30/11/2025
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐/๐๐/๐๐๐๐
๐
๐จ๐ซ๐๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ฎ๐ญ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐๐ข๐๐ค๐ฒ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ค๐ข๐ซ๐ซ๐ข ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ
Dicky Bill Australia, a fourth generation family farming enterprise and one of the countryโs most experienced growers, harvesters and packers of baby leaf salads and herbs, has today been forced to cease operations and will appoint a Voluntary Administrator.
Warakirriโs sudden and aggressive actions have brought an immediate end to one of Australiaโs most respected family run farming operations.
For more than 25 years, the business has supplied fresh, high quality produce across Victoria, Queensland and beyond. Its 182 employees, many of whom have been with the business for years, form the heart of the organisation and are part of the communities that surround its Maffra (VIC) and Drinan (QLD) farms.
The past several seasons have brought unprecedented challenges. Cyclonic weather in Queensland, floods in Victoria, and a sequence of events outside the businessโs control placed significant pressure on operations. Throughout this period, Dicky Bill worked tirelessly to stabilise the business, meet its obligations and protect jobs.
With the support of restructuring advisers and its senior lender, Judo Bank, Dicky Bill developed a credible restructure plan that preserved 180 jobs, protected employee entitlements, repaid creditors, and provided a clear pathway to long term sustainability. The plan required agreement from the landlord, Warakirri Asset Management, who had been owed approximately $330,000 in rent arrears. Negotiations to resolve this position had been ongoing in good faith.
On Wednesday afternoon, after a meeting between Judo Bank and Warakirri in which Warakirri indicated they needed another week to consider the restructure proposal, the business believed matters remained constructive. Less than three hours later, Warakirri issued termination notices for both the Maffra and Drinan leases.
In the early hours of Thursday morning, security guards were deployed to both farms. Staff were removed, gates were locked, and 182 employees arriving for work were told they no longer had jobs. At no point prior to the termination did Warakirri communicate any intention to take this action.
Warakirri has taken possession of crops valued at around $2 million, produce that would have funded employee entitlements and supported payment of outstanding creditors. Stock recently harvested is already deteriorating, and there are serious concerns about the care of remaining crops. The actions taken were abrupt, aggressive and unilateral.
Ryan McLeod, Director of Dicky Bill Australia, said:
โ๐โ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ . ๐น๐๐ ๐๐๐๐กโ๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐กโ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ก ๐๐๐๐ค๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ก ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ข๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ค๐๐กโ. ๐๐ โ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ ๐ข๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐. ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ก๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ก๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ก๐ฆ.
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ ๐กโ๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐. ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ ๐กโ๐๐ ๐๐ โ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐, ๐กโ๐๐ฆ ๐ ๐๐๐ก ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ . ๐ต๐ฆ ๐๐๐ค๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ก ๐๐๐ฆ, ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ข๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ค๐๐ฆ ๐๐ก ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐ . ๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ โ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐๐ , ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐กโ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ก๐ฆ. ๐โ๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐, ๐ค๐๐กโ๐๐ข๐ก ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐กโ๐๐ก ๐กโ๐๐ฆ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ โ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐.
๐โ๐ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก, ๐ฆ๐๐ก ๐กโ๐๐ฆ โ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐กโ ๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ก ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐กโ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ . ๐โ๐๐ก โ๐๐ โ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ โ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ โ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ 182 ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐คโ๐ โ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ก๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐กโ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐๐.
๐ผ ๐ค๐๐๐ก ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ค๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ข๐๐ ๐ต๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ข๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐กโ๐๐๐ข๐โ๐๐ข๐ก ๐กโ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ . ๐โ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ข๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ ๐๐๐กโ๐ค๐๐ฆ ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐, ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ก ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐.โ
Dicky Bill Australia has always operated with integrity and transparency. Had Warakirri worked collaboratively, the business could have continued trading, preserved jobs and protected value for all stakeholders. Instead, an abrupt shutdown has inflicted avoidable harm on employees, suppliers and the surrounding communities.
With Warakirriโs actions leaving the business unable to continue operating, the Directors have no choice but to appoint a Voluntary Administrator. This is more than a business failure. It is a blow to trust, to fairness, and to a legacy built on decades of honest, hard work.
The Directors extend their sincere thanks to employees, customers, suppliers and community members who have supported the business over decades. This outcome is devastating, particularly given that a workable alternative was on the table.
