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| Chardonnay
berries from Block 4, the Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon of Blocks 2 and
3 respectively and the view from Block 1 looking east. |
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| Sometimes
it is hard to imagine that life could get better... until the cattle
get
out, the pump fails or rot sets into the grapes. But we eat well, sleep
well and the air is fresh and clean. |
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| Two
views of the Hitching Rail
left:
looking north west from under the great yellow box;
below:
looking east
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The
hitching rail, for which the cottage was named, is on the left of the
picture
near the french doors. The cottage has a rustic feel. Inside it is
luxurious. |
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| The
Opera House
Quite
grand in its way with sweeping views over to the eastern mountains and
a beautiful natural bush garden.
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| Most
of the surrounding area is bush and farming land. Our vineyard is about
200 metres away back towards the camera. This patch of bush is like a
mini-Giraween,
with lovely eucalypts and wildflowers. |
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Three
faces of Beverley
left:
a big apple eucalypt, by gum
below
top: a stand of huge yellow box, a favourite with bees and visitors
below
below: bouldery stringbark bush. Tiny wildflowers run riot in late
spring |
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Kenneth
Slessor wrote: After the wheyfaced anonymity of river gums and scribbly
gums and bush... not here, by gosh. Because of its height above sea
level,
yet its proximity to the tropics, the area has a cool climate which
supports
a unique collection of flora.
Yellow
box, stringybark and red gums predominate, but there are cypress pines,
a couple of strange species of banksias found only here, as well as
grand
but rare trees like the Wallangarra White gum. The woodland is open and
there are thousands of bouldery outcrops. We dips our lids to the first
farmers who came here. They would have done it tough in this
country.
Beverley
is 70% cleared for grazing, although we have plans to convert most of
this
to vineyards. Importantly, 30% is wonderful, unspoilt bush and gardens.
The climate lends itself to European deciduous trees and many were
planted
around the homestead around a century ago, creating a riot of autumn
colours.
Perhaps:
Gnarly gums in flowery spinneys, rabbit scrapes and daffodowndilleys. |
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| Why
are we here?
To
mayka da wine, of course.
Top
left: Bollocky shiraz bunches about three weeks from perfection.
Below
centre: a telephoto shortened shot down Row 407 in the chardonnay block
with, beyond, pasture then the bush.
Below
right: A chardonnay bunch, almost translucent as harvest
approaches.
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Having
a vineyard and making wine is every bit as pleasant as it sounds. It is
also fearfully expensive and very hard work so it is not the sort of
thing
to undertake on a whim. Mind you, we did.
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