Warrenmang Winery and Resort in Moonambel destroyed in fire sparked by barbecue

Owners of a popular winery in Victoria’s northwest have been forced to cancel weddings and bookings after the resort’s restaurant burned to the ground on Thursday night.

A fire has razed Moonambel's Warrenmang Winery and Resort. Picture: Athalie Bazzani/Facebook

Owners of a popular winery in Victoria’s northwest have been forced to cancel weddings and bookings after the resort’s restaurant burned to the ground.

The conference centre and restaurant at the Warrenmang Winery and Resort in Moonambel were destroyed on Thursday night.

A Facebook post on the winery’s official page said the fire was believed to have been started by four guests having a barbecue.

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Warrenmang Winery has been razed by a fire. Picture: Twitter/Bridget Rollason

The vineyards, accommodation and other parts of the winery were not affected.

Peng Du, whose family owns the much-loved resort, said the business would continue to sell wine while work was done to assess the damage and rebuild. Staff are now contacting people who had planned weddings, birthdays and holidays at the winery to cancel all bookings “for the time being”. Some events had been booked as far ahead as September.

“The important thing is that no one was hurt,” Mr Du said. “We still need to look at what has happened … The ­urgent thing is that we make sure everything is safe.”

Former owner Athalie Bazzani — a hospitality pioneer in the region — paid an emotional tribute to the establishment she ran for 40 years in a post online.

“Luigi and I will always treasure so many years of amazing memories, starting with the building of our unique restaurant in the ­Pyrenees; furnished with Luigi’s distinctive hand crafted tables and sideboards, the fabulous wine dinners with our wonderful friends, local vignerons and guests, five-star wines and food cooked by great chefs and served with love by many, but especially including our family, Andreas, Alysia, Kevin and Linda,” she wrote.

“The restaurant may be gone but the memories will always be there and remembered with affection by so many. Very sad for the new owners who have lost this very special place.”

A popular winery and resort in Victoria’s north west has been destroyed by fire, devastating locals.

According to the winery’s website, the business was bought by the Du family at the end of 2017

A CFA spokesman said ­investigators were on the scene and believe the blaze started when a gas bottle used for a barbecue ignited.

The buildings were gutted by the fire, which was called in at 6.43pm and brought under control at 9.06pm.

The business was bought by the Du family at the end of 2017 and had recently ­reopened after eight months of renovations.

Stewart Mellington, part-owner and manager of the Moonambel Resort Hotel, said he spotted a “huge fire” at the winery.

Warrenmang Winery & Resort in Moonambel, VIC

He said the whole area was affected when a business slowed down for any reason.

“When something goes quiet here, it goes quiet for everyone,” he said.

“We were hoping they would get it up. We all sort of pull together around here.”