THE AUSTRALIAN ARK – Federation to the Modern Era | 1900–1982
upper reaches of the Swan River would boast 4,000 acres of vines out of 6,208 acres in the state. The settlement schemes, which were initially set up during World War I, continued well into the late 1920s and beyond, but many of the returned soldiers proved to be inadequately skilled for life on the land, and the schemes largely proved to be a failure, both socially and agriculturally. Ultimately, Swan River Valley’s emerging viticulture industry would be fuelled by Slavic immigrants, mostly from Croatia’s Dalmatian coast. Initially, many of the properties were mixed farms growing table grapes, dried fruit, melons, citrus, and vegetables, and many of the landholders sold their products at the farm gate or on the side of the road to passing travellers. Some, including the Katich, Nuick, and Tolich families, began making wine and selling it cheaply, in bulk, using small kegs or glass demijohns. Others, including the Kosovich and Talijancich families, established vineyards and wineries that continue to thrive in the Swan Valley. The Duce family established distribution based on the railway network, with wine reportedly sent in 5-, 7-, or 10-gallon barrels from Boyanup to Yallingup. With so many Italians and Slavs in the area, there was a ready market for wine. Bbidecud Claret was sold (at 17 shillings a dozen in 1928) by mail order through local hotels and the goldfields. Those who bought wine in casks were encouraged to ship back the empties at no charge by delivering the barrels to their local train station. The Bdidecud vineyards thrived until the 1950s, when the vines succumbed to eelworm. The only solution was to pull the vines out or replant on resistant vinestock. Basil Duce reportedly said, ‘Well, you would have to be the Bank of England to do that’, and so the vineyard declined and was eventually grubbed up.
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