Putting down roots in the wine industry
Sun 24 September 2006
Aimee Pearce, Journalism
First we had the sea-change. Then came the tree-change. Now people are coming to the wonderful Sunshine Coast for a wine-change.
The wine-change is not simply sipping a glass of red wine at sunset while looking out over one of our many beautiful beaches.
The wine-change is actually living and breathing wines and everything to do with the wine industry - changing lifestyles with the move to acreage to grow grapes, creating unique drops and offering wine and tourism experiences for clients.
South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria may be the main suppliers of the wine industry in Australia, but Queensland is becoming an attractive market for wine tourism - more recently on the Sunshine Coast.
Local vintners Jack and Margaret Connolly of Maroochy Springs Wines, are relative newcomers to the Coast and to the wine industry.
The former Sydney residents had spent most of their lives working long hours in the corporate field.
But in the early '90s, like many babyboomers, they began to re-evaluate their priorities and realised that they could achieve a lifestyle change for their retirement.
In 1991, the Connollys began to plan for their future and, for two years, spent their annual holidays travelling up and down the coast of Queensland.
"We zigzagged from Sydney to Cairns to find where we wanted to put down roots," Mr Connolly said.
And they couldn't find anywhere better than the Sunshine Coast.
The Sunshine Coast appealed to the Connollys for many reasons: the area is outside the northern cyclone belt; the beautiful beaches attract a growing number of tourists; the great climate to grow certain varieties of grapes; and a reasonably large population from Caloundra to Gympie for their new business venture.
"All the boxes had ticks in them when we evaluated all the possible areas (to relocate to)," Mr Connolly said.
The property they bought at Eerwah Vale near Eumundi has four springs - the headwaters of the North Maroochy River.
The Connollys planted their first vineyard on the property in November 2001 and decided to grow their Chambourcin grapes biodynamically, working with no harsh chemicals.
Not only does this mean little impact on the river, but also that the wine produced is much lower in chemicals and preservatives.
Drinkers of their wine have testified to fewer headaches and allergic reactions as a result of consumption, which Mr Connolly credits to the biodynamically-grown grapes.
"We treat the whole farm as a living organism," he said.
"We wouldn't do anything that's not in the best interest for the preservation and sustainability of the property."
Most of their wines are sold direct to the public and they also supply four Coast restaurants and two hotels.
They operate wine tastings at Eats at Eumundi, as well as hosting private wine parties for a variety of social groups including book clubs and ladies' tennis groups.
Maroochy Springs Wines is primarily a boutique, tourism-based winery and the Connollys plan to keep it that way.
Hannah and Michael Van der Merwe also share a passion for wine.
The South African couple has been in the wine industry for about 15 years since they established their first vineyard on a property in the Murrumbidgee area in New South Wales in 1990.
Just three years ago, they achieved their dream by opening their own cellar door right here on the Coast.
It seems the Van der Merwes have ended up in quite an unlikely business considering their prior qualifications: Hannah was a teacher and has a degree in Mathematics and a Masters in Education, while Michael has degrees in Science and Engineering.
Mr Van der Merwe was in the food and beer industry and was the general manager for Tooheys in New South Wales.
But wine has always held a special place in his heart.
When they lived in Sydney, the Van der Merwes frequently would visit wineries in the nearby Hunter Valley and Michael would spend a lot of his spare time reading up on all things "wine".
After more than 20 years of grape-growing, the Van der Merwes took the next step- opening their own cellar door.
"It's been many years coming," Mrs Van der Merwe said.
The Sunshine Coast's growing population and tourism development made the region "ripe" for their new venture.
"It's a new area for wine and we wanted to be pioneers in the region," Mrs Van der Merwe said.
"It's exciting. This is the area where the growth is happening."
With that in mind, the couple set out to find the perfect property.
Their quest led them to Yandina and, oddly enough, to an old funeral parlour.
The Van der Merwes were intrigued with the history of the property and thought it was the perfect setting for their new cellar door: Little Morgue Winery.
Making use of all the funeral parlour rooms, the wine cellar is now in a dark, cool area on the bottom floor; the cold room is used for storage; the coffin room is now a laboratory; the chapel area is for wine tasting; and the courtyard is used for dining.
In keeping with the history of the property (not only in name), the winery is completely themed including quirky wine names such as Red Amortis, Supreme Afterlife and Eternal Flame.
Little Morgue Winery also has an annual Halloween party, Black Friday and the Murder in the Morgue Theatre Dinner.
The Van der Merwes make their wine on site, using grapes from Queensland and New South Wales to create a variety of wines including white, red, sweet, dry and port to cater to a broad range of tastes.
But it's not all hard work for the Van der Merwes.
Like the Connollys, they too appreciate the Coast lifestyle.
"We make use of the lovely weather and the beaches. We live a lot more outdoors and it's a lot more relaxed. We always dress like we're on holiday," Mrs Van der Merwe said.
Like the growing wine industry on the Coast, the Van der Merwes have decided that they are here to stay.
"We're converted Sunshine Coast people. We're not going anywhere."
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Submitted Comments
Very interesting topic, that appears to be very well researched.
Johanna
Very interesting topic, that appears to be very well researched.
Johanna