Mount Appallan Vineyards

The Goodchild family settled on the Draycot property in 1912, successive generations carrying on first wool growing and thereafter dairying. The 160ha farm is 75km west of Maryborough, in what is known locally as the Wide Bay-Burnett area, where the rich volcanic soils and semi-maritime mild climate is not very different from that of South Burnett. The family has established 7.6ha of vineyards planted to verdelho, shiraz, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot and viognier, with a small amount each of grenache and mourvedre. Third-generation Syd Goodchild returned as a mature-age student to study viticulture at Adelaide University (adding a fourth academic degree), and fourth-generation Bernie Wixon manages the property, including the dairy side. -JAMES HALLIDAY