Shiraz Republic winery at Cornella opened up its canola fields to visitors during August and the start of September. Photo: Monique Preston
Photo by
Monique Preston
The Shiraz Republic is a winery, but lately there’s another crop that has been drawing crowds to the Cornella Creek business, based near Toolleen.
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A few weeks ago, owner Brian Spencer noticed the comments his winery visitors were making about the vivid yellow canola crops growing beside the winery.
“People love taking photos of the crops, but sometimes they are pulling up on busy roads to take the photos and sometimes irritating the farmers by jumping the fence,” Mr Spencer said.
“So, I thought why not make it easier for visitors, here?”
Shiraz Republic winery at Cornella opened up its canola fields to visitors during August and the start of September. Photo: Monique Preston
Photo by
Monique Preston
Now, when people come to sample his craft beer or wines at the cellar door, or order a meal, they can walk to the nearby canola crop and snap away.
“We give them a map and some information about the canola, and off they go.”
As word has got out visitors have contacted the winery from Melbourne and Bendigo, asking if the flowers are still out.
Some, who want photos late in the evening, or at sunrise, have stayed over in the on-site accommodation.
Shiraz Republic at Cornella has been throwing open the farm gates to allow people into its canola crop as a tourist attraction this year.
Photo by
Monique Preston
It has been easy to arrange as the vineyards occupy only about 15 hectares and the rest of the property, about 40ha, is sown down to canola in shares with a local farmer.
And a further useful backdrop is the hundreds of hectares of other neighbouring canola crops, sown by other farmers.
Mr Spencer expects the flowering could continue for another couple of weeks, depending on the weather.
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