Riversands triumph Queensland Fortifieds

Having his own boots immortalised in pottery and filled with port in the Riversands pottery range, local Senator Barnaby was the perfect choice as guest judge for the Best Boots Competition.

Barnaby chose Brisbane resident Teena Dickson and her eye catching pink snakeskin print butterfly boots as the ladies winner. "My boots are actually borrowed from my daughter. She brought them in London at the Camden markets, where all the punk rockers go. It was a great day, we had a ball," Teena says.

The $1000 prize for Overall Best Business was presented by Balonne Shire
Mayor Donna Stewart to vineyard owners David and Alison Blacket.

Councillor Stewart says "Riversands success in winning the Overall Best Business for the Balonne Shire is well deserved. It is a reward for dedication and hard work. David and Alison are a great example for putting in the hard yards to achieve success. Congratulations to the team at Riversands."

Other categories represented in the awards evening included Service Excellence, Best Manager, Excellence in Staff Development and Excellence in Primary production, some of which Riversands were also nominees for.

Organised by the Rotary Club of St George and Balonne Shire Council and sponsored by many generous businesses, the Balonne Business Excellence
Awards are an opportunity to recognise successful local businesses.

As winner of the Tourism and Hospitality category, Riversands is also experiencing growth in the visitors sector, with Shire tourism figures up 30% on the previous year.

One way Riversands has contributed to the Shire growth in the tourism market is by representing Shire tourism through attendance at more than 30 country and metropolitan shows a year and through forging bonds with local tourism operators to increase length of stay. 

Several noteworthy accomplishments attributed to the win of 'Overall Best Business'. "Over the past year we have increased our focus on electronic marketing with a new Ecommerce website and regular E Newsletter. These media are used to promote our cellar door, mail order service, events and our growing number of retail outlets," says David Blacket.

"We've also established signature events, hosted international music performances, and redefined their brand through new imagery and new products. One unique way we have grown our business is by introducing our wines as a satellite cellar door outlet to boutique outlets such as butcher shops, fruit shops and to Maleny Cheese. This is in addition to being represented at 60 bottle shops and restaurants," enthuses David.

Councillor Donna recalls her own experience with the vineyard. "My association with the Blacket Family appears to be on a basis of firsts: My very first task as a Councillor after my election to the former Warroo Shire (27 years ago) was to attend to a problem that Mr Stirling Blacket (David's grandfather) was experiencing. Coincidently the first task I officiated at after my election as Mayor of the Balonne Shire was to launch a new wine for David and Alison Blacket."

These new awards sit alongside their recent Gold Medal win at the Cowra Wine
Show for the Sauvignon Blanc style wine, Beardmore's Dry.