Gunn’s’ Tamar Ridge vineyard one of the biggest in the state, is located at Rowella, a mere couple of kilometres as the forest raven flies from the site of the proposed Gunns pulp mill. Tamar Ridge is for sale along with a spread of Gunns assets, as well as, perhaps, a liability or two.
Tamar Ridge is profitable. It may not be hugely profitable but few vineyards are right now. The prognostication for the wine industry in Australia is dire. It may be possible for the Tasmanian wine industry to buck the national trend. The coming 12 months will severely test the strength of the Tasmanian niche brand.
It is generally accepted that Gunns is desperate for cash and one has to be only moderately pragmatic to assume that given the current state of the wine industry in this country, and the the urgency of the Gunns dash for cash, that Tamar Ridge might be picked up at a bargain basement price. But any sale, one would have to think, would be predicated on the death of the pulp mill. Who in their right mind would buy a vineyard so close to a pulp mill?
Andrew Pirie has assured workers at Tamar Ridge that there will not be a fire sale of the vineyard. It has been publicly mooted that there are several potential buyers of Tamar Ridge hovering in the wings.
One can confidently conclude that if Tamar Ridge sells for a fair price, the purchaser was either a complete fool or has a guarantee from Gunns that there will not be a pulp mill.
pilko
May 9, 2010 at 12:59
Old news Bob. Never drank the stuff.
Justa Bloke
May 9, 2010 at 13:10
It would make an excellent nitens plantation.
John
May 9, 2010 at 15:26
I never feel sorry for Gunns but I do feel sorry for the workers who are at the mercy of such companies.
William Boeder
May 9, 2010 at 15:54
This very same area of land should be handed back to the people of this State who may have even funded this prior foolish government assisted enterprise?
When we consider just how much money has been slipped under the table to Gunns Ltd, there aint nothing wrong with a bit of honest restitution?
Paul de Burgh-Day
May 9, 2010 at 17:24
On the mark Bob! While there are always fools ready to be parted with their money, their ranks have been somewhat depleted by the last two years or so, plus the longer-term slide of the Oz wine industry (not to forget that it is a global problem).
Hard to imagine anyone looking to buy a vineyard today without thorough due diligence – a process that could hardly fail to factor in the nearby odious mill.
It is a very good vineyard and winemaking facility – but only, as you point out Bob, if there is a documented undertaking NOT to build a stinking rotten pulp mill!
Tony Saddington
May 9, 2010 at 18:01
Examiner (10/5/10). Page 18, Tony Gray’s financial column.
Gunns have closed offices in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Staff redundant.
It may have been offices that handled MIS, but it is not clearly stated.
Shirley Glen of West Tamar
May 10, 2010 at 12:27
Tamar Ridge is planted both sides of a public road which goes to a large dairy farm. Gunns built a big flash main entrance for Tamar Ridge over that road but they can’t stop people driving through the private looking entrance and down the public road right through the vines. I have done it a few times with all my Stop the Pulp Mill stickers very visible on my car.
BTW, FEA has 400 ha of nitens growing a coupla k’s down the road from Tamar Ridge, which is probably also for sale.
hugoagogo
May 10, 2010 at 18:31
#8 you should see the solvents canola oil actually goes through before it gets into your nuttelex.
#9 That piece of performance art would’ve had ’em quaking in their boots.
Valleywatcher
May 11, 2010 at 00:11
#10 Who the hell eats Nuttelex?
Hugo, you are rapidly becoming a master at defending the indefensible with your pithy comments………!