The History of the Agricultural Tenant’s Luncheon: A Tradition Rooted in Community and Vision

Every Autumn, as harvest draws to a close, Revesby Estate welcomes its tenants farmers, industry-leading speakers, guests and political figures  for the annual Tenant’s Luncheon; a tradition steeped in gratitude, fellowship and rural heritage. 

To recognise the Estate farming tenants’ contribution, foster a sense of shared purpose (and to collect their annual rents due!) These early meetings were part celebration, part education: an opportunity for tenants to share ideas, exchange news and enjoy the fruits of their labour together.

Each generation of the Revesby Estate’s custodians has continued the tradition, adapting it to the spirit of their times while keeping its purpose intact; to celebrate the people who sustain the land.

By the early 20th century, the luncheon had become an established highlight of the local agricultural calendar. Speeches, toasts and shared discussions sustain the sense of community and mutual respect. 

Today, the Tenant’s Luncheon is both a social and business gathering. It honours not only the history of Revesby but also the enduring partnership between estate and tenant whilst weaving in industry leading ideas, recognising the stewardship and hard work, as well as heritage and innovation.

As guests gather under the same Autumn skies that once watched over Sir Joseph Banks’s fields, they continue a legacy that is as much about connection as it is about cultivation. In a changing agricultural landscape, the luncheon reminds us that honest and respectful relationships between people, place, and purpose are what truly sustain the land.

In the Words of Sir Joseph Banks: 

“Agriculture is the foundation of every nation’s strength; it is the care of the wise and the pride of the good.”

Each year, as laughter and conversation fill the Revesby dining table, that sentiment still rings true.