New centre team effort
It's not often you see Steve Devereaux sitting still these days, let alone sitting still long enough for a photograph to be taken. Time has become a precious commodity since the ex-teacher and former manager of Relbia's Old Stornoway Vineyard stepped into the full-time role of special projects manager at Moorilla Estate about a year ago.
Besides, he says, he doesn't do photos. He'd rather be getting on with his job behind the scenes than be sitting around talking about it.
Construction and fit-out of Moorilla's new $5 million restaurant and function centre has been a genuine team effort. Devereaux says he can't claim much credit on his own.
"My role has been to listen to the advice of the experts and try to carry things through," he explains.
Still, you have to give some recognition to the bloke who's been commuting between Launceston and Hobart these past 14 months. It's been a challenging time. You don't need to venture far on to the Berriedale property to see that there's been a lot happening here during the project's planning and implementation.
Work started in earnest at the end of vintage 2004 with the demolition of Moorilla's existing cellar door, toilets and wine store.
Next came the laying of foundations and the creation of a two-storey complex housing contemporary art spaces; a new function room catering for 300 guests; a separate 80-seat restaurant with an adjacent café bar, new tasting and conference rooms; a state-of-the-art micro-brewery, and separate kitchens on two levels.
A mind-boggling 32km of electrical cabling underpins the facility's hi-tech sound and lighting equipment. Existing roads were widened and re-sealed and new ones were created; all catering for increased vehicular traffic and expanded car parking facilities.
A dozen rows of Pinot Noir vines were removed from the old Alcorso vineyard to allow the construction of a new stage and a large seating area for the outdoor concerts being planned for the site.
Beyond the current phase of fitting-out the centre, there's more construction to come. It includes pedestrian paths and a reflections pool; an amenities block; a machinery shed; four luxury five-star riverbank chalets.
The latter will complement existing one and two-bedroom chalet units already perched at the edge of dramatic cliffs overlooking the Derwent. Generous in space, light and elegance, each one boasts a display of authentic ancient artefacts from the nearby Moorilla Museum of Antiquities. They are equipped with almost every creature comfort a vineyard guest could require. Very chic. World-class.
Elsewhere, a small Burgundy-styled clos (walled vineyard) is also set to be constructed to showcase Moorilla's new plantings of clone 777 Pinot Noir.
Deadlines should see much of the work completed by year's end. There should be little interruption to Moorilla's day-to-day winery operations and ongoing function, accommodation and Museum of Antiquities patronage.
The latter in itself is a triumph and serves as a portent of the quality of build yet to come on the site. The former dwelling in Alcorso's day was modelled on the floor plan of a Roman villa. Floor-to-ceiling windows allowed dramatic views of the nearby River Derwent. Now a glass roof covers its original atrium courtyard, protecting the museum's fabulous store of antiquities. That aside, project architects made few other changes to the heritage-listed property.
Devereaux admits there have been plenty of logistical problems to overcome during the most recent phase of development. But there's been nothing that he and his project team couldn't manage together.
"The professionalism, cooperation and quality of workmanship shown by the individuals and companies involved here have been fantastic," he says.
"We've had 60 to 70 tradespeople on the site, and they've been real people with real faces and real commitment to getting the job done. We've had kitchen equipment arrive when we had plasterers finishing. We've had our car parks full of trucks delivering furniture and bottle-washers and floor tiles.
"We've had our sparkies and air conditioning specialists on the job in some cases until 4.30 in the morning. The work ethics of all those involved has been just amazing. It shows that not only did we have the foresight and expertise to plan for such a project, we also had a team with the commitment to carry it out."
First published 20 April 2005: The Examiner