The shame of Constellation, Accolade & the local Government

[n4sir]

http://jameshookwine.blogspot.com/2009/06/history-of-mclaren-vale-wine-region.html

Great article James.

[jeremy]

n4sir wrote

James Douglas Hook wrote:
http://jameshookwine.blogspot.com/2009/ ... egion.html


Great article James.

Ditto

[phoenix]

I found the article very interesting. Unfortunately, given the decision by the DAP this evening, Stony Hill is now destined to become a cheap and nasty Devine housing development. I suspect that by Christmas, the first commercial vineyard in this state will be nothing more than another piece of high density suburbia.

Wait and see what Constellation do on the other side of Reynell Road. The Cave is safe, as is the Chateau, but don't count on there being any vineyards.

The picture on the left will look very different this time next year.

[James Douglas Hook]

The picture on the left will look very different this time next year.

I need to go and sit near the vineyard before they remove it... Maybe jump the fence and prune some vines...

UMMM. Sad.

[phoenix]

The picture on the left will look very different this time next year.

I need to go and sit near the vineyard before they remove it... Maybe jump the fence and prune some vines...

UMMM. Sad.

Reflecting on the outcome of the meeting tonight James, and re-reading your words in your blog, reminded me of two songs, written many years apart, which encapsulates the idiotic mindset of the Onkaparinga Council, Constellation and Devine. They are All Torn Down by the Living End and Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell. Both of which would serve as perfect theme songs for the previously mentioned gang of three.

Let me know when you are coming, and I will help you

[PaulG]

Very sad, but not overly surprising. Has someone informed the relevant ministers of this decision?

[phoenix]

Very sad, but not overly surprising. Has someone informed the relevant ministers of this decision?

I'm on it as we speak !!

[James Douglas Hook]

This whole sad tale has made me resolve to lobby for a McLaren Vale vineyard ranking system in view of putting it on labels.

While the vines on Stony Hill were not old themselves their are many sites remaining that are. It would be ashame to let these go the same way under economic pressure.

Earlier than World War 2 = Heritage Old Vines.
1945 - 1979 = Survivor Vines (because they survived the 1979-84 vine pull scheme).

Would be good marketing for a winery to use these terms as a badge of honour.

[phoenix]

Another article in the local messenger. http://southern-times-messenger.whereil ... tage-vines

The lady on the front page, Margarette Powell is a wonderful person, who has lived in the area much longer than I have. She was absolutely devastated by the decision, as were a number of other long term residents of the area. To get people of Margarette's age at the DAP meeting to hear that a US multi-national and a Queensland land developer were going to destroy something that has been part of their life for so many years, was a testament to the feeling in the community.

Onkaparinga Council started this process when they divided the title of the Chateau Reynella site in 2007. Terry Sutcliffe and his council officers chose not to recognise this significant site for what it was, and appeared to have had their eyes on the revenue that this piece of real estate would achieve with a bunch of tacky houses on it.

[jeremy]

I'm way out of my league and depth on this thread but, via Phoenix, I had Midnight Oil's "Burnie" in mind (fantastic acoustic version hidden track on first live Oils cd)-

http://www.midnight-oil.info/discography/song/Burnie

"This is my home
This is my sea
Don't paint it with the future of factories
This is my life
This is my right
I'll make it what I want to
I'll stay and I'll fight"

Midnight Oil were a group political conciousness way before Garrett was a politician.

[phoenix]

I'm way out of my league and depth on this thread but, via Phoenix, I had Midnight Oil's "Burnie" in mind (fantastic acoustic version hidden track on first live Oils cd)-

http://www.midnight-oil.info/discography/song/Burnie

"This is my home
This is my sea
Don't paint it with the future of factories
This is my life
This is my right
I'll make it what I want to
I'll stay and I'll fight"

Midnight Oil were a group political conciousness way before Garrett was a politician.

I think you may have found a theme song for those of us trying to keep the wolf from the door, Jeremy.

[jeremy]

Glad it made sense phoenix.

[phoenix]

Apparently I am suffering from 'nimbyism' according to Peter Bell who is quoted in the Australian. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/st ... 87,00.html

And for all of the other opponents around the place, you too are suffering nimbyism. Bell's as yet unpublished Devine sponsored report,

unequivocally concludes that the vineyard "is of no heritage significance" and that much of the lore around it originated in wine marketing campaigns.

"In past decades, both Chateau Reynella and Thomas Hardy & Sons for their own reasons exaggerated John Reynell's role in establishing the wine industry,"

so you are all to blame for this hysteria, not the benevolent burghers of Devine and Constellation. It seems he is blaming the tellers of history for this problem.

Hopefully Devine will make Bell's report public, so all of us "nimbys" can make our own assessment of the findings.

[Davo]

Next on the hit list (when Magill is sold for housing), Max Schubert was a heavy smoking palate free zone who was lucky to pick the difference between a sauv blanc and a shiraz on a good day. All the rest was marketing hype created by the company to build the image for their own reasons.

Hypothetically speaking of course, and different company involvement acknowledged.

[phoenix]

Next on the hit list (when Magill is sold for housing), Max Schubert was a heavy smoking palate free zone who was lucky to pick the difference between a sauv blanc and a shiraz on a good day. All the rest was marketing hype created by the company to build the image for their own reasons.

Hypothetically speaking of course, and different company involvement acknowledged.

Maybe the housing developers with their eyes on Magill can get Peter Bell to write them a report.

[James Douglas Hook]

Peter Bell makes my blood boil, regardless of what marketing campaign spin has been put on John Reynell he did the following things that were logically historically significant.

I am no historian but I can do basic research. John Reynell matters for at least five reasons.

1) Was the first to plant a commercial vines in South Australia. 1838 was four years before the Barossa Valley was settled and nine years before Johann Gramp planted at Jacobs Creek.

2) Dug the first commercial underground wine cellar in South Australia.

3) Introduced Thomas Hardy to viticulture and wine. Thomas became Australia's largest winemaker.

4) Instructed his son, Walter in viticulture/wine/pastoralism who went on to be the chairman of Elders and restored the family fortune. Walters sons continued with the family business and Carew Reynell created a significant brandy business at the site that is now the St Francis Winery Motel.

5) He traded vines, wines and ideas with other early pioneers AC Kelly, EJ Peake and George Manning which was the nucleus for the 'Southern Vales' wine industry.

The fact that that Stony Hill has had vines on it since 1838, or 1841 depending on the source, is amazing and was rightly celebrated in 'marketing campaigns.'

His Australian Heritage Biography reads as follows.

REYNELL, JOHN (1809-1873), pastoralist and vigneron, was born on 9 February 1809 at Ilfracombe, Devon, England, son of Henry Reynell and his wife Lydia, née Fagg. At 16 he went to Egypt, returned to England four years later, then spent some time trading in wheat and other cargo in America and Europe, and later went back to Egypt. In October 1838 he arrived in Adelaide in the Surrey, and in December took up Reynella Farm where he grew wheat and potatoes and bred sheep and cattle. On 31 January 1839 he married Mary Anne (d.1867), daughter of Francis Lucas of Ireland. That year he was one of fifty settlers who formed the Agricultural and Horticultural Society of South Australia. Although scab was a constant worry his pastoral pursuits flourished; he introduced Southdown and Saxon rams from Van Diemen's Land, and in 1842 was shearing 4000 sheep.


Observations in Italy and southern France convinced Reynell that the vine, olive and fig could be cultivated in South Australia; in 1841 he planted the first vineyard with 500 cuttings from Tasmania, and made wine in 1843. That year he was declared bankrupt when his pastoral enterprises collapsed during an economic recession. He lost £4000 but was generously treated by his creditors and received a loan from his brother Henry in Calcutta.


In 1844 Reynell planted half an acre (0.2 ha) with cuttings from G. A. Anstey, next year four and a quarter acres (1.7 ha) with shiraz and grenache cuttings from (Sir) William Macarthur and in 1847-48 ten acres (4 ha) with cuttings from E. J. Peake of Clarendon. He pioneered the export of claret and burgundy to New Zealand. Appointed a justice of the peace in 1850, in 1852 he went to the Victorian diggings and won a little gold; in 1854 he sold about forty acres (16 ha) of Reynella Farm for the township of Reynella with ninety-four allotments bringing him nearly £3000. He died on 15 June 1873 survived by a son and two daughters and left an estate of £4000.


His son Walter (1846-1919) was born on 27 March 1846 at Reynella Farm. Educated at the Collegiate School of St Peter, he helped his father develop the vineyards. At 21 he spent two years on Beltana station working for (Sir) Thomas Elder. He was later part-owner of Tolarno station on the Darling, and for many years ran a land agency business in Adelaide. On 16 May 1877 at Adelaide, he married Emily, daughter of William Bakewell, a lawyer of Payneham. In 1883 he became manager of Elder Smith & Co., supervising the stock business of the firm and its numerous branches. In 1910 he retired to Reynella and with his son Carew he tended the vineyards. He was a member of the Pastoralists' Association of South Australia and West Darling, the South Australian Vinegrowers' Association, and director of Elder Smith & Co. and of the South Australian Brewing Co. He died on 8 April 1919 at Reynella, survived by one of his two sons and three daughters. He left an estate of £28,000.

[phoenix]

As always James, your writing is well researched and very much to the point. Together with your blog on the history of John Reynell, which I thoroughly enjoyed reading, you have clearly debunked Bell's ridiculous ramblings.

You had better be careful, though, or he will label you with the NIMBY tag. It seems to be the case that when someone is less than confident in their argument, they label those who oppose them with various names in an attempt to deflect serious consideration of their flawed work.

You say you are no historian, but I would put more credence in your writing than in someone who makes the assertion that John Reynell's role in establishing the wine industry in this state was exaggerated.

Grant

[n4sir]

Minister for Planning Paul Holloway in today's fluff piece "South Australian Government unveils vision for Adelaide" again had the nerve to say:

" ...Virginia, McLaren Vale and the Barossa Valley had been protected to save agricultural and wine regions from intrusion."

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/stor ... 01,00.html

If this is his idea of protection, I'd hate to see what open-slather is.

Cheers,
Ian

[phoenix]

Minister for Planning Paul Holloway in today's fluff piece "South Australian Government unveils vision for Adelaide" again had the nerve to say:

" ...Virginia, McLaren Vale and the Barossa Valley had been protected to save agricultural and wine regions from intrusion."

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/stor ... 01,00.html

If this is his idea of protection, I'd hate to see what open-slather is.

Cheers,
Ian

In the words of Philip White in his latest, and perhaps best yet blog, he summarises the complete lack of credibility in all parties to this fiasco when he says

A PRICELESS HERITAGE GARDEN SENTENCED TO DEATH BY SUB-DEVELOPMENT BY CONSTELLATION, THE COMPLICIT ONKAPARINGA COUNCIL, AN INTELLECTUALLY DECREPIT GOVERNMENT AND A DEVELOPER DELIGHTFULLY CALLED PIONEER HOMES. WOULD GREAT MEN LIKE THOSE WHO DIED IN THE KYEEMA BE BUILDING A YUPPIE GHETTO HERE?

What hope did we have. Clearly the interstate land developers and the giant US multinational had the ear of those in government (local and state) to get their way. Add to that a local SA historian, whose PhD thesis was titled Houses and Mining Settlement in North Queensland, 1861-1920, and who is saying that John Reynell's role in the local wine industry was exaggerated, the game was over before it started.

[jeremy]

Once again, out of my depth, but read the Max Allen article whilst holidaying on Stradbroke Island, and this stood out to me-

Devine Homes commissioned a report on the heritage value of the vineyard by historian Peter Bell, whose experience includes a decade at the State Heritage Branch in Adelaide and numerous heritage surveys as a private consultant

If your income is derived from private consultancy, and Devine commissions/hires/pays you to research something, with the rather obvious desire that you come up with a certain result- doesn't this all lead to anything you (and here I mean Peter Bell! Grrr) "report" having a pretty serious question mark/asterisk next to its real value or trust-worthiness? It all seems pretty tainted-

http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/tainted

And, as I often think about things somewhat askew and in terms of lyrics from songs, Ani Difranco's "Garden Of Simple" comes to mind-

"Science [history] chases money
And money chases its tail"

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/anidifra ... imple.html

[phoenix]

Once again, out of my depth, but read the Max Allen article whilst holidaying on Stradbroke Island, and this stood out to me-

Devine Homes commissioned a report on the heritage value of the vineyard by historian Peter Bell, whose experience includes a decade at the State Heritage Branch in Adelaide and numerous heritage surveys as a private consultant

If your income is derived from private consultancy, and Devine commissions/hires/pays you to research something, with the rather obvious desire that you come up with a certain result- doesn't this all lead to anything you (and here I mean Peter Bell! Grrr) "report" having a pretty serious question mark/asterisk next to its real value or trust-worthiness? It all seems pretty tainted-

http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/tainted

And, as I often think about things somewhat askew and in terms of lyrics from songs, Ani Difranco's "Garden Of Simple" comes to mind-

"Science [history] chases money
And money chases its tail"

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/anidifra ... imple.html

I must admit I also had thoughts similar to you, Jeremy. I wonder how many historians Devine commissioned before they managed to get the outcome they were wanting. We will never know the answer to that one.

At least coming from Brisbane, you can't fall under Bell's 'nimby' tag that he has applied to any opponents of the development.

I was interested to see that Bell had to admit that he was unaware of the existence of Central Australia's most important item of European historical heritage in a 7.30 report http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2001/s320729.htm so he isn't infallible. Perhaps, when it's too late to reverse the damage, someone will unequivocally conclude that the vineyard "is of heritage significance" and John Reynell played a significant role in establishing the wine industry in South Australia

We know that already, but apparently it doesn't mean anything unless a historian says so.

[phoenix]

An article in the Thursday Australian's Business section shows that the Constellation juggernaut continues to carve a swathe through Australia's vineyards.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/bu ... 96,00.html

[phoenix]

Too late for the current development unfortunately, but Councillor Schulze has proposed a notice of motion for the next meeting of the Onkaparinga Council on Tuesday, August 4 as follows;

1. That a report be presented to Council by end September 2009 which:

• provides information on the background on the process and rationale that has led to the removal of reference to the land parcel containing the Stony Hill vineyard on land located on the north west corner of Panalatinga Road and Reynell Road, Old Reynella from the land description contained in the state heritage register relating to state heritage places on the Hardys Reynella winery site; and

• contains a review of the City of Onkaparinga local heritage register to identify items that may be ‘at risk’ under similar circumstances applying to the Stony Hill vineyard site, and

• recommends actions and a process to protect such items from de-listing, including but not limited to flagging items and property on a heritage register in a way that enables timely engagement with the public and interested parties with a view to receiving submissions related to any such action ; and

• provides information on the process for items to be nominated for inclusion on the local heritage register

2. That Council write to the Minister for Environment and Heritage requesting that he also undertake a review of state heritage items within the City of Onkaparinga that may be ‘at risk’ of removal from the register under similar circumstances applying to the Stony Hill vineyard site, and advise of actions that can be taken to improve the process of consideration of removal of a property or items, from the state heritage register, and in particular effective engagement with the community on issues likely to be of interest to the public.


In the explanation to his motion, Councillor Schulze makes the following statement;

"The heritage value of the vineyard per se is a point of conjecture between heritage advisors and the sections of the community. Much of the focus has been on the vines themselves, with commentary received that as the vines are not original stock, the site was of little significance. This view overlooks the intrinsic significance of the site in both the social and viticulture (limestone with alluvial soil) terms. One could imagine the concern that the people of the Coonawarra would feel if similarly significant areas of early plantings there on the terra rosa soil were to have a final crop of housing."

which is the point we have been trying to make all along. The council agenda can be found here:
http://www.onkaparingacity.com/web/bina ... typen=html

[phoenix]

Devine Homes are calling their new development "Peppercorn Grove". See one of the signs here http://sites.google.com/site/stonyhilld ... ugust-2009

Those who know the site, will note that the nearest peppercorn tree is on the property adjacent the Stony Hill vineyard (aka Peppercorn Grove) and there doesn't appear to be much room on the development plan for planting any. It will be interesting to see what they do about the 5 metre wide sewer easement running the full length of the western boundary. The blocks along that side are 30 metres deep. Take out the 5 for the easement and you will have a VERY small house. The only option would be to move it several metres to the east. Together with the modifications needed to Reynell Road to add traffic control for left and right in and out access, it is going to be an expensive startup.

[n4sir]

Devine Homes are calling their new development "Peppercorn Grove". See one of the signs here http://sites.google.com/site/stonyhilld ... ugust-2009

Those who know the site, will note that the nearest peppercorn tree is on the property adjacent the Stony Hill vineyard (aka Peppercorn Grove) and there doesn't appear to be much room on the development plan for planting any. It will be interesting to see what they do about the 5 metre wide sewer easement running the full length of the western boundary. The blocks along that side are 30 metres deep. Take out the 5 for the easement and you will have a VERY small house. The only option would be to move it several metres to the east. Together with the modifications needed to Reynell Road to add traffic control for left and right in and out access, it is going to be an expensive startup.

I wonder if/when we're going to see one of those tacky signs out the front of Leasingham?

Sad, sad times.

[phoenix]

Apparently we have got it all wrong about John Reynell. Peter Bell's, Devine Homes commissioned report on the Stony Hill vineyard has finally seen the light of day in an Onkaparinga Council prepared response to a councillor's query. It is available here;
http://www.onkaparingacity.com/web/bina ... typen=html

According to Bell, in respect to Stony Hill and John Reynell

(1) This is not the first vineyard planted in South Australia
(2) John Reynell was not the first person to plant grapes in South Australia
(3) John Reynell was not the first person to make wine in South Australia
(4) John Reynell was not the first owner of this land
(5) The first grapes planted by John Reynell were not on this land
(6) Reynella was not the first commercial vineyard in South Australia
(7) There is no evidence for where John Reynell planted his first grapes at Reynella
(8) There is no evidence for when grapes were originally planted on this land
(9) If there were grapevines planted on this land in the nineteenth century, they were grubbed no later than the 1960s
(10) There are no grapevines on the entire former Reynella estate that date from the nineteenth century
(11) The grape vines that grow on this land at present were planted in 1969 and 1990.
(12) The grape vines that grow on this land at present are not a Reynella cabernet clone, but introduced from Coonawarra
(13) The land has not been continuously under grape vines since the nineteenth century
(14) The land was never entered into the South Australian Heritage Register
(15) This land is of no heritage significance

Comments anyone ??

[phoenix]

Even people with a 'PhD' after their name can get it wrong. Bell claims that

The land was never entered into the South Australian Heritage Register

and

The stories that this was once entered in the South Australian Heritage Register but was subsequently removed are simply untrue

but a news release from the Department for Environment and Heritage, a department that he tells us in his CV that he was acting Branch Manager of, makes the following statement,

The Hardy’s Reynella Winery Complex was entered in the South Australian Heritage Register as a State Heritage Place in November 1989.
The original intention was to only include the winery complex buildings, but at the time of listing the complex buildings and the Stony Hill vineyard were located on the single Certificate of Title. Therefore the entire Title was entered into the SA Heritage Register.

Given that he has clearly got this wrong, what credence can be placed in the other assumptions he makes. Another claim by Bell was;

John Reynell did not plant the first grapes or make the first wine in South Australia. He never claimed that he did either of these things

Bell chooses his references carefully, but ignores references from the likes of David Gordon, "Handbook of South Australia", 1908 who records;

To the late Mr John Reynell, is due the credit of having imported cuttings of wine grapes ..... and of planting the first vineyard and making the first wine.

[n4sir]

It's hard not to to get angry reading Bell's report. I bet he must be popular with land developers if this is any guide.

Cheers,
Ian

[James Douglas Hook]

On whether John Reynell was the first to plant vines and have a commercial vineyard.

Unfortunately I am not a qualified historian and can only rely on what I can find from online records and some commonsense in understanding grapevines.

My understanding form online records is John Reynell first planted vines in 1839, then his first vintage was produced in 1842 and he built the Old Cave cellar in 1845. From a viticultural point of view this seems a logical progression. Planting in Spring 1839 - a small harvest in March/April 1842 - larger yields as the vines get older in the next two year - where do you put the wine? Answer is build a cellar.

Some stray cats must have got started pretty early on to have started before John R in South Australia. Considering it takes 3 years to get a crop from grapevines to have started before John Reynell you would have to have planted extremely early in the history of the colony.

Settlers arrive in December 1836 - in my viticultural experience this would have been unsuitable to plant a vineyard (too dry and late in summer). The next spring (1837) it could have been possible to plant a vineyard - assuming someone did this by March 1840 they could have produced their first vintage.

I would love to know who planted in 1837 or 1838. Prehaps they are lost to history...

[James Douglas Hook]

I have just read the Reynell report by Dr Bell. Great to be cited as part of an 'emotive campaign.' I will add that to my CV.

Yes, I agree with the Devine report that there has been a lot of mistaken reporting on this. They are not old vines, the current vines are not the source of Reynell clone and no one is sure if that was the land first planted to vines. No one knows if the Stony Hill site was the first vineyard site for Reynell, however it has been the 'modern' wine industries understanding is that is was. A culture has built up believing that.

People like myself have been brought up to believe in John Reynell, with Thomas Hardy and George 'Pitchers' Manning and many others. All of these men (and their families) achieved a type of fame that has lasted to this day. They left businesses behind and generations to venerate them.

As I said above I am not a historian, just read sources which I could get online. Some of these sources are from his family and of course could be biased.

I don't claim he was the first person to plant vines, just that he was a pioneer and should be remembered as one. I will review my own writing on this and edit including Dr Bell's information into to make it more rigorous.

The good news is the names of the first grapegrowers are recorded possibly John Barton Hack, or George Stevenson in North Adelaide. However the key difference between Reynell being these gentlemen did not spawn winery businesses that lasted generations and were not involved with other pioneers like Thomas Hardy who is hopefully still considered a significant part of the history of South Australia.