Margaret River final assessment: no damage to vines, no loss of life

Margaret River has suffered no vine damage due to the bushfires, the Margaret River Wine Industry Association has said in an open letter.

Scorched Grenache at McHenry Hohnen

Thanking emergency personnel, volunteer firefighters, community groups and government agencies who helped fight the fires and their aftermath, Margaret River Wine Industry Association vice president Stuart Watson said the region had been saved by their efforts.

‘The whole Margaret River wine industry applauds their joint efforts without which further property loss would have occurred and we have all been extremely lucky no one has been hurt or lost their lives.’

Watson said no vineyard land had been lost and ‘there will be no impact upon the 2012 Margaret River vintage either in volume or smoke damage due to the stage of growth development of grape vines as fruit had not yet reached veraison’.

He said less than 5ha had been ‘scorched or singed’, representing a tiny proportion of the 270,000ha area and of the 4,850ha under vine.

In conclusion he said, ‘Most of the damage has occurred in national park areas on the coast side of Caves Road that includes part of the semi-rural and residential areas of Prevelly, Gnarabup and Redgate with 34 houses and 9 chalets lost and 23 houses damaged with current estimates suggesting approximately 3,700 hectares of national park and private land holdings have been burnt.’

Written by Adam Lechmere