Historic vineyard site

The first vines at Grasshopper Rock were most likely planted before 1870 making them some of the first vines planted in Central Otago. Those vines are now long gone however in 2003 vines were replanted making this one of the oldest vineyard sites in Central Otago to still be growing grapes. Here we explore the 150 year history of the site.

Prior to the discovery of gold in 1862, the land was part of the very large Earnscleugh Station then held by runholders, Strode and Fraser. The Dunstan, as the area is known, was a windblown and barren pastoral landscape when the early gold miners arrived. There were no bridges across the mighty Molyneux River (now renamed Clutha) and many lives were lost crossing the river.

The gold rush quickly changed the landscape. The easy gold was won by panning and sluicing in the river and stream beds. The gold rushes were on the Molyneux and its various beaches and tributaries such as the Earnscleugh River (renamed Fraser River). Conroys and Butchers Creek were some of the most famous local gold bearing creeks. "Two Germans, a few days ago, brought into the township fifty pounds weight of the precious metal obtained from one of the above places."

Early entrepreneurs wanted to take the water away from the creeks to supply gold rich gravels where there was little or no water. This created tensions between those who wanted to use the water for their claims in the creek beds and those who wanted to take the water away in water races to where they could charge for it. The early history of the Grasshopper Rock land is with those who owned the water races.

The land now owned by Grasshopper Rock was first occupied by Edmund Wellington Jones, otherwise known was David Jones. Jones was one of the very first miners to settle at Manuherikia Junction (Alexandra) and became a proprietor of a very large proportion of all the water races in the Manuherikia district. He also embarked in farming on the west bank of the Molyneux on land later known as Como Villa and now largely owned by Grasshopper Rock. In 1868, Jones was "overtaken with sudden death, from disease of the heart".

Thomas Oliver then acquired Jones' water race interests and took over the property. Oliver invested a considerable amount of time and money in developing the property and is probably the person responsible for the early planting of the orchard, vineyard and ornamental trees and developing a lake. He named the property Como Villa.

It was the mid 1860s (probably 1866) when Jean Desire Feraud returned to Monte Cristo, Clyde, from Australia with a collection of grape vines to establish his vineyard and the first winery in Central Otago. Possibly, Oliver sourced vines from Feraud but we do not know this. Regardless, the timing indicates the vines at Como Villa were some of the earliest in the area. The vines were obviously well established by 1875 when the Tuapeka Times reported :"The grapes grown at Como Villa, Alexandra, this season stamp that locality as one eminently adapted for the growth of the vine". This suggests the vines must have been planted at least four to six years earlier, say 1869 to 1871, to have been this so productive by 1875.

Thomas Oliver sold the property in 1874 having purchased the Sussex Hotel, George Street, Dunedin. Later newspaper reports suggest he retained a number of his water race interests despite selling some in 1874.

After Oliver, the property was then acquired by Mr Joseph Roberts. Roberts continued here as an orchardist for at least 30 years before selling up and heading home to Wales. Unfortunately he died in 1909 on his way home to his native Wales, "the Old Country", and only reached Melbourne. He was about 76 years of age.

After Roberts, the property remained in fruit trees but eventually the land was subdivided and with the decline in viability of small scale orchards, the trees eventually disappeared and the property reverted to pastoral farming.

The revival of vines started in 1981 when Black Ridge was planted by the Burgess' at the mouth of Conroys Gully about 1500 metres west of where Grasshopper Rock's vines are now planted.

Without the water races, originally constructed for gold mining and now used for irrigation, the orchards and vines would not thrive here. The dry and hot conditions mean the area is in water deficit for most of the year and irrigation is essential for vines as well as for frost protection.

It is not clear if the water race which now supplies the vineyard was built by Roberts around 1879 or earlier by others in the 1860s. A notice in the Gazette in 1879 suggests it was Roberts: "Notice by Joseph Roberts of intention to construct water race from point in Conroys Gully, near R. Dawson's homestead, to Como Villa, Poverty Beach, west bank of Molyneux"

We are indebted to the local pioneers who came in search of gold, built the water races and established the first vines and stone fruit orchards. Without them we would not have had the confidence to re-establish vines here in 2003.