‘What the hell am I doing?’ The moment that ended 93-year Qld wine Ballandean Estate dynasty

He’s known as the father of Queensland wine but Angelo Puglisi has revealed the moment he knew it was time to sell the state’s oldest family winery.

Angelo Puglisi would wake up each morning full of aches and pains and think ‘what the hell am I doing here?’

That was the moment he realised he’d heartbreakingly have to sell his family winery – ending a 93-year Queensland business dynasty.

With no successors from the next generation planning to take over - Queensland’s oldest family-run winery - the Granite Belt’s Ballandean Estate Wines - was put up for sale.

“It’s time for us to retire and hand the reins over to somebody else if we want to enjoy a little bit of life as we get older, without the worries of looking after a vineyard, winery, sales and all that sort of thing,” said Mr Puglisi, widely known as the ‘Father of Queensland wine’.

“Why not leave when the Queensland wine industry is on top of the wave rather than when you’re on the bottom?”

Mary and Angelo Puglisi have built their beloved Ballandean Estate Wines, winning dozens of industry awards since opening the cellar door in 1972.

The 190-acre property, located 25km south of Stanthorpe, was named Queensland’s winery of the year in 2024 and is now on the market for $8m.

The 82-year-old winemaker and his wife Mary, partners for 57 years, have weathered decades of financial hardship, unpredictable weather, and countless agricultural challenges to build their wine empire.

Salvatore and Josephine’s Ballandean farm, acquired in 1930, thrived with stone fruit, vegetables, and table grapes, producing wine for Queensland’s European community.

The family’s remarkable journey began in 1930 when Mr Puglisi’s grandfather Salvatore Cardillo and his daughter Josephine purchased the Ballandean farm during the Great Depression after migrating from Sicily in Italy.

They survived by “living on rabbits and all the veggies they could grow” during those “very tough” times.

Their struggles intensified during World War II when Josephine negotiated with the Australian Army, which sought to detain her Italian family in internment camps, instead securing a deal to supply the military with their crops.

Angelo Puglisi with his 50 year old Shiraz vines. Photo: Des Houghton

The turning point came in 1968 when Angelo - Josephine’s son - and Mary took over the farm.

They replanted vineyards in 1969, transitioning from table grapes to dedicated wine varieties like Shiraz and cabernet – among the first wine grapes planted in the Granite Belt.

Mr Puglisi then demonstrated remarkable foresight and travelled overseas in 1977 on a Churchill Fellowship to study wine tourism.

Upon returning, he and Mary pioneered the concept in Queensland, welcoming busloads of visitors for meals and wine tastings.

Angelo and Mary Puglisi’s vision in 1968 transformed their family farm into one of the Granite Belt’s pioneering wine grape vineyards, laying the foundation for a thriving multi-million-dollar industry.

The couple persevered through brutal financial challenges in the late 1970s and 1980s, when interest rates soared to 17-18 per cent for loans.

They drove a 14-year-old Holden Kingswood while their employees drove new cars.

“We have been hit by hail, frost, and all sorts of things out on the farm,” Mr Puglisi said.

“The animals like kangaroos, foxes, flying foxes, birds – they hate us farmers because they want to eat the crops that we grow. But we’re still here.”

Mr Puglisi said he’s been considering selling for the past couple of years. Photo: Adam Head

Mr Puglisi said he has been contemplating selling Ballandean Estate in recent years.

“It’s only been the last two or three years since I have thought about selling,” he said.

“Last two, three years, as I’m getting older and more full of aches and pains, I keep thinking about ‘what the hell am I doing here?’.”

Mr Puglisi’s daughter Robyn Puglisi Henderson, who is also the estate manager, said there were no obvious successors in the next generation to take over the family business.

“Our children are on their own paths,” she said.

“Now that mum and dad have stepped back from the business, generation four is also considering transition to retirement and the chance to explore other interests outside of the family business.”

As for what kind of buyer he hopes will take over, Mr Puglisi would prefer someone from Queensland or elsewhere in Australia rather than an overseas buyer.

Most importantly, he hopes for someone who will honour the estate’s legacy.

“I hope whoever takes it on keeps my dream alive and keeps my family values alive,” he said.

“As a family, we have been working with honesty and integrity, and we don’t want to have somebody who’s going to ruin it after they buy it.”

In retirement, the couple looks forward to travel, spending more time with their grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and fishing around the lake.

However, Mr Puglisi plans to continue living in the Granite Belt.

“This is my home, and this is where I’ll stay,” he said.

“The Granite Belt is where I was born. The Granite Belt, I hope, is where I’ll die.”

Originally published as ‘What the hell am I doing?’ The moment that ended 93-year Qld wine Ballandean Estate dynasty