Unique Maryborough winery upgrades business, with ‘no time’ for festivals

Festivals like the EKKA are taking a backseat after changes brought on by the pandemic triggered a change in priorities: Here’s how the business is evolving.

The “only winery on the Coast” may have had its time visiting the EKKA, as the award-winning business has different plans.

The changes brought on by the pandemic has triggered a change in priorities for a popular Fraser Coast business, with focus turning increasingly from fresh fruit products and festivals to their Maryborough winery.

The award-winning Lychee Divine, also known as Lychee Hill Estate, is located at 22473 along the Bruce Highway in Tinana South.

Lychee Divine co-owner Kerry Pool, who owns the business with her husband John Pool, told the Chronicle a shift in annual routine has left her contemplating whether they will continue to take part in shows.

Attending the Brisbane EKKA, Sydney Easter Show and Regional Flavours “may not be on (Lychee Divine’s) agenda again for some time”.

Lychee Divine at the EKKA.

This dilemma was brought on after last year’s EKKA cancellation allowed Kerry and John to focus on other aspects of their business, where John would usually be spending “a lot of time away” for the shows.

“This year we've just been so busy ... we’ve concentrated on putting a lot of infrastructure in for our winemaking ... we haven't got really got the time to actually go away,” Kerry said.

“2019 was the last year we did all the big food and wine events ... we would have liked to have done Relish (festival, this year), however, we were out of stock of a lot of wine and there was no point us going so we actually had to pull out last minute.”

The business’ Lychee Liqueurs have won numerous awards, including a gold medal in the Australian Fruit Wine Awards.

An investment into “the old winery” – which had been vacant behind their current business – to provide the business with a satellite cellar door, was officially opened on May 25 this year.

“We have a very unique product and our winery side of our business has now overtaken our farm and fresh fruit side ... and we are one of the largest growers in Australia ... so we needed to operate out of a satellite cellar door to sell our alcohol away from the producing premise,” Kerry said.

Three generations on the farm in one photo.

Lychee Divine’s growth, which has been a steady increase of 33 per cent each year since 2014, is down to having a “fantastic product”, as they plan to release “top secret” new products by mid August, Kerry said.

Although they “will have to see” about attending more festivities in the future, locals can still enjoy the unique business in their backyard.

And, Kerry explains why locals should.

“We use a real product rather than a flavour ... it’s just a remarkable product,” she said.