Wine Australia and Vinehealth Australia are co-investing to modernise South Australia’s Vinehealth Vineyard Register and align it with the National Vineyard Register – a project announced in February following several difficult years for the Australian grape and wine sector.
Vinehealth Australia is funded by South Australian vineyard owner levies and manages the state's vineyard register. Vineyard owners with 0.5 hectares or more are required to keep their details up to date on the register, which helps support biosecurity preparedness, surveillance, emergency response and recovery.
This project will represent the third major iteration of the South Australian Vinehealth Vineyard Register since the early 1900s. Wine Australia is supporting the upgrade through the Research and Innovation Fund, part of the recently launched Australian Wine Future Fund, at no additional cost to Vinehealth and Wine Australia levy payers.
Vinehealth Australia CEO, Dr Samantha Scarratt, said the investment would ensure the South Australian Vineyard Register remains a secure, modern and effective tool for protecting the state’s vineyards from phylloxera and other exotic biosecurity threats.
“This funding enables us to modernise one of South Australia's most important biosecurity tools while ensuring there is no additional financial burden on growers,” said Scarratt.
“The South Australian Vinehealth Vineyard Register plays a critical role in helping protect our vineyards from pests and diseases. In the event of a biosecurity incursion, having access to accurate and up-to-date information is essential for a rapid and effective response. The upgrade will improve security, functionality and data management while providing a stronger platform to support the future needs of South Australia's grape and wine sector.”
Managed by Wine Australia, the National Vineyard Register development is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry through the Grape and Wine Sector Long Term Viability Support Package.
The need for better data was identified as a key priority in 2024’s One Grape & Wine Sector Plan, and with Wine Australia’s National Vintage Report showing Australia’s 2026 winegrape crush was the smallest since 2000, it is clear the Register will support informed better decision making by wine businesses in the context of a persistent oversupply.
Wine Australia CEO, Dr Martin Cole, said the National Vineyard Register was identified by the industry as an urgent priority to improve insights and support better decision-making aligning winegrape supply with demand.
“The National Vineyard Register won’t be a silver bullet for the challenges facing the sector, but it is an important part of building a stronger, more informed and sustainable grape and wine industry,”said Cole.
“When complete, the National Vineyard Register will provide a secure, industry-only digital register of winegrape vineyard plantings across the country and the changes over time.
“We’ve worked closely with industry throughout its development, and one of the clear messages has been that growers don’t want duplication. By partnering with Vinehealth Australia we can incorporate South Australian data into the National Vineyard Register while also upgrading a critical biosecurity resource. Most importantly, South Australian growers won’t have to enter the same information twice,” he said.
The upgrade of Vinehealth Australia’s South Australian Vineyard Register is expected to commence in 2026, with staged implementation over the coming years. The National Vineyard Register will be built by the end of 2026, with further information on development available at wineaustralia.com.
