Pomonal Estate owner Pep Atchison on running a winery in the Grampians

Pomonal Estate owner Pep Atchison spoke with ACM about the difficulties of running a winery in the Grampians.

Transcript

00:00Welcome to Pomona, a charming village nestled in the foothills of the Grampians.

00:04Known for its stunning landscapes and vibrant wildlife,

00:07it's also home to Pomona Estate, an up-and-coming winery owned by Pep and Adam Atchison.

00:13Known for its Shiraz, Rose and Riesling, Pomona Estate has grown a reputation.

00:18However, it has not been immune from staffing issues that plague many Grampians businesses.

00:23What has been the hardest part about being an owner of a winery?

00:30Stress of staff, that's for sure, especially at the moment with COVID,

00:36gastro, flu and everything else going around, probably another challenge is the environment.

00:44In 2003, Pomona faced a devastating bushfire that swept through the region,

00:48threatening homes and wildlife. Thanks to the brave efforts of firefighters

00:52and the local community, the fire was contained, but the impact on the land

00:56and environment was significant, with 45 homes lost.

01:00Yeah, it's been a challenge, and Adam and I like a challenge, so we're lucky we're still here.

01:05We've actually even grown further since COVID. Visitation has just gone crazy, actually,

01:11so it's been a good thing, but then a bit of a bad thing with more staff-wise.

01:18So, but yeah, you know, we enjoy it. This is what we love doing.

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