By Derek Schlennstedt
IT’S two in a row for Yarra Valley Estate who won the Small and Medium Enterprises category at this year’s Premiers Sustainability Awards.
Yarra Valley Estate won the small and medium enterprises category for the programs they have in place that drive sustainability across all their operations.
It’s the first time that the award has been won in two consecutive years by the same company. Focused on reducing their carbon footprint, Yarra Valley Estate has utilised a range of carbon reducing techniques, and is aiming to be fully environmentally restorative within 12-24 months.
Since winning last year, Yarra Valley Estate has implemented a garden which allows them to grow and use their own produce.
Aptly named the edible forest garden, everything on the one acre plot of land is edible and is used in the kitchen.
Katrina Reynolds, general manager at Yarra Valley Estate says that the increased size of the edible forest garden lets them grow a variety of different fruits and vegetables.
“There are different little sections; there’s a tea section, berry, water section and Australian bush native section,” Katrina said.
“All these different sections have their little stories, so you can wander around the paths which weave through the garden and finish at a beautiful waterfall and pond.”
Growing their own vegetables, completely water independent, and sourcing produce and staff locally, the 120-acre rural property is nearly completely self-sufficient and takes a holistic approach to natural habitat and wildlife protection.
“We’re just trying to reduce the impact on the environment, we always try to minimise our use of electricity and water, and not use chemicals as much as we can.”
Already completely carbon neutral, Yarra Valley estate is hoping to reduce waste completely and reach their goal of producing zero landfill waste.
They are well on their way to reaching this target and in the past year have reduced wastage from a 3 cubic metre bin emptied once a week to a 1.5 cubic metre bin that is emptied once every month.
“It’s a massive improvement, and we do a lot of waste separation, our guests that we have also know how to do waste separation, so everything either goes into composting for the chickens or into the worm farm,”
Yarra Valley Estate are close to reaching their goals of being fully environmentally restorative in the next 12-24 months, but Katrina jokes that there is still work to be done and that owner Louise Ward has plenty of projects planned for the future.
“We’d like to develop some wetlands for birds, frogs, and fish so we can create a healthy environment and ecosystem too.” “There’s also the idea of electric car charging station so that likeminded companies and people can visit and charge their cars while they’re here, there’s always a plan for something new,” Katrina said.
