Supreme Court bid from John Geber, Robert O’Callaghan and Robert Hill-Smith kills $25m Barossa Valley hotel

Three of the biggest names in the Barossa Valley have won a Supreme Court fight to stop the development of a new $25 million five-star hotel.

A concept image of the new five-star development that was planned near Tanunda in the Barossa Valley. Picture: Daring Digital

Three of the best-known names in the Barossa Valley have combined to defeat a proposal to build a $25 million five-star hotel on land on the edge of Tanunda, with one declaring it a victory for the “soul’’ of the famous wine region.

Chateau Tanunda owner John Geber, supported by Barossa titans Rockford founder Robert O’Callaghan and Yalumba’s Robert Hill-Smith, had challenged the planning consent for the project given by the Barossa Assessment Panel in 2021.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday quashed that planning approval.

The Barossa mayor says the implications of the decision for future development are unknown and he does not want the region to be viewed as “closed for business”.

But Mr Geber hailed the Supreme Court decision as one that protected “the soul of the Barossa”.

The proposed development at 252 Murray Rd, Tanunda would have included 141 rooms, six villa units, a function centre for 200 people, restaurant, cafe shops and other facilities.

The location was within a designated “rural zone’’ under the planning and design code which limits the size and scope of commercial developments.

Chateau Tanunda owner John Geber led the Supreme Court fight against the proposed hotel. Picture: Matt Turner.

In his judgment Justice Malcolm Blue held that the plan was “seriously at variance’’ with planning rules for the Barossa and it was “legally unreasonable’’ for planing consent for the project to have been granted.

“Standalone tourist accommodation is not envisaged in the Rural Zone,’’ Justice Blue wrote.

Barossa Mayor Bim Lange said the decision would help clarify “complex’’ planning rules.

“How the decision impacts future decision making and investment in our region at this time are unknown,’’ he said.

But Mr Lange also said the Barossa was in need of more quality accommodation.

“We desperately need high-end accommodation, the right sort of development in the right places,’’ he said.

“We don’t want to see that the Barossa is closed for business in any way, or other regions will go ahead of us.’’

The proposed development at Tanunda. Picture: Daring Digital

Botten Levinson principal Tom Game, acting for project developer Barossa Central Pty Ltd, said they where “considering the judgment and are not in a position to say anything more than that at this stage’’.

Mr Geber said the decision “just does put a peg in the ground, saying we have a voice as well’’.

“The people of the Barossa should always have a voice,” he said. “All these three families have another generation coming through.’’

Mr Geber said he hoped the decision would help stop urban sprawl in the Barossa.

“It was becoming a suburb from Tanunda to Nuriootpa and when you start that you have lost it,’’ he said.

Planning approval was granted for the Oscar at Seppeltsfield after a court fight. Supplied

There are three tourism development zones within the Barossa.

One in Tanunda, where Mr Geber is proposing another development, one near Rowland Flat where the Novotel hotel is located and one at Seppeltsfield, home to a contentious new six-storey hotel, nicknamed the “slug’’.

Rockford Wines founder Robert O'Callaghan was also opposed to the development. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Robert Hill-Smith, chairman of Yalumba, is a titan of the Barossa and was also opposed. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

Mr Geber’s lawyer, Greg Griffin, said Justice Blue’s decision was a “testament to the three individual, very prominent Barossa winemakers who stood up for the entire Barossa Valley’’.

“Of great concern was, when you look at areas like the Napa Valley, Bordeaux, the great wine areas of the world, this could never happen, you can never remove vines to replace it with commercial operations,’’ Mr Griffin said.