Hardy's Tintara Complex Main Road McLaren Vale Australia owes much to those who braved the long, arduous journey halfway round the world to immigrate to our shores. One such person was Thomas Hardy from Devon England, who at the age of 20 boarded the ship "British Empire" to undertake a journey that would take 106 days and ensure his name would be forever embellish in Australia's history. One wonders what he would think if he was able to see just how much Hardy's tradition as fine wine makers has grown since he first planted vines on the banks of the River Torrens in 1853. So lets discover the Hardy story. The Tradition of Tintara When Thomas Hardy arrived at Port Adelaide in 1850, South Australia was just 14 years old and things were vastly different to the way we live today. Most of the amenities and facilities that we take for granted today didn't even exist in those days. There were no cars, buses, sewerage, sealed roads around then. But there were plenty of opportunities in a growing country if you were keen and prepared to take your chances by working hard. The turing point for Thomas Hardy was when he took a position on a cattle property at Normanville and gold was discovered in Victoria. In those days the word gold envoked a fever amongst much of the population and many headed to the goldfields to make their fortune. Not so Thomas Hardy, he realized that people had to be fed and so he drove mobs of cattle from Normanville to the diggings to feed the hungry hoard of frenzied miners. It was the earnings from his cattle droving that gave him the opportunity in 1853 to purchase land on the River Torrens and plant his first vines at a property aptly named "Bankside". From the first vintage in 1857 he started to slowly but surely expand his winemaking.

In 1876 he acquired the "tintara" property just north east of McLaren Vale township which already house a winery and a small planting of vines, then just two years later the disused flour mill in the town was purchased and this too was converted for use with wine production. To ensure that bottling and distribution of his growing production was adequate, Hardy built in Currie Street, Adelaide a substantial premises to locate his company office and cellars. This building was used right up until 1961 for the production of champagne and sparkling wines. Unfortunately for history buffs the premises have since been demolished. In 1884 Hardy purchased 480 acres of land that adjoined the Tintara property and set about clearing the area and planting vines. This property became known as "Lower Tintara". In 1904 the Hardy business encountered a major set-back when fire disastrously destroyed the "Bankside Cellars". The cellars were not rebuilt. Then in 1912 Thomas Hardy passed away, but not before leaving behind a wonderful legacy that would continue to grow and prosper. A legacy that would enshrine the Hardy name amongst the great pioneers of South Australia and the Australian Wine Industry.

Quality wines from Hardy's with "Jimmy Watson" Trophy

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