The initiative, being developed in partnership with Map of Ag, aims to create a comprehensive platform Wine Australia is progressing the development of the National Vineyard Register, with the project’s…

The initiative, being developed in partnership with Map of Ag, aims to create a comprehensive platform

Wine Australia is progressing the development of the National Vineyard Register, with the project’s discovery and design phase highlighting strong industry collaboration and the integration of advanced AI-powered vineyard mapping technology.

The initiative, being developed in partnership with Map of Ag, aims to create a comprehensive platform that will deliver more accurate vineyard supply information while supporting strategic decision-making across Australia’s wine sector.

Since March, Wine Australia and Map of Ag have engaged directly with grapegrowers and key industry organisations through workshops and one-on-one interviews to ensure the platform is practical, intuitive and aligned with industry requirements.

A detailed discovery report has now been completed, capturing user requirements identified during stakeholder consultations and prioritising features according to whether they are essential, desirable or optional for the final platform design.

The design phase has translated these findings into interface visualisations for testing with growers and regional representatives.

A workshop held in the Yarra Valley in mid-April provided valuable feedback on the platform’s proposed functionality, helping shape the National Vineyard Register’s evolving feature set.

One of the key outcomes of the design process has been the emphasis on flexibility, ensuring the platform can accommodate the varied needs of users across the industry.

The system is being designed to support owner-growers seeking detailed mapping and benchmarking tools, as well as vineyard managers, leaseholders, associations and wineries requiring a simpler process to contribute essential supply information.

Wine Australia is expected to finalise a Statement of Work for the build phase at the conclusion of the design stage. The document will outline final project costs and confirm the platform’s full feature set.

Pending budget alignment, the organisation expects to approve the build phase by late May.

Stakeholder consultation remains central to the project’s development.

Wine Australia has scheduled further briefings and feedback sessions throughout May and June, engaging organisations including the AGW Vignerons’ Committee, Biosecurity Committee, Wine Victoria, Murray Valley Wine, Riverina Winegrape Growers and the Hunter Valley industry committee.

Alongside the register’s development, Wine Australia will also undertake an updated National Vineyard Scan to provide current and accurate vineyard mapping data.

The scan will use advanced artificial intelligence through a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) applied to satellite imagery, alongside radar satellite data capable of detecting vine row structures through cloud cover.

The system will also integrate optical imagery and global vegetation height datasets to distinguish vineyards from surrounding forested areas.

The technology represents a significant advancement over the previous vineyard scan conducted in 2020 and is expected to be repeatable annually at a lower ongoing cost.

Together, the National Vineyard Register and updated vineyard scan are expected to strengthen regional and national planning capabilities by delivering reliable data for benchmarking, strategic investment and supply forecasting across Australia’s wine industry.