$500k for Corowa cooperage

The new cooperage will allow Barrel Brokers Australasia to build an insulated barrel workshop and storage sheds, servicing the Australian wine and spirit industries.  

Mr Clancy said the funding will also assist Barrel Brokers to purchase modern specialist equipment needed in the production and repair of oak barrels as well as provide work and training opportunities for young people looking to learn the trade.

“The growing wine and spirit industry has created a huge demand for oak barrels and this facility will manufacture a critical product for wineries and distilleries as well as specialist barrel repairs to keep the drinks flowing,” Mr Clancy said.

“Making barrels for wine and beer is a practice thousands of years old and is still as important today as it was previously, and this new cooperage will employ a number of apprentices to learn the trade and keep the art alive for another generation.”

Corowa Whisky and Chocolate Managing Director Dean Druce said the funding would not only help create 26 jobs in the region once complete but would also help amp up the production of Corowa Whisky on site. 

“We are very much a boutique distillery here and we now have the opportunity to grow production for not only ourselves but also the surrounding wineries and distilleries if they choose to do business with us,” Mr Druce said.

“There is a huge demand for barrels in Australia. Currently there are only 35 qualified coopers in Australia and 96 per cent of barrels being commercially produced in the Barossa Valley. 

“This has an adverse effect on the 480 distilleries in Australia all wanting barrels but can only get leftovers from the wine industry.”

Mr Druce revealed that one of the world’s finest master coopers John Carberry would be heading down under with his family from Scotland to front the exciting new enterprise, pending visa approvals.

Mr Carberry has worked for Diageo’s Cambus Cooperage in Scotland for over three decades making the barrels that hold Scotch. Diageo’s is the world’s largest producer of spirits, owns Scotch brands, including Johnnie Walker and Buchanan’s.

“John is one of the best in the world. At one stage he was training 20 apprentices directly under him. He has consulted all around the world and even put on coopering shows for the Queen and other royalty,” he said.

“We are hoping to get John here as soon as possible and eventually he will be bringing other coopers with him.”

With a development application submitted to Federation Council, cooperage will hopefully be up and running by mid-next year.

Once fully operational, around 5000 barrels are expected be produced within the first 12 months using local apprentices, local trades, and bringing people to town.

Federation Council General Manager Adrian Butler congratulated managing director Dean Druce and other key stakeholders on their innovation in respect of the exciting new cooperage funding for Corowa. 

“This funding announcement is great news for the business and for our region,” Mr Butler said.

“It will provide new employment opportunities for our local community and bring new people to town. The established businesses at the facility are already tourist icons for our region and I’m sure this will only further our town’s global footprint in the whisky industry.”

The funding is part of the Regional Job Creation Fund. Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said the $130 million Regional Job Creation Fund aims to create more than 6,500 new direct jobs in regional NSW by providing incentives to expand and keep operations in regional areas.

“Regional NSW is the engine room of the state and supporting companies like Barrel Brokers to establish its operations in Corowa will stimulate the local and regional economy, boost livelihoods and increase employment opportunities,” Mr Toole said.

“Setting businesses up for success helps the local community grow and new jobs mean more people earning a wage and spending their pay packets in local stores, cafés, restaurants and on local goods and services.”