"The olive branch is the symbol of peace in many spiritual situations," Ms Howard said.

"It is a very enduring and forgiving tree, and a very clever tree," she said.

The retired arts teacher turned farmer has been growing olives at her Goornong property with husband Peter for two decades.

Experimenting with table olives at her brother-in-law's now 60-year-old grove paved the way for Ms Howard's now 80-tree grove.

"I always wanted an olive grove," Ms Howard said.

Today, Bridgeward Grove olives and art farm gate produces as many as five tonnes of olives, in a good year.

With 50 kalamata trees, 20 barnea trees and 10 Sicilian olive trees, Ms Howard sold her first jar of olives in 2005, after planting in 1999.

"Australian conditions are very suitable for the olive trees, but they can become very feral as well," Ms Howard said.

A tremendous amount was gleaned about our climatic suitability to grow olives from a feasibility study conducted by three shires, including Bendigo, in the 1990s.

The study compared the growing conditions of olive trees in central Victoria with the region of Toledo in central Spain.

"The feasibility study compared the conditions in Toledo to those in Boort," Ms Howard said.

"Boort is the 37^th meridian, south of the equator and Toledo is the 37^th meridian, north of the equator.

"It was extremely fascinating to learn that our conditions were so similar," Ms Howard said.

A point of difference noted between the two cities was the evaporation rate.

Boort's was sky high, whereas Toledo's was rock bottom.

The impact of this is the need for water, a commodity that has been scarce at various stages in Ms Howard's time growing olives.

"During the extreme times of the water restrictions, we weren't allowed to water.

"But the olive trees closed down and didn't produce. It's like our eucalyptus. It closes down when the temperature reaches 35 degrees Celsius," Ms Howard said.

The 2010 and early 2011 floods saw a high yield of olives for Ms Howard after some meagre returns in previous seasons.

"I was drowning in olives," Ms Howard said.

Maintaining a modest sized olive grove has its challenges though, with Ms Howard keen to see the industry clean up its act.

"A lot of people went into the olive industry romantically and they soon found out there is a lot of work to do.

"Quite a few groves in our region require a lot of catching up maintenance because they have been neglected," Ms Howard said.

Her connection, affinity and respect for the land has been longstanding and was fostered in her youth.

"During the 1970s, there was a push to be environmental," Ms Howard said.

"There was a peace-loving consciousness to make sure Mother Earth was going to be respected."

Growing up with an environmentally minded family and crossing paths with local Indigenous people only strengthened that mindset.

"I was lucky enough to meet Indigenous people in my teens and I made a strong commitment to always respect them and their country," Ms Howard said.

That respect has been enduring for the 66-year-old, who identifies the Indigenous story as being strong on her and husband Peter's prime lamb, cereal growing and olive grove property.

Bendigo's recent designation as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy will have wide reaching implications, but an emphasis on the land and our Indigenous story is one of the lynchpin's of the city's commitment.

As Australia's first City of Gastronomy, there is enormous pressure on Bendigo and its regions to live up to expectation, Ms Howard said.

"It is extremely wonderful, but also scary, especially because we are in the midst of climate change and we need to secure water.

"The expectation to be a world leader in gastronomy is huge and exciting for the city, but now the real work begins," Ms Howard said.

A consumer led push by people to identify and experience authenticity in food production places Bendigo in a unique position to succeed as a City of Gastronomy, Ms Howard said.

"Traceability is extremely important.

"People want to know where things are grown, who grew it, how far it travelled, how long it has been sitting in the cool room, all of this," Ms Howard said.

"I think people are drawn to our region and Bendigo because of its authenticity of food production and everyone benefits," she said.

To learn more about Bridgeward Grove olives art farm gate, visit bwgrove.com.au