Consortium selected to run college Queensland College of Wine Tourism

A consortium of Southern Queensland business leaders led by the Stanthorpe and Granite Belt Chamber of Commerce has been selected to run the Queensland College of Wine Tourism with the state government giving it two years to turn things around.  

The announcement came after the University of Southern Queensland withdrew its support from the $8.5 million college last year, leaving its future in limbo.

The consortium will establish and deliver ‘The Precinct’, a dynamic hub to support training, workforce development and employment pathways in agribusiness hospitality, tourism and wine and food production. 

Located on the Stanthorpe State High School campus, the one-of-a-kind Australian education and training facility provides an opportunity for Queensland's future wine makers and grape growers, tourism and hospitality workers to hone their craft.

The college, which has been operating since 2007, will also receive non-financial support from Southern Downs Regional Council, the Granite Belt Grower's Association, Granite Belt Wine and Tourism, Queensland Country Tourism and Queensland Wine Industry Association.

The local consortium led by the Stanthorpe and Granite Belt Chamber of Commerce, includes representatives from:

• Granite Belt Wine and Tourism

• Granite Belt Growers Association

• Queensland Country Tourism

• Queensland Wine Industry Association

• Southern Downs Regional Council 

The Queensland Government will support this transition period over the next two years with initial seed funding to give The Precinct every chance of success.

Chamber president Michelle Feenen said providing support for the college was a chance to safeguard its future and protect a "jewel in the region".

Feenan noted “we have developed a four-year plan for The Precinct to deliver hands-on training in viticulture, agribusiness, tourism, hospitality, and business management and work with industry to address workforce shortages.

“In time it will also drive industry-led research, advancing sustainable food production, wine technology and climate-resilient agriculture.

“The Precinct’s operations will be built around four key pillars - Food, Wine, Tourism, and Education/Innovation - ensuring a holistic approach to industry growth, skills development, and regional economic sustainability."

Feenen added "we felt that here in the region we had the skill set and we had the knowledge, and we know this region very, very well and we know these industries that are represented through what happens here at the wine college.

"What we didn't want was to have a potentially worst case scenario, a private operator that might come in with a lot of our aspirations but then find that they fall on their face really quickly and then it becomes another scenario of what to do with this facility.

"We wanted to guard against that."