A good time can be had by all visitors to the Douglas Vale Homestead and Vineyard. This historical structure has the distinction of being the oldest structure made out of wood in the entire region of Hastings. It is considered to be historical because it is all that is left of the pioneer beginnings of wine making in this region.
Located just five minutes from the town green in Port Macquarie, Australia the old homestead and vineyard had been in the hands of the family members who were the descendants of George Vale, the original owner, until 1993, when the last survivor passed away. A group of volunteers, calling themselves the Douglas Vale Conservation Group, began work on the house and property in 1995. Both the vineyard and the homestead needed much work before they could be restored to their former usefulness and beauty. The house desperately needed restoring, while the vineyards had to be completely replanted, as no wine had been produced at the vineyard since 1918. There were a few traces of the original grapevines in the vineyard fields when the renovation first started. These were carefully taken and cultivated.
It took ten years of dedication, but finally, in 1999, the homestead and vineyard had been completely and authentically brought back to life. At this time, the public was invited to come and see the house and gardens. Even the gardens had a touch of the old homestead. A group of bamboo canes had been planted back in 1868, and they still stand today at over 20 metres tall, forming a tunnel at the spot where the old main entrance once was. The cottage garden had also been replanted with the flowers thought to have been the popular ones of that time period.
The Douglas Vale vineyard was originally planted with a type of grape known as the Isabella. It is a rare grape in Australia today, and not too many wine producers are able to use it. Thanks to the cuttings taken from those original vines, today the Isabella grape is still being cultivated. In fact, those very cuttings were used to re-establish the vineyard during the time of the homestead’s restoration.
The vineyard is not completely established yet. The Isabella grapes will be joined by more of the Chambourcin red grapes, and the Villard Blanc white grapes, to eventually number 800 grape vines. This was done in order to augment the Isabella grapes, which are used to make port wine, with the other two varieties that are used to produce red and white wine. The very first wine produced in almost ninety years was offered for limited sale in 2007, and the bottle is a collector’s item.
Tourists are more than welcome to come and check out the homestead and its gardens and winery. The Wine Shed was also restored to its former glory, and today, you can still see some of the original convict-made bricks than were used to build the original shed in 1872. Today, the shed is used for wine testing and wine sales.
Douglas Vane Homestead and Vineyard is open from 10 AM to 3 PM on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. Tours and wine tastings are available on these days as well. Make your choice of a Port Macquarie accommodation with this attraction in mind!
If you're looking for a Port Macquarie Hotel, Beach Blue Resorts offers quality Port Macquarie Accommodation at an affordable price. For more information, please visit
Port Macquarie Hotels.
