20/03/2026
🍏🍎ABC Landline will be featuring some of our stewards and exhibitors this Sunday 🍎🍏
Article: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-20/rare-rymer-apples-on-nsw-property/106330716?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPNDA5OTYyNjIzMDg1NjA5AAEea1ZNe2UIi7Ystw25CbV8NTQflcR9mbHhAzBgzz8IdmVe5Q8Fw9evYOSMNbw_aem_PWsRI96UtD9U8it6UyUIUQ
The story of the finding of the lost Rymer apple has aired on ABC radio and online. It will be on Landline Sunday and there will be a story in the next edition of Outback Magazine. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-20/rare-rymer-apples-on-nsw-property/106330716
In 2008, I, along with Jack and pomologist the late David Pickering were invited for a stroll around the remnants of Rudi Stachow's family orchard at Majors Creek. Buds were removed from four different trees, which David later propagated by bud grafting. At the time Rudi suggested that one of the trees was a Rymer. David instantly recognised this name as a once lost variety that had recently been returned to the UK. Over the years we have continued to propagate Rymers and grow them in our collection. And eat them in pies. We even sold a few trees at the Braidwood Farmers' Market. Fast forward to March 2025, I was in a conversation with UK pomologist Ainsleigh Rice about another lost variety, when he asked me if I had ever come across Rymer in Australia. It turned out that the morphology of the returned Rymer was not up to scratch. We sent leaf samples from our propagated Rymer trees to the very knowledgeable Ainsleigh to arange DNA testing. Our Rymers tested identical to a group of trees that Ainsleigh had found in the UK and USA. Ainsleigh invited me to co author an extensive report that would prove that our apple trees were indeed the Rymer. If accepted the Rymer would eventually be returned to the Uk's national collection. The report was successful. The Rymer apple is no longer considered 'lost' and its genetics are preserved for the foreseeable future.
Astonishingly, when researching into the history of Rymer in Australia. I discovered that the Routleys, (the first family to grow Rymer in Majors Creek), and I were related. Richard Routley was born in Somerset, less than 5kms from my ggg grandfather. His mother was Elizabeth Sully. Our family connection with this grand old apple became personal.
We have propagated a number of Rymers that will be available as bare rooted trees in the winter.
I have just had another 40 leaves tested via Ainsleigh from remnant trees in the district. Surprise! Another Rymer had been unearthed in an orchard along the Cooma Road. I believe there are hundreds of lost varieties out there waiting to be discovered.
