By Dominique Tassell
To celebrate 150 years of Stanthorpe, the Granite Belt Growers Association is hosting a Bubbles and Blossoms Soiree. And what a century and a half it’s been.
Local Peter Watters has long been involved in primary industry on the Granite Belt, and said there’s certainly lots that’s happened in the past 100 or so years.
“The early 1920s is when it really got going,“ he said.
While crops were planted in the late 1880s, Peter said production picked up pace in the 1920s and 1930s.
“There was a big burst in the 50s,” he said. “It’s been bigger still since then.“
When reflecting on some of the struggles growers have faced over our history, he said hail has certainly been one of the biggest problems.
“There’s always been ups and downs,“ he said.
“It’s a credit to the current growers that they’ve modernised to the extent they have and kept the industry going and growing.“
Peter said growers have reconstructed the way they plant and taken on new varieties and techniques.
Reflecting on the changes in the industry, Peter said he can remember people lined up
First with horse-drawn cart then in trucks waiting to load produce onto the train.
He said there was a time when export was a big thing.
“It all started with William Petzler,” he said. “He sent the first consignment to Covent Garden in 1912.”
“We exported a lot to England,“ he said.
Peter’s grandfather received eight shillings a box for export granny smiths in the early 30s.
A big change in the region, Peter said, was the loss of table grape production.
“There’s not a commercial table grape in the vineyards anymore,“ he said.
Peter said the Granite Belt used to have 3000 acres of table grapes, and produced a sixth of Australia’s table grapes.
When the Granite Belt produced table grapes we were on the same schedule as the rest of the country, meaning we had more competition.
“It was a major change,“ he said. “The demise of the table grape was a huge blow.“
“However, we’re now a very substantial wine grape production and producing very nice wines.”
The region has also taken on the opportunity to grow other things such as stone fruit.
Stone fruit is now produced on the western side of the district, including Pikedale and Ballandean.
The Granite Belt is now a “very substantial vegetable producing area“, Peter said.
“We’re very big in that area.“
He said growers in the region are producing semi-trailer loads of vegetables a day.
“That’s been the big difference,“ he said.
“We’ve been through periods where we measured in boxes, then pallets, and now in semi-trailers.“
While we’ve decreased in numbers of growers, Peter said, the output of the individual farmer is now so much higher that we’re producing more than ever before.
The Bubbles and Blossoms Soiree will be held on 22 October from 4pm to 7pm at Nicoletti Orchards, found at 61 Nicoletti Lane in Pozieres.
Tickets cost $25 and you can head to the Association’s Facebook to RSVP via QR code.
