The vineyards of Gundagai are planted on undulating rural countryside amidst grain cropping, sheep and cattle grazing lands. They are fed from Snowy Mountain creeks and the winding Murrumbidgee River that flows through to Riverina. The region makes medium to full bodied reds from shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and more recently tempranillo. White wines include semillon, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc.
The district is situated between Canberra and Wagga Wagga, almost 400km south west of Sydney. Historic Gundagai, Tumut and Cootamundra are the region’s main townships. Early vineyards were instituted in Gundagai by the McWilliams family in the 1870s. Modern commercial viticulture was revived on the back of a planting boom in the 1990s to establish the new wine region. The district now comprises over 570 ha under vine. The inland region has a very warm, temperate climate with elevations of 200-300 metres. A small pocket in the region’s south east experiences cooler temperatures close to the Australian Alps. The main soil types consist of alluvial river floodplains and red volcanic podsols.
The classic country town of Gundagai was a popular meeting place for swagmen, drovers and shearers in the 19th century. It has been immortalised in the stories, poetry and song of Australian bush folklore. ‘Along the Road to Gundagai’ and ‘Where the Dog Sits on the Tuckerbox’ are famous examples.
