the Clarrie's Track story
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Clarrie’s Track vineyard is named after Clarrie Donald, who lived here with his family. Today, Donald Lane carries the family name. Clarrie was the sexton, in charge of maintenance at the nearby Blue Mount Cemetery in the early 1900s.
Legend has it that on one of his late-night drinking sessions he accidentally set fire to the cemetery records while trying to keep warm. While only a story, we like to think that Clarrie would have been happy to know his beloved property would one day become home to a humble vineyard. Or perhaps he would have preferred to see a vodka distillery to make use of the famous Trentham potato?
Just a few kilometres through the bush from the quaintness of Trentham, Newbury was originally named Garlick’s Lead after the miner who first found gold in the area. The name changed to Newbury over time when the post office building from the nearby Newbury hamlet was moved to Garlick’s. The nameplate was never removed!
At 780 metres above sea level and nestled between the Wombat State Forest, locally Bullarook, and Blue Creek (so named after the Blue Sapphires mined from it), Clarrie’s Track is possibly the coldest vineyard in Australia.Â
It is no wonder old Clarrie Donald wanted to keep warm.
Clarrie's Track – A Short History

Property Purchased

Vineyard Design

Improved the volcanic soils

Completed the trellising

Disastrous Storm

Vines Planted

Looking amazing

Ready for our first Harvest

First harvest underway

Chardonnay grapes picked

Our First Barrel Ageing
