Bird in Hand winery in the Adelaide Hills is set to spend $30 million building what it claims will be one of the world’s leading wineries and a pre-eminent international tourist destination.
The Woodside winery has released plans for consultation and, once approved, the project will begin immediately.
The move comes as Bird in Hand and other local wineries and community groups oppose the re-opening and development of an old gold mine in the area.
The Bird in Hand development will feature an exclusive new 40-seat wine and culinary experience, art gallery, increased cellar door space, underground cellars, tasting rooms and landscaped gardens.
It will create up to 50 long-term jobs for the local community and will cater for up to 400 additional visitors to the region every day – on top of the more than 20,000 who currently visit Bird in Hand annually.
Founder Andrew Nugent said the project was “designed to reciprocate the support Bird in Hand has been afforded by South Australians and the Adelaide Hills community for so many years”.
“It is a community we are so grateful to be a part of,” he said.
“We intend to create a space of global, cultural and artistic paramountcy that helps secure our state and region as an imperative on the world wine and tourism map.
“That means not only increasing our ability to cater for growing demand but also shining light on the outstanding winemakers, food producers, artists and designers that we nurture here.
“The Adelaide Hills is a major part of South Australia’s $7 billion visitor economy, and we share the State Government’s vision to grow.
“Our family, together with the remarkably talented and dedicated team at Bird in Hand, feel very fortunate to be able to promote the elite artisan wines and produce of South Australia with the world from our Adelaide Hills home.”
Founded in 1997 on a dilapidated dairy farm, the family-owned winery produces about 90,000 cases a year through four distinct tiers of wine in accordance with its goal from inception to produce wines that sit at the pinnacle of worldwide opinion.
The masterplan has been released for public consultation. Its development was undertaken by many leading South Australian firms – architects, designers and gallerists, including Gillett Grieve Anderson, Enoki, Hugo Michel and Kingsbrook – in addition to Adelaide Hills based builders, further fuelling local economic activity during construction.
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