Catherine Velisha thrives on a challenge. At just 34 years old, Catherine took over as the Managing Director of Velisha Farms and now oversees several Victorian growing operations as well as our large packing facility in Werribee South, employing between 70-80 staff across all facets of vegetable production.

Catherine is the third generation of her family to embark on a career in the horticulture industry. Her father Veli Velisha was a vegetable grower who traded in the wholesale market until Catherine took over the reins in 2017.

Since then, in addition to the Werribee South operation which continues to grow broccoli, cauliflower and iceberg lettuce, she has acquired land in Tatura in northern Victoria to grow zucchini in the summer and brassicas throughout winter. Another farm at Caldermeade, 70 kilometres south-east of Melbourne, produces bunch lines including spring onion, kale, coriander, and parsley, as well as lettuce, celery, and brassicas throughout the year.

Awarded the National Woman in Horticulture Award and AUSVEG Victorian Community Stewardship Award in 2021, Catherine appears on Channel 10’s My Market Kitchen and other TV, Radio and Print media regularly. “The people I work with is what I love most about working in the horticulture industry. The success of our business is all thanks to our people. I’ve loved watching them grow, myself grow alongside them and our business growing along with us.”

I’m the managing director of velisha farms and veg education. I’ve been working in the family business since I was 19 and took over the business in my 30s.

That’s when I think I really found my passion not just for agriculture and horticultor but to invest in our future generations. That’s when I set up Velisha Farm’s sister education company, VEG Education. it’s an RTO that focuses specifically on creating programs for and about the horticulture industry. Our passion is linking the fresh produce supply chain and our produce to primary and secondary schools throughout Australia.

I think courage is something you reflect back on, at the time the actions may not necessarily feel courgaous. The decisions or direction might just feel necessary, but as you look back you see that some of it was quite brave .. (maybe stupid lol). I think when your pursuing a goal… it makes it easier to step into places unknown to achieve things that aren’t necessarily tangible yet. That’s what I feel or felt like when starting VEG Education.