Fowles Wines has lost 300 acres of vines in the Strathbogie Ranges in the devastating Longwood bushfire in Victoria.
Owner Matt Fowles also lost the family home as well as a second house where he his uncle was living.
The fire burnt 1,500 acres of grazing land on the family farm and destroyed hundreds of sheep.
“It’s a moonscape. There’s barely a blade of grass,” Matt told The Age.
“Yesterday was intense and I’m in shock, I would say, if I’m being realistic.
“I was pretty emotional this morning, and then now I’m thinking about how to piece it all back together.”
The winery at Upton Hill and cellar door at Avenel have not been damaged.
Matt says it appears to be total crop loss.
“At this stage, it’s definitely 100 percent crop failure for this vintage, and all the infrastructure around it – all the drippers [for watering], all the posts – are all burnt, burned to the ground,” he says.
“I’ve had hundreds of texts [from] mates in the wine industry and beyond, getting in touch and I have had several offers now saying they will send me some fruit.
“So the support has been absolutely amazing.”
Elgo Estate announced that its Elgo Vineyard at Upton Hill has been “devastated” in the Longwood fire.
They said in an Instagram post, “To all our friends and neighbours who have lost so much in this horrendous fire, we are so sorry for your loss.
“We sincerely hope that everyone who has or may be impacted by this fire remain safe.
“To all attending CFA members/volunteers and aircrew we cannot thank you enough for your help
“The response was tremendous. We are hoping our winery and sheds remain safe.”
There have been major property losses around Victoria with Premier Jacinta Allan declaring a state of disaster in 18 local government areas.
Smoke from the fires has reached New Zealand.
Numerous cellar doors in Victoria and South Australia closed in recent days with the forecast 40-degree temperatures and strong winds.
Main photo: Matt Fowles.
Photo: Elgo Estate Facebook page.
Recent Comments