A Day in the Vineyard: 2026 Grape Picking

Last Thursday was a big day in the vineyard, as we picked both our Riesling and Shiraz grapes in anticipation of the ‘big rains’ coming over the weekend.

Our fantastic team of Year 8 and 9 students began at 6:30am, with more students arriving by bus at 8:30am. Everyone quickly found their rhythm, and by 10:30am, the 19 rows of Riesling grapes were picked. Students enjoyed a pickers’ picnic at recess, before a fresh team from Years 7 and 10 took over to harvest the Shiraz grapes. The weather heated up as the day went on, and we were all glad to reach the end of the rows! Nearly 100 students took part throughout the day, sharing the workload across five classes.

A huge thank you to our Groundsman, Brad, for driving the tractor and emptying buckets, and to Greg and Leon for managing the nets, bins, and helping ensure the grapes got where they needed to be. We are also grateful to the parents who dropped their children off early – your support is truly appreciated.

The Riesling grapes have been delivered to Jim Barry Wines for processing, while the Shiraz grapes have gone to KT Wines. Thank you to both wineries for their ongoing support in producing our Clare High School wine. We look forward to celebrating the launch of this year’s wine later in the year.

We still have plenty of last year’s wine available: 2025 Riesling and 2024 Shiraz, priced at $120 per dozen or $15 per bottle. Please contact the school if you would like to purchase any.

Belinda Stringer & Pat Connell
Agricultural Science Teachers