Working winery could be a treasure: [1 Edition]
Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 09 Mar 2001: 37.
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Abstract
The granite belt outside Brisbane is one such area. And the lovingly developed vineyard Hidden Creek, near Girraween National Park, is a classic example.
The vineyard is planted with conventional varieties including merlot, shiraz and chardonnay. Their most exotic variety, nebbiolo, is a “noble” Italian red, rare in Australia with only eight recognised growers. The Wine Industry Journal describes Hidden Creek Winery’s 1999 nebbiolo vintage as “youthful, mid-purple-red … with juicy plums and lifted high note rose petals”.
Dr Cull says that while he and his wife had planned to retire to Hidden Creek, “We built more than we can manage, you could say. I thoroughly enjoy the place, but it needs someone with management skills. There is a team of people here, including a chef, a winemaker and two staff at the cellar door, a full-time vineyard employee and seasonal workers. [Wendy Cull] ran the restaurant.
Full Text
RURAL
MANY a picturesque part of the Australian countryside has prospered in recent decades purely as a result of city money.
The granite belt outside Brisbane is one such area. And the lovingly developed vineyard Hidden Creek, near Girraween National Park, is a classic example.
Hidden Creek, owned by neurosurgeon David Cull and his barrister wife Wendy Cull, was a decaying orchard when they bought the property in 1989.
As city professionals, it was alway their dream to retire to their little piece of paradise. But Dr Cull has developed a bad back and the pair, realising they are not getting any younger and that farming can be “dammed hard work”, have put their dream on the market.
It has everything for what could be described as an upmarket sea- change. They have built a luxury five-bedroom homestead on two levels, with a state-of-the-art chef’s kitchen and views overlooking the vineyard and a dam. It features extensive use of natural timbers and large verandahs.
They have built a modern winery and restaurant complex. The tasting room has silky oak wood panelling and leadlight windows. The garden cafe spills out onto a terrace surrounded by gardens.
Chamber music nights are held in the restaurant.
Local chef Geoff Metcalf has helped make the restaurant one of the few regional Queensland restaurants to be recommended by Gourmet Traveller.
There is a staff cottage on the 80-hectare property as well as a self-contained three-bedroom farmhouse for bed-and-breakfast accommodation.
With its emphasis on a total experience of wine and food, the entire operation has been built to target wine tourism.
The vineyard is planted with conventional varieties including merlot, shiraz and chardonnay. Their most exotic variety, nebbiolo, is a “noble” Italian red, rare in Australia with only eight recognised growers. The Wine Industry Journal describes Hidden Creek Winery’s 1999 nebbiolo vintage as “youthful, mid-purple-red … with juicy plums and lifted high note rose petals”.
Australian red wines continued to win favour among overseas drinkers, increasing from 7.9 million litres in January 2000 to 10.1 million litres this year.
Dr Cull says that while he and his wife had planned to retire to Hidden Creek, “We built more than we can manage, you could say. I thoroughly enjoy the place, but it needs someone with management skills. There is a team of people here, including a chef, a winemaker and two staff at the cellar door, a full-time vineyard employee and seasonal workers. Wendy ran the restaurant.
“It is a working winery, it is hard work, but very romantic. I hope the person who buys Hidden Creek looks after it. We have poured a lot of love and energy into it.’
Agent Dick Allpass, rural property broker with Primac Elders, agrees with the owners that the property needs to be owner- operated.
“The person who buys Hidden Creek will most likely be someone looking for a change of lifestyle who has taken a long-term interest in vineyards.”