Harvey Vin
Horses jousting in medieval manner. Young bikers on a flow trail. Rocking DJs and pumping music. Life has certainly changed on the old Overtime Vineyard since Emilie and Ben Flemming took over in July 2021. Vineyard founder Nick Anderson would be impressed by all that's now on offer on his humble patch of 750 vines.
Sadly, the former Apsley Gorge Vineyard manager died back in December 2014. His devil-may-care spirit surely lives on in this tiny Bicheno development, now re-badged and operating under the name of Harvey Vin.
Anderson is one of the unsung heroes of cool climate viticulture on Tasmania's sunny East Coast. The knock-about local fronted up to AGV back in 1989 to do a couple of weeks of fencing for then-owners Brian Franklin and fellow abalone diver Greg Walch. He ended up staying a couple of decades.
Despite his lack of vineyard experience and industry knowledge, Anderson loved every minute of his time out in the bush. More importantly, he gave an ambitious hobby project a more secure and professional grounding, blazing a trail for what became the renowned Apsley Gorge Vineyard we know today.
Anderson's own hobby vineyard was Overtime by name and overtime by nature.
Somehow, Anderson also found time to create a house and a home for wife Pauline and their two sons Nicolas and Jacob. Jacob later went on to undertake TAFE viticulture courses before enjoying a stint in the Royal Australian Navy and returning home to this coast with the most.
Nick's passing a decade ago was sorely felt by his family but Pauline and Jacob continued on with Anderson's legacy until it came time to sell up in 2021.
Harvey Vin's east-facing site looks out over the vastness of the Tasman Sea. The vineyard's 15-year-old vines lie among a mix of weathered dolerite and sandstone, giving way to well-drained sandy loams and alluvial gravels at lower levels.
Bicheno's maritime climate is characterised by mild days, cool nights and gentle sea breezes. Almost ideal conditions for long, flavour-packed growing seasons. Average annual rainfall is a little higher here than further south – close to 650mm – but drip irrigation is still necessary for successful cool-climate viticulture.
The Anderson family's first vintage was a small volume of 2013 Overtime Vineyard Pinot Noir. Today, Harvey Vin offers a range of playfully packaged still and sparkling wines. Early releases were made by Luke Monks, a 2021 national finalist in the celebrated annual Young Gun of Wine awards.
Winemaking since 2024 has come by way of a casual working relationship with the Williams family at nearby MacLean Bay Wines, just outside Bicheno.
Weddings, parties, anything... These are today's stock-in-trade at Harvey Vin. The welcome is warm and genuine. The vineyard views are breath-taking. Big kids and little kids have their own run of the place.
What's not to like?
Key details:
- Ben Flemming: owner/operator
- Emilie Flemming: owner/operator
- Scott Williams: contract winemaker, MacLean Bay Wines
Vineyard/cellar door address:
40 Harveys Farm Road, Bicheno TAS 7215
Refer to website and social media for details of opening hours and events
Telephone:
+61 (0) 434 990 964
Email:
info@harveyvin.com.au
Website:
www.harveyvin.com.au
Tasmanian viticulture takes place within a diverse mix of soil types and microclimates.
Climate data* for sites on the East Coast highlight the wide range of growing conditions here. Consider: Saltwater River Wines (MJT 16.0°C; 859 GDD) and Sterling Heights (MJT 18.3°C; 1267 GDD).
Vineyard sites on the Australian mainland are far warmer than those in Tasmania.
South Australia's Piccadilly Valley* (MJT 20.4°C; 1730 GDD) and Macedon Ranges* (MJT 19.9°C; 1365 GDD) in Victoria are regarded as the coolest GIs in their respective states.
Climate data* for Harveys Farm Road, Bicheno 1995-2024:
- Total annual average rainfall: 731mm
- Growing season average rainfall (Oct 1-Apr 30): 460mm
- Average autumn rainfall: 173mm
- Mean January temperature: 17.4°C
- Growing degree-days: 1134 GDD
- Average no of hot days (35°C or more) per year: 0
- Average no of cold days (minimum 4°C or less) Sept 1-April 30: 11
*Source: My Climate View, utilising past data from the Bureau of Meteorology and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. Funded by the Australian Government.
Last page update: February 2026