• Hither & Yon becomes SA’s first carbon-neutral winery
• Kanmantoo drilling aims to give mothballed mine new life
• Cochrane’s moves in to new $20 million depot
• Colley takes ownership of Ennis Partners
• Nova Systems partners with big names to target ADF project

Hither & Yon becomes SA’s first carbon-neutral winery

McLaren Vale winery Hither & Yon has this month become South Australia’s first carbon neutral wine brand as certified by Australian Government Initiative, Climate Active.

Established in 2011 by brothers Richard and Malcolm Leask, Hither & Yon’s product range and business operations is also just the third wine brand in Australia to achieve this milestone.

To become carbon neutral certified, emissions are measured, they are then reduced where possible and remaining emissions are offset.

Businesses must also develop and implement an emissions reduction strategy to work towards over the coming years.

Hither & Yon’s further emissions reduction strategy includes installing solar PV panels, rainwater tanks, LED lighting, shifting to recyclable packaging and shifting to wine bottles with a lower glass content.

With climate change in mind, the Leasks are also practising biodiversity management on their land and re-establishing native corridors.

Hither & Yon has purchased additional biodiversity offsets through Greenfleet. These offsets support local Australian native reforestation projects with strong environmental outcomes.

The company is offsetting its emissions by supporting wind and hydropower projects in India.

“Taking care of our soil and people comes first for us, and our vision for Hither & Yon has always been to make better wines with a lighter footprint,” Malcolm said.

“This year we will also be conducting changes to elements of the brand and business practice to further reduce our carbon emissions, and also keep improving our land management in order to increase carbon sequestration in our soil.”

Richard and Malcolm are the sons of Ian Leask, who started the Pertaringa brand with Geoff Hardy more than 40 years ago.

“Our family has been growing in McLaren Vale since 1980, and when Hither & Yon was born, we embarked on a land improvement program, from sustainable viticulture, to regenerative agriculture, and now carbon neutral,” Richard said.

Hither & Yon’s home vineyards are in the foothills of McLaren Vale, and their boutique cellar door is situated in the main street of Willunga.

Kanmantoo drilling aims to give mothballed mine new life

Hillgrove’s mine at Kanmantoo, 55km north of Adelaide

SA miner Hillgrove Resources will move to the next phase of its drilling program at the disused Kanmantoo mine this month as part of its bid to resume copper production in the Adelaide Hills.

Hillgrove ceased large-scale mining at the open pit copper-gold mine about 55km east of Adelaide in May 2019 and completed processing ore stockpiles there in March last year.

It entered an agreement with energy retailer AGL in April 2019 to sell the right to develop, own and operate a pumped hydro energy storage project at the site but that deal was terminated in February 2020 after conditions could not be agreed to by both parties.

The Kanmantoo site was then mothballed to preserve the processing assets, and a small core group retained to focus on growth through the advancement of the Kavanagh underground studies and the continuation of a measured exploration and development program.

Publicly-listed Hillgrove told the Australian Securities Exchange last week that two more drill rigs would arrive later this month to continue exploring the site’s underground potential.

The drilling program is aimed to further expand the resource base atKanmantoo underground, both along strike and to continue to test the depth extensions of the high-grade copper-gold zones it discovered in exploration last year.

Hillgrove Managing Director Lachlan Wallace said the latest drilling phase was an important milestone in the Kanmantoo Underground project and would help progress it towards a final investment decision.

“I am confident that the planned works will create value for Hillgrove through the potential recommencement of copper and gold production at Kanmantoo, which will enable us to unlock the value of the region through further advancement of the near mine and regional exploration projects,” he said.

Cochrane’s move in to new $20 million depot

Transport and logistics company Cochrane’s Transport has moved into its new $20 million depot in Gillman.

The company says the move from its previous Adelaide depot in Torrensville has already delivered significant fuel cost savings and reduced handling and haulage times, while providing better access to key metropolitan and regional routes and growing industries.

“Just days after relocating we had set new records for the number of parcels and pallets of freight that we delivered,” said Cochrane’s Chief Executive Officer Martin Robb.

From humble beginnings in founder Peter Cochrane’s backyard in 1974, with two trucks and the contract to deliver Women’s Weekly, the family-owned South Australian company now employs about 250 staff across its South Australian operations, with depots in Gillman, Whyalla and Port Augusta.

Cochrane’s new 37,000sqm Gillman depot provides 30 per cent more storage capacity, a drive-through truck wash, onsite mechanical workshop for maintenance and repairs, onsite gas and diesel fuel supply, axle weighbridge and adjustable loading dock.

The purpose-built depot was constructed by fellow South Australian company, Woolcock Constructions.

“While plans for the new depot were already underway, the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic saw a spike in the delivery of packages to people who have turned to online purchasing to meet their shopping needs at home, which continued throughout the Christmas period,” Robb said.

“Our next day express freight, to virtually all of South Australia, has and continues to be a service in high demand.”

Colley takes ownership of Ennis Partners

Richard Colley has purchased Ennis Partners.

Real estate agent Richard Colley has purchased the North Adelaide-based Ennis Partners Estate Agents sales business from his boss Greg Ennis.

Effective from the start of this month, Ennis has stepped from the management of the business he founded 38 years ago, Ennis will remain available to assist his many clients in property matters.

Colley has worked alongside Ennis for the past six years.

“Enjoying the lowest interest rates in living history, Adelaide currently boasts one of the steadiest residential markets in the country, showing upward swings over the past years,” Colley said.

“To further assist in this rapid growth period and to upweight their capabilities, Ennis Partners have enlisted several new experienced sales professionals, steadfastly increasing presence in the market place and optimising the experience for existing and new clients alike.”

Nova Systems partners with big names to target ADF project

Adelaide-based Nova Systems has joined forces with French multinational Safran and BAE Systems Australia to create Team SABRE in response to the Commonwealth’s Land 125 Phase 4 Integrated Soldier System (ISS) project bid.

The collaboration aims to enhance the ability to respond with new technology to rapidly changing threat environments while reducing the burden placed on modern soldiers.

It will combine Safran’s global experience in complex Soldier modernisation projects, Nova Systems’ deep sovereign expertise in ADF capability acquisition and realisation, and BAE Systems Australia’s expertise in robotic and autonomous platforms to ensure a trusted and experienced partner.

Nova Systems Chief Executive Steve Robinson said there was no off-the-shelf solution for the challenging and complex project.

“Nova Systems brings our considerable experience and know-how in delivering Complex Land Programs in defence, and our credentials as a 100 per cent Australian owned and operated company to the team,” he said.

“Importantly, the sovereign capabilities Nova Systems is growing through Team SABRE will remain in-country and will support future ADF capability realisation across all domains.”

Safran has previously delivered 23,000 Integrated Soldier Systems, including operational deployments to Afghanistan.

Safran Pacific Chief Executive Officer said the SABRE solution will provide the Australian dismounted solider with a capability and decision-making edge over any adversary, now and into the future

“Safran has decades of experience in delivering Soldier Modernisation projects of similar complexity around the world, including the French Army’s FELIN and CENTURION programs,” he said.