Southcorp Wines copped a $118,000 fine in the Environment, Resources and Development Court after admitting it had spilt 8,500 kilolitres of effluent from its Nurioopta winery into the North Para River in the environmentally sensitive Barossa Valley. The spill was related to a black bloom that killed hundreds of fish and clogged the river. The company failed to report the spill to the EPA, saying that it was not until after a series of tests that it could be determined exactly which of several companies was responsible. This incident highlights the extreme sensitivity of the Barossa and should be noted by all involved in building Barossa Valley Estate’s controversial winery at Marananga.
