Rabbit restaurant dish
Due to the popularity of cooking shows like MasterChef there has been a resurrecting of rabbit meat into the diet of Australians. Macleay Valley Rabbits deliver to butchers and wholesalers in Sydney and Brisbane. One of their wholesalers provides all the meat for MasterChef. Mrs James said she met two of the show’s judges, Matt Preston and George Calombaris, when the business won the Vogue Entertaining and Travel produce award gold medal last year.
Chefs in exclusive restaurants like The Devonshire, Surrey Hills that serves Macleay Valley Rabbit “Rabbit Raviolo” or The Bucchus, Newcastle serving on their menu “Macleay Valley Rabbit” have been receiving rave reviews from food critics and the public alike for creative, taste sensations that they openly advertise and endorse as being: Macleay Valley Rabbit.
