Michelini family purchase North East Victorian vineyard, locals snap up Three Creeks Farming

A premier King Valley vineyard will stay in Australian hands after it was sold in short time to a renowned local family.

Michelini Wines directors Ilario Michelini, Dino Michelini alongside Kane Michelini and Matt Treloar at their Buckland Valley vineyard near Porepunkah. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

A prominent North East Victorian family has secured a premier King Valley vineyard, adding it to their expanding family-owned winery enterprise.

The Michelini family bought the 263ha Acacia Park vineyard, acquiring it from the Murtagh brothers, who had owned the property since 1947.

The Michelini family reached North East Victoria in 1970. After initially growing tobacco, the family planted their first vines in 1983, making use of the King Valley climate to grow cool climate Italian varietal grapes.

Kane Michelini said the family’s purchase of Acacia Park would allow them to expand their enterprise, which includes their Buckland Valley vineyard, cellar door, Michelini Viticulture harvesting and pruning contracting and their own label production.

“The price was pretty much right, especially when you consider the cost of buying land and then establishing a vineyard from nothing,” he said.

Michelini Wines is a family affair thanks to Jade Treloar, Matt Treloar, Megan Luke, Kane Michelini, young Nash Treloar, Min Michelini, Laila Treloar and directors Dino Michelini and his brother Ilario Michelini. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

“It is really exciting for the family and for the next generation.”

When the property hit the market earlier this year, a $7 million-plus price guide was offered for a walk-in walk-out deal. It is understood the sale price was in excess of this figure.

Garry Nash and Co real estate director Garry Nash handled the sale and said there was interest in the property from local, interstate and overseas parties.

Acacia Park was home to Murtagh Brothers Vineyards, prior to the sale, with vendors Pat and Ronda Murtagh taking the reins in the mid-1980s.

Before it became a vineyard Pat Murtagh’s father had ran the farm as a dairy farm, later moving into sheep, then cropping, particularly with broom millet, linseed and tobacco.

While yields can vary significantly, the vineyard has the capacity to produce 1500-1800 tonnes across the 99ha planted vineyards.

Alan and Melissa Chappell have sold their Three Creeks Farming portfolio at Brimin.

A 143ML surface water diversion licence from Goulburn-Murray Water was also attached to the property.

Meanwhile, an hour north of the King Valley, two local farming families have each purchased a slice of Alan and Melissa Chappell’s Three Creeks Farming portfolio at Brimin.

Comprising 296ha of mixed farmland held in four separate lots, one private family purchased one lot, while the other private family purchased the other three lots.

Alan and Melissa Chappell bought the first parcel of their current holding six years

ago, subsequently adding the additional blocks.

A price guide of $8 million was offered for the portfolio when it hit the market late last year.

The property had predominantly been used for lucerne hay production for Thoroughbred horses, while also carrying up to 1000 crossbred ewes and cropping 46ha of canola and wheat.

The pair of sales come after tightly held family table grape farm near Mildura was sold to a Chinese buyer in a deal worth millions recently.