The federal government is backing the development of a National Vineyard Register – a major Wine Australia project that aims to support a more sustainable future for Australia’s wine and grape industry.
Funded through the government’s Grape and Wine Sector Long-term Viability Support Package, the National Vineyard Register is a key initiative being delivered to strengthen long-term planning and decision-making across the sector. The federal government granted $3.5 million of funding to Wine Australia in 2024 to roll out the Grape and Wine Sector Long-term Viability Support Package, and another $1.1 million in July 2025 to extend it.
Wine Australia has engaged Map of Ag Australia to undertake the design and build of the National Vineyard Register’s digital platform, which will include input from industry, and is expected to be operational by the end of 2026.
The Register will provide detailed information on Australia’s vineyard plantings and varietal composition across the country, creating a national source of data for industry and enabling growers and wine makers to better understand what vines are in the ground and where.
This improved visibility aims to support more informed decision-making over time, and help better balance supply and demand across the wine sector.
Wine Australia CEO, Dr Martin Cole, said the National Vineyard Register is an important platform that will provide meaningful insights for growers and the sector at a really critical time.
“The need for better data on which varieties are grown by region was identified as a key priority under the One Grape & Wine Sector Plan to help inform better decision making by wine businesses in the context of a persistent oversupply,” said Cole.
“The National Vineyard Register has an ambitious timeline and the building of the digital platform is a vital component of the project.”
The Register delivers one of the key recommendations of the Viticulture and Wine Sector Working Group, established by Australia’s agriculture ministers in 2024 to address the national red wine oversupply and other challenges impacting the long-term viability of the wine and grape sector.
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Julie Collins, said the federal government is continuing to back Australia’s world-class wine industry.
“Australia has the best wine grapes, grape growers and wine makers in the world,” said Collins.
“We know recent years have been challenging, that’s why our government is investing in practical, long-term solutions to support the sector’s future. The National Vineyard Register will deliver data-driven insights to give industry the tools and information to support a resilient and sustainable grape and wine sector.”
The industry has been recognised for its critical role in the Australian economy over the past year, with the federal government making a commitment in December 2025 to introduce a new mandatory code of conduct in January 2027 for wine-grape purchases, in response to Dr Craig Emerson’s report on regulatory options for the sector.
The government also funded a $30 million extension of the Wine Tourism and Cellar Door Grant Program for another three years at the end of 2025, and Wine Australia recently announced new funding pathways for industry coming from a Research & Innovation Fund, and a Venture Investments Portfolio. Australian Grape and Wine was selected to be a member group of Austrade’s new Trade Diversification Network (TDN), working with government and industry to support export opportunities for the sector under the $50 million Accessing New Markets Initiative.
Head to wineaustralia.com for further information about the National Vineyard Register project development.
