BANROCK ENVIRO DAY - Banrock Station Winery

From this vantage point the Wine and Wetland Centre at Banrock Station overlooks vineyards and wetlands and provides a unique window onto Australian winemaking and conservation. Banrock Station lies at the junction of Banrock Creek and the Murray River and was acquired by BRL Hardy in 1994. It comprises nearly 1700 hectares with just 250 devoted to premium grape varieties.

The rest, with its superb river frontage, lagoon and wetlands is being returned to its native state. Out there it's a haven for birdlife, but there's plenty of work still to be done. Wetlands are some of the most vital, productive and diverse eco systems on the planet and BRL Hardy's unique blend of winemaking and environmental regeneration is trying to undo some of the damage of the past.The locks and weirs down the length of the river have turned the mighty Murray into a series of huge dams, disrupting the water flow to wetlands like these. But as Tony Sharley explained to Keith on a recent trip to Banrock, sluice gates like these are replicating the natural cycles of the past.

"It allows us to not only raise the levels of the water in the wetland and create a flood which we really need down here in South Australia these days with less water flowing into our State. But it also gives us the ability believe it or not, to dry the system out which is crucial if you're going to restore a wetland".

"So why do we need wet and dry?"

"Well, all we're doing in simulating the natural process that all our wildlife have adapted to. The stimulus to breeding for most of our plants and animals is actually to have a dry wetland system followed by floods and all of a sudden you've got this great cue for breeding".

As the bull rushes return, so does the marine life and those waiting for a good feed. You can take in all that Banrock Station has to offer from the comfort of its tasting room, but if you want to get a real feel for what this place is all about, then you should head down there into the wetlands. A new boardwalk takes you into this watery wonderland. And June 5th is a great time to go when Banrock Station will celebrate World Environment Day. Activities will include the setting up of bat breeding boxes, tree planting by school children and tours of the boardwalk.

Banrock Station is at Kingston-on-Murray about….drive from Adelaide. For more information email info@postcards-sa.com.au