Chateau Tanunda owner John Geber hires former transport boss Rod Hook to help restart Barossa wine train

Chateau Tanunda owner John Geber has hired a former transport boss turned lobbyist to help restart the Barossa wine train.

Chateau Tanunda owner John Geber hopes to finally realise his dream of restarting the Barossa wine train. Picture: Matt Turner

A high profile Barossa businessman has hired a former transport department boss, in his latest attempt to restart a tourist train in the region.

John Geber, who had a public stoush with former Transport Minister Stephan Knoll, acquired the services of Rod Hook last month.

Mr Hook was the chief executive of the Planning, Transport and Infrastructure Department before he was sacked by former premier Jay Weatherill in 2014.

He is now a prominent lobbyist, and is selling his services to Mr Geber, the man behind one of the country’s most acclaimed wineries, Chateau Tanunda.

Mr Geber hoped Mr Hook’s experience would lead to his long-held dream of restarting the Barossa Valley wine train.

Mr Geber wants to use his bluebird train to service the Barossa Valley wine region. Picture: Supplied

“Rod brings a great deal of maturity into understanding the systems – he totally understands rail and tourism on a broader scale,” he said.

“I have real hope for this, I really do – I have hung in there for 15 years on this thing and I think it’s cost me about $1m, because I believe in it.

“This is something that is good for the Barossa and good for South Australia.”

In April last year, Mr Geber lost a Supreme Court battle, in which he claimed Mr Knoll had erred in his decision to rip up a 120m section of the unused Tanunda to Nuriootpa rail line.

It halted his plans to restart the Barossa wine train, which last ran in 2003.

The train would run from Gawler, through Lyndoch, Tanunda and up to the Penfolds cellar door just outside Nuriootpa.

Mr Geber said it would be a not-for-profit service.

Last month, member for Light Tony Piccolo announced a “task force” to get the train running again.

Barossa Council Mayor Michael Lange and Gawler Mayor Karen Redman are both on the task force.