Image courtesy Queensland College of Wine Tourism, Facebook

The Queensland Government is now inviting expressions of interest as it looks to secure the future operations of the Queensland College of Wine Tourism.

The college was “financially abandoned” by the previous State Government and faced imminent closure last year, before the current QLD Government stepped in—a move it claims has saved more than 20 jobs.

Queensland’s wine regions rely heavily on the training provided at the college, and the restaurant and function centre are “critical” to the lifeblood of the local community, delivering tourism and hospitality service to Stanthorpe.

“The Queensland College of Wine Tourism is such a valuable asset for our region, encompassing Varias restaurant and cellar door, the function centre, and the training opportunities offered to our residents,” said Southern Downs Regional Council Mayor Melissa Hamilton.

“We are looking forward to the outcomes of the Expression of Interest process, and we hope it will bring an exciting new chapter for both the facility and our community.”

The focus is now on creating a sustainable future for the college, and the State Government is calling for expressions of interest to permanently operate the college.

Expressions of interest will call for proposals for ongoing operating models that focus on delivering region and community benefits, creating a sustainable future for the site and supporting local jobs.

The Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training Ros Bates said the State Government is inviting interested industries and entrepreneurs of the Southern Downs region to complete an Expression of Interest by Sunday 9 March 2025.

“This community, local industries and entrepreneurs are best placed to determine what this region needs, and we committed to finding new operators of the site in 2025, which remains of great benefit to the region,” Minister Bates said.

The University of Southern Queensland will continue to operate the college through the Expression of Interest process. The Department of Trade, Employment and Training is also working alongside stakeholders, including TAFE Queensland and Stanthorpe State High School, to ensure existing students can continue their training.

“The college would have collapsed had our government not stepped in before Christmas to ensure more than 20 employees didn’t lose their jobs because, sadly, Labor left the college for dead.”

Member for Southern Downs James Lister said the State Government would continue to pursue solutions in the region’s best interests.

“While this has been a challenging situation for those directly impacted, we now have a great opportunity through the Expression of Interest process to determine the next phase of this facility,” Lister said.

“We’ll continue to work with all those involved to minimise the impacts on staff and students and ensure a fresh start for our region.”

New arrangements for the QCWT facility are expected to be formalised by DTET by mid-2025.

For information on the EOI process please go to www.desbt.qld.gov.au/QCWT or email [email protected]

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