The bucolic charm of the Yarra Valley belies an emerging battle over the environmental costs of the region's dramatic resurgence in winemaking. Behind the lines, drawn in a war of words through the local papers, are landowners and companies rushing to cash in on Australia's wine boom while residents and conservationists say enough is enough.
New entrants favor uncleared blocks because the land is cheaper, and then they raze the trees.
With 92per cent of the valley cleared even before the vineyard explosion, habitat preservation was already a critical issue. He said residents were worried that if vineyards went bust, the valley could be left with a forest of poles instead of trees, and there would be increased pressure for subdivision on hardship grounds. The Wine Grape Growers' Council warned in December last year that Australia faced an oversupply of grapes unless the speculative developments ceased. The industry's 30-year plan has reached its target of 97,000 hectares under vines in only three years, fuelled by a 93per cent rise in grape prices over the past six vintages. The vice-president of the Yarra Valley Winegrowers' Association, Mr Alan Smith, said winegrowers also had a vested interest in the valley's rural character, which attracted city tourists.