NA ="Roma, Surat, St George, Brucedale,";
FE1[0]=" Queensland has a small but growing wine industry. Although the climate represents a challenge for viticulturists, the state shows promise, particularly for red wines. The whole state is a wine zone. There are two official regions ";
FE2[0]="Granite Belt and South Burnett and several recognised wine areas or districts, Darling Downs, Inglewood District , Maranoa Region (Western Downs), North Burnett (Bundaberg), Cenbtral Queensland, Sunshine Coast and Hinterland, Gold";
FE3[0]=" Coast, Brisbane, Brisbane Valleys, Scenic Rim, Somerset Valleys & D'Aguilar Ranges, and North Queensland. Queensland is fostering its wine industry through the Queensland Wine Project a joint initiative of the Department of State";
FE4[0]=" Development and the Queensland Wine and Grape Producers Association. The aim of the project is to drive development in both the wine industry and wine tourism, by boosting investment. Recent developments include Mount Cotton Esta";
FE5[0]="te, a large winery and restaurant complex just a short drive from Brisbane overlooking Moreton Bay. In the Western Downs, a special wine area with its own 'outbackish' charm is presenting a product of exceptional quality. The sout";
FE6[0]="h west area of Queensland's Darling Downs includes the towns of St George, Surat and Roma. St George is the capital of the Balonne Shire, the business centre for a large primary producing district. Roma is known as the cradle of A";
FE7[0]="ustralia's oil and gas industry and is a fitting location for the recently opened oil and gas museum. Roma was the very first site where oil and gas was discovered in Australia. Visit Roma's winery -Romavilla, operating since 1863";
FE8[0]=" it's the oldest winery in Queensland. The town of Surat, situated on the banks of the Balonne River, is the centre of the picturesque Warroo Shire, Surat is home to award winning Villacoola Winery. Open for wine tastings and sale";
FE9[0]="s, this cool oasis is situated on the banks of the Balonne River.";
LA1[0]=" The Condamine-Balonne-Culgoa River in Queensland is some 1375km in length and the catchment comprises some 87,300km2 in Queensland and 143,900km2 in total. This represents 14% of the Murray-Darling Basin. In terms of discharge it ";
LA2[0]="contributes approximately 4% of the basin's flow. The Condamine River rises in the Great Dividing Range near Killarney at an altitude of about 300m. It then flows via the Darling Downs through Dalby, Chinchilla and Surat, where it";
LA3[0]=" becomes the Balonne River. The Maranoa River joins the Balonne north of St George within what is now Beardmore Dam. Below St George the river is known as the Lower Balonne and it splits into a series of distributary channels in a";
LA4[0]="n area referred to as an alluvial fan or unconfined floodplain. The major river of the fan is the Culgoa, which splits from the Balonne at Whyenbah (the first bifurcation) and continues to join the Barwon downstream of Brewarrina ";
LA5[0]="in NSW. Most of the vineyards in the area are established on deep sandy loam flats bordering the region's rivers - the Balonne and Maranoa Rivers, which supply water to irrigate the crops. The landscape is dominated by rolling hil";
LA6[0]="ls to the east, but flat river flood plains in the western areas. Most of the vineyards in the area are established on deep sandy loam flats bordering the region's rivers - the Balonne and Maranoa Rivers, which supply water to irr";
LA7[0]="igate the crops.";
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CL1[0]=" The climate varies from the cool dry mountains in the east to the warm sandy inland rivers of the west and the region supports the production of a range of wine styles. You will be surprised by the large variety of quality wines o";
CL2[0]="n offer. Sample the tasty Muscats and sweet table wines that are a specialty of the warmer climates. Pick up a bottle or two of the award winning whites and reds being produced on-site all over the region. Find other examples of s";
CL3[0]="pecialty wines presented by individual makers across the region. Toowoomba's climate is pleasant with four distinct seasons. September to February is warm during the day and cool during the nights but from March until August it ca";
CL4[0]="n get quite cold. A good excuse to rug up in one of the incredible pure wool 'jumpers' you can purchase in the region. Daytime temperatures average 27C in summer, 23C in autumn, 17C in winter and a perfect 24C in the incredible sp";
CL5[0]="ring.";
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HI1[0]=" The first vines in the Maranoa Region. were planted at Mt Abundance Homestead in the late 1840s and by the early 1870s wine making was an important local industry. The first wine production venture at Roma was founded by Samuel Ba";
HI2[0]="ssett in 1863. Vine cuttings were provided by Bassett's uncle who had an established vineyard in the Hunter Valley. By the time Samuel's son, William, took control of the company in 1912,'Romavilla' was a thriving business, with m";
HI3[0]="ore than 450 acres under vine. At one point it was processing grapes from 170 000 vines. Today Romavilla is owned by David and Joy Wall who have modernised the winery equipment to continue production of interesting and quality tab";
HI4[0]="le wines as well as the luscious fortifieds and sweet white (Sauternes) style for which the winery became so famous during the 50s and 60s. Romavilla Vineyards provides wine tsting. Villacoola Vineyard is situated at the junction ";
HI5[0]="of the Carnarvon Highway and the Balonne River in Surat's outskirts. Twelve acres of vines have been established in 1984 on deep sandy loam flats bordering the river. Drop in for a tasting, or call ahead to arrange a meal. The vin";
HI6[0]="eyard is home to growers Ron and Jan Ritchie. Grapegrowing has long been practiced in the Maranoa. In 1862, Dr Ernest Frederick Seidel was the first to grow wine grapes at St George, one year before Samuel Bassett established vine";
HI7[0]="s at Roma. Seidels' cuttings came by packhorse from James Busby's cutting banks in the Hunter Valley. Unfortunately, from 500 cuttings, only 3 struck. Next year he planted 1,000 cuttings from which 25 struck. He planted another 1,";
HI8[0]="000 in the third year and got 35 to grow. By 1876 there was about 1,400 gallons ready for bottling. In 1992 the first wine grapes of the modern era were planted at Riversands Vineyards.The area boasts 10 vineyards, with around 350";
HI9[0]=" ha of table grapes. Alison & David Blacket purchased the property in 1996 and produce a range of boutique wines and table grapes.";