Unavale Vineyard
Cassie and Barry Kooij became the custodians of Unavale Vineyard on Flinders Island in 2021 after taking on leasehold arrangements from owners Roger and Bev Watson. The 3ha site is located at Lady Barron in the south of the island and was first planted in 1999.
Around 1ha is devoted to Pinot Noir. Four other blocks – each 0.5ha in area – hold Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc.
With 25 vintages of career winemaking behind him, Barry Kooij knew the site's maritime climate and abundant wildlife would provide plenty of challenges, even for a hardy professional like himself.
Unavale lies close to the lower slopes of Mount Strzelecki, where the oldest rocks on Flinders Island can be found. The 420-million-year-old Mathinna sands form the bedrock of the vineyard site, with intrusions of 200-million-year-old Jurassic dolerite.
Soils are shallow to moderate depth, with coarse-textured sands and loams that are slightly acidic. Poor fertility and low organic matter provide significant challenges to vine nutrition and overall site management.
The couple have been working hard to improve vine health and remediate significant challenges posed in the vineyard. Much of 2022 was spent re-working Unavale's Chardonnay 20-year-old plantings. Re-invigorated vine architecture is now paying dividends.
Strong winds and drizzly weather during late October and November in particular can result in poor flowering and fruit-set. However, the warm site is capable of producing modest yields of very high quality fruit and wines. Slow-moving easterly weather systems that bring unwelcome gloom and rain in mid-summer can make harvest dates something of a moving feast as the season draws to a close.
Fruit is hand-picked and hand-selected by a tiny workforce of mostly family and friends.
An on-site cellar door features local/regional artisan produce. Open 7 days. See website for details.
Accommodation on the island is very limited but travellers skilled in long-term planning invariably enjoy their stay in this close-knit island community. Refer to the Unavale website for details of local events.
Unavale Vineyard is rate 4.9 Excellent by users of Tripadvisor, among the the world's most trusted sources for travel experiences.
"Flinders Island...a wild, windswept place where the mountains meet the sea... an authentic frontier that offers the ultimate escape from the modern world."
Lonely Planet
Key details:
- Roger and Bev Watson: vineyard founders/owners
- Barry Kooij: leaseholder and viticulturist/winemaker
- Cassie Kooij: leaseholder and viticulturist/assistant winemaker
Vineyard/cellar door address:
8 Badger Corner Rd, Lady Barron TAS 7255
Telephone:
- Cassie Kooij: 0407 939 283
- Barry Kooij: 0438 031 115
Email:
info@unavalevineyard.com.au
Website:
www.unavale.com.au
Tasmanian viticulture takes place within a diverse mix of soil types and microclimates.
Climate data* for vineyards in the North East, Tamar Valley, the East Coast and Coal River Valley place Flinders Island among the warmest wine-growing areas in Tasmania.
Handpicked Baxters Road (North East; MJT 18.3°C; 1247 GDD). Evenfall (Tamar; MJT 18.4°C; 1230 GDD); Sterling Heights (East Coast; MJT 18.3°C; 1267 GDD) and Strelley Farm Estate (Coal River Valley; MJT 18.0°C; 1189 GDD) are believed to be the warmest sites in their respective wine-growing areas.
Flinders Island's exposure to salt-laden winds with high to very high average wind speeds across the growing season significantly impede vine development, increasing hang time and contributing to naturally low vine yields.
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 Badger Corner Rd, 1995-2024:
- Total annual average rainfall: 754mm
- Growing season average rainfall (Oct 1-Apr 30): 378mm
- Average autumn rainfall: 178mm
- Mean January temperature: 18.4°C
- Growing degree-days: 1354 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: 3 days
*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: January 2026