THE third generation owner of Swan Valley’s first winery says he’s honoured to be named Icon of the Swan Valley but worries planning matters risked the region’s winemaking future.

“I think the biggest challenge for the Swan Valley is being able to stay,” Olive Farm Wines third generation owner Ian Yurisich said.

“There are pressures afoot to subdivide the Swan Valley, which I think is not in the best interest of the region and our history.

“I think it’s very important that the valley is preserved as an iconic grape growing region.

“It’s one of the closest wine growing regions to any capital city in the world and I think that’s something that we need to keep in mind and certainly it needs assistance and commitment from both state and local governments to make sure that the existing wineries and vineyards are able to stay here and continue the history of the valley that’s going on to 200 years old.”

Mr Yurisich said it was important to pay attention to planning changes, as allowing housing so close to agricultural areas can be the death knell for the industry.

“We’ve seen in too many instances, people moved into areas that are close to places like the Swan Valley with agricultural enterprises and producers have been forced out of it simply because people move in, band together, then influence the authorities to make changes,” he said.

“The market gardens out in Wanneroo area, that sort of thing are a classic example.

“Some of the best soils for growing vegetables don’t exist anymore simply because people have moved in and they didn’t like the idea of an agricultural industry, and they got it shut down.

“There has to be decisions made so those sorts of things can’t happen.

“If that happened, the history in this area is going to be very short lived from now on.”

Mr Yurisich said the Swan Valley Policy Act, which is reviewed every five years, plays a vital role in protecting the area.

“I think the basis of that review has to be the fact that the valley needs to stay in its current form,” he said.

“Those that are in the industry need to be encouraged to continue in the industry and be able to avoid the pressures that are placed on them from possible development.”

He pointed to the Pinelli family in Caversham as an example of the difficulties of operating with suburbia nearby.

“They’ve been there for probably 60 odd years and unfortunately, they’ve got suburbia at their back door and they’re finding it more and more difficult to be able to operate.

“(For us) it was getting more and more difficult to operate back (in South Guildford) with suburbia encroaching on the boundaries.”

Mr Yurisich said winemaking was like capturing the spirit of a place in a bottle and the ability to grow grapes in the valley was vital to not lose the winemaking essence and identity of the area.

“The aim in winemaking as far as I’m concerned is to try and grow the best quality grape that you can that’s representative of the area in which they’ve grown and then transfer that over into a bottle,” he said.

“We’ve got to be able to retain the vines that are currently here and somehow try and encourage people to continue in the industry and grow the industry because we’re a pretty unique area.

“It’s very important that we retain the characteristics and nature because we want to see Icon of the Swan Valley continuing for the next 50 years,’’he said.

The Yurisich family moved into their current Millendon winery in 2006, bringing the 177-year-old name and family winemaking techniques with them but leaving the historic South Guildford site.

Two years on from the move, after passing down from Ivan Yurisich, Vince Yurisich and Ian Yurisich’s management, Ian’s son and fourth generation owner Anthony Yurisich took over the winery in 2008.

“It was a sad day when we left Guildford where our history started but to be able to continue in the industry, it was obvious that we weren’t going to be able to continue there because of suburbia encroaching on us and that’s basically what we’ve got to resist out here,” he said.

Mr Yurisich said he spent his life doing what he enjoyed, and while he didn’t seek recognition, being honoured by his peers as an Icon of the Valley meant a lot.

“I knew and had contact with all the previous winners of Icon of the Swan Valley and that’s really a highlight to be joining them with this award.

“We’ve always been part of the Swan Valley and I suppose we’ve made it a major point of our business to concentrate on product that has been produced in the Swan Valley.

“We’ve stayed true to the valley and that’s an important part for me to be able to have contributed not just in the industry in the Swan Valley, but the promotion of the Swan Valley, the grapes that are grown here and the wine stalls that are produced.”

The City of Swan has been contacted for comment.