Phylloxera in the Yarra valley

smithy · Post by **smithy** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 3:14 pm

Phylloxera in the Yarra Valley
Fosters have just announced phylloxera found in the Yarra Valley.
Even on abc country hour.
This is big!
Smithy

kirragc · Post by **kirragc** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 3:37 pm

Thats a bit of a blow to the region
Last thing you want is to know that your controls arent working.

Noticed they are pulling the vines as we speak. The risks of own roots exposed.

Actually there is a lot near me that has a wierd look about it

drunkenbum · Post by **drunkenbum** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 4:41 pm

Jeez, bad news travel quick! My boss told me an hour ago, and the local board is meeting tonight to discuss the effect it may have and any ramifications for our region!

GrahamB · Post by **GrahamB** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 2:25 pm

Thank God it wasn't South Australia. That would be serious.

GraemeG · Post by **GraemeG** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 4:36 pm

Isn't this 120-year-old news? Did phylloxera ever go away from the Yarra? I figure anyone planting in a region that was infested 100 years ago would plant on resistant rootstocks?
cheers,
Graeme

Mal · Post by **Mal** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 4:43 pm

GraemeG wrote:Isn't this 120-year-old news? Did phylloxera ever go away from the Yarra? I figure anyone planting in a region that was infested 100 years ago would plant on resistant rootstocks?
cheers,
Graeme

Im sure I read today that 75 % of the Yarra Valley don't have resistant rootstocks.

Im also pretty sure the Yarra Valley region has never had phylloxera. I could be wrong though.

Serge Birbrair · Post by **Serge Birbrair** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 9:06 pm

Mal wrote:
GraemeG wrote:Isn't this 120-year-old news? Did phylloxera ever go away from the Yarra? I figure anyone planting in a region that was infested 100 years ago would plant on resistant rootstocks?
cheers,
Graeme

Im sure I read today that 75 % of the Yarra Valley don't have resistant rootstocks.

Im also pretty sure the Yarra Valley region has never had phylloxera. I could be wrong though.

http://www.warramatewines.com.au/index_ ... age357.htm
some say you are....

Mal · Post by **Mal** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 9:47 pm

Serge wrote:
Mal wrote:
GraemeG wrote:Isn't this 120-year-old news? Did phylloxera ever go away from the Yarra? I figure anyone planting in a region that was infested 100 years ago would plant on resistant rootstocks?
cheers,
Graeme

Im sure I read today that 75 % of the Yarra Valley don't have resistant rootstocks.

Im also pretty sure the Yarra Valley region has never had phylloxera. I could be wrong though.

http://www.warramatewines.com.au/index_ ... age357.htm
some say you are....

Serge, you might to try re-reading the link you posted, says nothing about phylloxera in the Yarra Valley, does mention about phylloxera in the Bellarine region, which isnt the Yarra Valley. What it also mentions is that the Yarra Valley vineyards were ploughed back in to grazing pasture at some point not because of phylloxera mite but because the bottom had fallen out of the UK fortified wine export market.

Serge Birbrair · Post by **Serge Birbrair** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 10:02 pm

Mal, I never been to Australia and thanks for your correction. I just Googled, as the topic sparked my interest, it and that link popped up.

roughred · Post by **roughred** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 11:27 am

Have to agree with Mal...

As far as I know there are only a few declared pockets of phylloxera in Victoria; Bellarine, Nagambie, the North East and Shepparton. I don't think the Yarra Valley has ever had a problem.

Does anyone recall what became of the outbreak in the Strathbogies a few years back? As an issue it seemed to disappear relatively quickly.

LL

kirragc · Post by **kirragc** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 1:34 pm

A single outbreak isnt that bad
However if more sites are found that indicates the infection has been around for while meaning that more sites could be infected as we speak.
It can be up to 3 years before symptoms show above ground.

Alot of the Yarra soils are prone to water logging which is a sort of control but once the clay cracks they love it.

Murray · Post by **Murray** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 3:52 pm

roughred wrote:Have to agree with Mal...

As far as I know there are only a few declared pockets of phylloxera in Victoria; Bellarine, Nagambie, the North East and Shepparton. I don't think the Yarra Valley has ever had a problem.

Does anyone recall what became of the outbreak in the Strathbogies a few years back? As an issue it seemed to disappear relatively quickly.

LL

None in Bellarine as far as I know, but include the Hunter in the 'infested' territory.

The Bellarine/Geelong association is not current, but comes from the original outbreak that wiped out the Geelong wine industry in the late 1800's. From Haliday's Wine Atlas:

James Halliday wrote:It will come as a major surprise to many readers to find that 130 years ago Geelong was the most important winemaking district in Victoria, if not Australia. In 1861 there were 225 hectares under vine, and by the end of the decade 400 hectares. It also shares with the Yarra Valley the unusual distinction of being primarily established by Swiss vignerons, drawn to Australia by the Swiss-born wife of the first governor of Victoria.

By 1875 the vineyards extended along each side of the valleys formed by the Moorabool, Leigh and Barwon rivers; on the slopes and plains around Ceres and Waurn Ponds, and on to German Town (or Marshall, as it is called today). Either in that year, or a little later, phylloxera was discovered at Fyansford, and neither for the first nor the last time, the politicians became involved and demonstrated that - whatever their understanding of the political process - they knew nothing whatsoever about the wine industry. In a knee-jerk reaction to public pressure (some say fuelled by a jealous Rutherglen industry, then vying for pre-eminence with Geelong) the government ordered the wholesale eradication of the Geelong vineyards.

The current Exclusion and Risk Zones are documented on the phylloxera website managed by the SA Wine Industry http://www.phylloxera.com.au/. Check the Maps under "Resources"