124 ^'^^^ SOUTH WALES. 



At Dabbo tlie valley of tlie Macquarie Eiver and its tributaries 

 opens out ; enormous areas exist^ principally of upper Silurian or 

 Devonian origin, containing the mineral constituents of wine, with 

 limestone in abundance. 



Nearly all tlie tributaries of tlio Macquarie River above Dubbo 

 pass through country of this character, and upon the higher waters 

 are thousands of acres suitable to the production of wines of a very 

 high character, the climate being also favourable. 



Passing northward to the watershed of the Namoi and its tributaries, 

 we find in the neighbourhood of Quirindi, both in soil and climate, every 

 thing that could be desired, and very promising wine has been sent to 

 Sydney for exhibition from this part. It is surprising that the growers" 

 of the Hunter River Valley do not avail themselves of the opportunity 

 of acquiring vineyards north of the Liverpool Range, and grow a suffi- 

 cient quantity of full-bodied wine to supplement the product of the 

 Hunter vineyards in wet seasons by blending. The best soil for viti- 

 culture will \)Q found on the eastern margin of the great black soil areas 

 of the Liverpool Plains, especially where the waters rise in granite 

 country. This also applies to the watershed of the Peel River; 

 scattered all over this area are innumerable sites for vineyards. 



Of the district watered by the upper tributaries of the Gwydir River 

 the writer has not sufficient personal knowledge to describe, but he 

 believes that a large tract suitable for wine-growing may exist, and 

 has also seen promising samples of wine produced there. 



The last area to be described on western waters is the Macintyre 

 River and its tributaries, on which unlimited areas exist so rich in 

 potash and phosphate that the vines grow and produce to excess, but 

 the product, although admirably suited for blending, and of great value 

 for that purpose, does not find the favour with the public it merits. 

 Some very excellent samples have been produced in these localities, 

 particularly where the basalt had thinned out and exposed the under- 

 lying granite or other old formations. 



The geological character of the district is granite of several varieties 

 overflowed by a general volcanic outburst, from which the potash and 

 phosphate are derived. 



Of the vast areas westward of the country already described, there 

 is any quantity of land in which the soil is all that can be desired, and 

 where the vine grows luxuriantly if supplied with a very small amount 

 of water. The fruit is luscious and excellent in flavour, but the cli- 

 mate is unfavourable to the production of wine of delicacy. 



Having described the climate of the western slope of the Main 

 Dividing Range we now take its eastern watershed Here we find a vast 

 extent of excellent soil, but the prevalence of rain during the season 

 of vintage deters vignerons from planting. However, exception may 

 be taken to the western waters of the Clarence. 



The same drawback exists as far south as the Manning River, 

 although on the Upper Macleay some very good wine has been pro- 

 duced in favourable seasons. 



At Port Macquarie the only grape which flourishes is the Isabella, 

 and wine is made from it, but it does not find much favour with the 

 public. 



