IN the near future, a well-aged chardonnay or shiraz may not be the only vintage attractions on your wine tour through the Swan Valley.
IN the near future, a well-aged chardonnay or shiraz may not be the only vintage attractions on your wine tour through the Swan Valley.
Vintage motorcars may also soon be on the menu, as mining entrepreneur Peter Briggs' motoring museum is at the heart of a proposed $14 million redevelopment at Mulberry on Swan.
The motor museum, which has more than 50 vintage vehicles, has been in need of a new home since the old site at Fremantle harbour was closed last year.
The concept has been developed by Spices Catering managing director Peter Hickson, who owns Mulberry on Swan, and Oakford-based property developer ATA Constructions.
ATA director Dan Avila has been working with the City of Swan, the Swan Valley Planning Committee and the WA Planning Commission to produce a development application (DA) he said would be submitted within eight weeks.
"We're working as a team to bring this into reality," Mr Avila said.
"We have prepared a DA and are dealing with all of the stakeholders of government in preparation to go to the community, to our neighbours, and the community at large to seek their submissions, make final modifications and submit the DA."
The proposed development includes over 60 five-star chalets for short-term accommodation, wedding chapels overlooking the Swan, vineyards, a winery, upgrades to the existing banqueting facilities, a café-style restaurant and a brewery, alongside the central attraction of the motor museum.
"From Peter Briggs, Peter Hickson and our point of view, the motor museum is an absolute cornerstone within the development," Mr Avila said.
"There is an absolute accord that everyone agrees from every point of view, that the location of [Mr Briggs'] motor museum on this particular site would be nothing short of spectacular.
"This is intended to be a significant change from the former establishment that has been Peter Briggs' motor museum, becoming more interactive with modifications, reasons to come back to have a look, more reasons to participate, and car clubs will be able to participate there as well."
Mr Avila is also director of Castle Lion Winery and organic compost producer Bio Organics, roles which he said give him the expertise to create an environmentally sensitive and sustainable development.
"Everything that we're trying to do here doesn't just meet the letter of the law concerning the Swan Valley rural zone, but meets the spirit of the law," he said.
"When we first entered discussions with Peter Hickson, our interest in the site is that it fits with our skill-sets in our various companies.
"First and foremost we're developers, but we are organic vignerons and wine producers.
"We are producers of organic inputs, so everything that's required to make things grow here we produce.
"This provides an opportunity to not only grow high quality local produce on the site for use within the facilities, but also allows us to make it available to the public as well."
