BAROSSA VALLEY

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (14:34): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Regional Development and Minister for Tourism a question about the recent assistance to a wine and food tourism venture.

Leave granted.

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS: Our regional areas have many attractions, and in the Barossa wineries are a generator of economic activity as they attract people who spend time and money in the area through the likes of cellar door visits and sales. Can the minister advise how the state government has recently assisted the creation of one of these attractions?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women) (14:35): I thank the honourable member for his important question. As I have said previously, I consider that the portfolios I hold have a great potential for synergy as agriculture, food and fisheries are economic drivers for regions and, similarly, tourism is a great source of income for regions. So I am very pleased to be able to announce that I have recently approved a grant from the Regional Development Infrastructure Fund, which crosses over several of my portfolio interests.

As members will know, our great Australian wine shines even brighter when matched with fabulous food consumed in beautiful surroundings, such as those found in our iconic Barossa Valley. I am very pleased to tell the chamber that I have approved a grant of $25,000 from this fund to Hentley Farm Pty Ltd to help connect electricity supply to its new barn restaurant and function facility at Seppeltsfield.

Hentley Farm includes a picturesque winery with cellar door and restaurant on the banks of Greenock Creek among the beautiful vista of rolling hills. Visitors are able to buy its wines on site, and the popular cellar door facility is operated from a restored 1840s homestead. The electricity upgrade is part of a broader project for Hentley Farm—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: I have spent more time in the Barossa Valley than you have—which is converting an adjacent barn into a restaurant and function—

The Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins: I doubt it.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: I would most certainly bet my bottom dollar on it any time.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! We won't have a debate on this, thank you.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: The electricity upgrade is part of a broader project for Hentley Farm, which is converting the adjacent barn into a restaurant and function centre to attract more customers and visitors.

The Barossa is an important destination for visitors, whether they are international or from interstate or are South Australians getting out and about to explore their own backyard, and I am advised that it is one of the regions known internationally.

The development of the barn into a high-end restaurant meets a tourism need identified in the recent Barossa Gap Audit. The audit identified a need for more medium to high-end dining experiences, focusing strongly on local food and wine matches, and I expect that this new development will play a key role in filling this gap.

While the name Hentley Farm may be known to some, I understand that the main outlets for its wines are direct sales through a very attractive cellar door. The organisation has already undertaken an extensive upgrade to the cellar door in the old homestead and its surrounds to help enhance the image of the business and grow sales of premium wine by directly marketing to customers.

Combined with the existing cellar door and winery tour, the new restaurant will make Hentley Farm winery the complete food and wine destination. The barn conversion is taking place in two phases. The first phase entailed repair to the barn building at a cost of $250,000 and has already been completed. The second phase involves the barn fit-out, electricity infrastructure upgrade and landscaping. The total cost of this phase is estimated to be $505,000. The RDIF grant will form part of this fit-out stage.

Recognising the significant tourism benefits of this development, the South Australian Tourism Commission has already supported the Hentley Farm project by a grant of $50,000 from its tourism development fund. This funding is provided for landscaping and construction of a footbridge over the nearby creek so that visitors to functions such as weddings can make the most of this very scenic spot. The project, which is expected to be completed by mid-2012, will use local contractors both to construct and maintain the facility.

I am advised that the owners are aiming squarely at the premium or high end of the wine and food market and have retained the services of well-known executive chef Lachlan Colwill, formerly of The Manse, and that it is expected it will lead to the creation of five full-time employee positions. The Regional Development Infrastructure Fund is a longstanding fund which helps to assist regional communities to overcome the high cost of infrastructure and promote economic development in regional areas.