Ballandean Estate appoints Robyn Robertson as vineyard manager

Ballandean Estate has appointed a female vineyard manager, Robyn Robertson, former vineyard manager at Sirromet Wines. Robertson brings over 30 years of viticultural expertise to the estate, and has spent her entire life on the land at Ballandean.

“I am thrilled to be at Ballandean Estate, the Puglisis have welcomed me into their family. When I heard that there was an opening, the opportunity to learn in the presence of Queensland’s father of wine Angelo Puglisi was just too good to pass up.

Robyn came on board mid-vintage and experienced a baptism of fire in an incredibly challenging season, with the Girraween bushfires blazing. Her position is made even more remarkable when despite gender-equal enrolments in wine and viticulture courses, women make up less than 10 per cent of the wine industry workforce, and representation of women in leadership and senior roles is even smaller.

Photo: women in wine at Ballandean Estate: L-R: Robyn Puglisi-Henderson, Robyn Robertson, Leeanne Puglisi-Gangemi, and Mary Puglisi.