On the Brief-Case: Rocky three free

By Murray Silby

Feb 16, 2023

**End of the line:** Rocky Varapodio with his wife, Carolyn, son Joe and workers during his farewell.

It’s not just a retirement, but also the end of the family line, now that the head of the Varapodio fruit growing family, Rocky Varapodio, has retired.

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As our good friend at Country News Geoff Adams reported during the week, Mr Varapodio’s retirement ends three generations of family involvement in the Ardmona-based business.

The Varapodio family business merged with three other horticulture businesses about 18 months ago to create Pomona Valley, funded by a Canadian superannuation fund.

The four businesses included Oakmoor Orchards, run by Rocky Varapodio, Turnbull Brothers Orchards, run by Chris and Alex Turnbull, Chatswood Farm, run by Peter and Shane Hall, and Pickworth Orchards, run by Stuart Pickworth.

Mr Varapodio’s departure does feel a lot like a wave farewell from the multi-generational family farming model, as the larger corporations continue their growth in the horticultural landscape.

**Market impact:** Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell says poor road conditions are impacting local commerce.

Birrell welcomes roads funding, but says more cash needed to recover from the splash

You would have to drive a Landspeeder (Star Wars reference) to be unaware that our roads have some surface integrity issues (potholes).

Although progress is being made, we are all aware of the chicane-like conditions on some roads forcing drivers, on occasion, to choose between going around the hole and risk a crash, or go through it and risk an almighty test of their vehicle’s suspension.

Five north-east councils — Campaspe, Greater Shepparton, Mitchell, Moira and Strathbogie — are now to receive almost $10 million to fill those holes in, but Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell says more such federal funding is needed.

He says business and commerce, as well as safety, are being compromised.

“It’s safety, it’s commerce, it’s getting to do what we’ve always done, which is to get our produce to market in as best a condition as we can,” he said.

“For all of those reasons, we need a lot more money, and because of the floods and the wet weather last year, we need a lot more spent on the roads than we normally would.”

**Toast:** James Halliday and Alister Purbrick, of Tahbilk, toast the James Halliday Cellar.

Cheers to that

Wine critics are not always considered good for business, but perhaps they are if your product is sound.

Well, Victoria’s oldest family-owned winery and vineyard, Tahbilk, on the banks of the Goulburn River near Nagambie, thinks James Halliday is.

Tahbilk named Mr Halliday as a new member of its estate ‘family’, honoured with a cellar on the historic site.

It says the James Halliday Cellar pays homage to one of the most esteemed wine writers in the world.

Mr Halliday has written and co-authored more than 40 books and is the creator of the Halliday Wine Companion and its associated rating system, which has become Australia’s most comprehensive wine resource.

Tahbilk board member, and member of the Purbrick family, which owns Tahbilk, Alister Purbrick said the honour was a token of gratitude for Mr Halliday’s support of the wine industry and Tahbilk specifically.

“In keeping with our estate tradition, we believe that naming a cellar for James provides lasting recognition of his enormous contribution to the wine landscape in Australia and beyond,” he said.