Gold Mining in Vineyards: A New Chapter for Great Western

0:00What's up, Sydney? This is Sydney News Today, bringing you the city's fastest updates on what is happening now. A gold exploration company called Orika has bought three vineyards in Victoria's Great Western region, near the Grand Pians. This comes as gold prices hit record highs above $5,000 USD per Troy ounce, while the local wine industry battles over supply. Past hairs from China and shifting consumer habits, both gold mining and wine making have deep roots in the area dating back to the 1800s. The reason purchases happened right after a big drop in wine exports, which fell from $379 million in 20. 1920 to $140 million in 2022. Local wine maker Ben Thompson from Best Wines calls the industry struggles really tough, with no one laughing all the way to the bank. He feels sad about the small region shrinking, as it makes it harder to promote Great Western wines worldwide, though he doesn't blame sellers. Orika's managing director says they'll keep running the land as farms for now, maybe switching to pasture if wine stays weak.

1:05They're hopeful about finding enough gold for mining, but it may only about one in 300 to 1000 exploration projects ever turn into actual mines. Meanwhile, the wine sector shows signs of rebound since China lifted its tariffs in 2024. Exports jumped to $465 million in 2025, with the industry now contributing $10.8 billion to Victoria's economy and supporting over 17,000 jobs. This DNN story is thanks to our sponsor details in the description. Comfort. You can hear. Sound you can relax into. S-O-L-L-I, solelypillow.com.