A critical report into the impacts of the wine industry on the Limestone Coast has been unveiled with University of Queensland\u2019s Dr Jonathon Staggs releasing the blueprint at an industry event in Mount Gambier last week.<\/p>\n
An expert on institutions, regions, and entrepreneurship, Staggs was commissioned by the Limestone Coast Grape and Wine Council to research the topic and produce the report, which centred on the wine industry\u2019s broad benefits for the Limestone Coast community<\/p>\n
Now launched and available for the public to read, Staggs\u2019s report, \u2018A Region of Value: Strengthening the Grape and Wine Future of the Limestone Coast\u2019, provides clear advocacy and novel recommendations to strengthen the industry\u2019s profile and future development.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe overarching strategic question is how the Limestone Coast will continue to be a \u2018region of value\u2019 when it is at the mercy of market dynamics, compounded with geo-political headwinds that are very much outside out of the control of farm and wine business owners,\u201d Dr Staggs said.<\/p>\n
While arguing that the Limestone Coast wine industry is peculiarly well situated to appeal to a new generation of wine-curious or wine consumers, Staggs also argues for the importance of \u2018a new generation of artisan entrepreneurs\u2019 to entertain \u2018social media audiences\u2019 and \u2018new hedonic tourists\u2019.<\/p>\n
Staggs identified the need to focus on long-term knowledge sharing, in order to build up a pipeline of skilled workers and future leaders to shore up the future of the region.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy nurturing next-generation talent and entrepreneurial capacity, the region can make careers in grape and wine\u2014along with connected sectors\u2014more attractive and secure,\u201d Dr Staggs said.<\/p>\n
The presentation and discussion took place at the Wulanda Convention Centre in Mount Gambier. It was chaired by Dr Edward Cavanagh of the Limestone Coast Grape and Wine Council.<\/p>\n
The event was attended by mayors and local government officials from across the Limestone Coast, along with a number of state government public servants.<\/p>\n
Representatives of several regional wine associations, including Mount Gambier, Coonawarra, and Wrattonbully, made the journey to attend.<\/p>\n
Despite this strong turnout, Cavanagh lamented that representation from wine industry bodies and statutory wine entities at both the state and the national levels was negligible.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur distance from Adelaide makes it more difficult for us to attract not only the transient wine tourists of Australia, but also the delegates even from those institutions that genuinely have our best interests at heart,\u201d Mr Cavanagh said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur door is always wide open here at the Limestone Coast. And this report proves just how important it is to keep it open \u2013 and, more than that, how important it is for all of us, collaboratively, to turn things around for ourselves.<\/p>\n
\u201cNobody in Canberra or Adelaide is going to help us to do that on the ground. It all starts here in Mount Gambier.\u201d<\/p>\n
A copy of the report can be found at this address: A Region of Value \u2013 Limestone Coast Grape and Wine Council Inc.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A critical report into the impacts of the wine industry on the Limestone Coast has been unveiled with University of Queensland\u2019s Dr Jonathon Staggs releasing the blueprint at an industry event in Mount Gambier last week. An expert on institutions, regions, and entrepreneurship, Staggs was commissioned by the Limestone Coast Grape and Wine Council to […]<\/p>\n