We have just signed an agreement with the Breede Valley Municipality to boost tourism development; Opstal Estate has launched new wines; our School's Tourism Awareness programme arranged a visit to the Two Oceans Aquarium; and Breedekloof hosted an international delegation that was impressed by the Bergsig Estate empowerment deal.

SIXPENCE WINES FROM OPSTAL

Opstal Estate has been in the Louw family for six generations and in choosing the name Sixpence for their new range, they are paying tribute to the employees who have contributed to the farm's success.

Sixpence was the nickname given to shepherd Daniel Smiles who looked after the sheep that roamed the farm in the '50s and '60s, when current owner Stanley Louw was a boy. The Sixpence wines are made from grapes sourced from vineyards planted on what had been sheep grazing land.

The Sixpence Chenin Blanc Semillon 2009 and the Sixpence Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2007 are priced at R29.50 at the Estate.

EXCITING NEWS FOR BREEDE VALLEY TOURISM

We have signed an agreement with the Breede Valley Municipality and formed a Breede Valley Local Tourism Organisation (LTO).

The Breede Valley LTO will act as an advisory committee to the Breede Valley Municipality and will be the link between local tourism associations for the Breedekloof, Hex Valley, Worcester and Touwsriver areas.

The Municipality, under the leadership of Portfolio head Cllr Pedro and with the support of the Mayor's committee, has created a platform where the private sector and Municipality can work together in growing tourism in the region. As part of the agreement, the Municipality will provide funding to each of these tourism associations and exhibition space in a joint tourism office.

The vision for the Breede Valley LTO is to develop tourism in a way that enables previously disadvantage individuals and businesses to enter the mainstream tourism industry.

CapeNature recently hosted a group of eight Anglo delegates from various countries who had come to learn about CapeNature's stewardship programme and the Black Empowerment Company Fynbos Vrugte en Wyn Boerdery - which signed a Biodiversity agreement with CapeNature last year, conserving 40 hectares of Endangered Breede Alluvium Fynbos.

The delegates were received at Bergsig Wine Estate where presentations were given by Garth Mortimer of CapeNature, as well as Louis Lategan and Sandra Waterboer from Bergsig. This was followed by an inspection of the conservation area and a meeting with some of the farm workers.

The delegates were impressed with the Fynbos Vrugte en Wyn model, a Black Empowerment project committed to conservation, social development and sustainable farming practices and excelling at all three.

FIGHTING ALIENS

 We are justifiably proud of the success of the Upper Breede Collaborative Extension Group (UBCEG), established in 2006 as an informal partnership between CapeNature, LandCare, the Biodiversity & Wine Initiative and Breedekloof Wine and Tourism.

The main threats to the area include invasive alien plants, agricultural and other development pressures, as well as unplanned wild fires. UBCEG was formed to solve resource problems through a collaborative planning process.

Achievements to date:

UBCEG membership has expanded to include several national and provincial government departments, local municipalities, landowners and NGOs.

RAWSONVILLE PRIMARY VISITS TWO OCEANS AQUARIUM

We took 114 Grade 4 learners from Rawsonville Primary School for a fun and educational visit to the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town.

The outing forms part of our School's Tourism Awareness programme, a joint venture with the Cape Winelands District Municipality, which aims to raise tourism awareness among all communities.

As part of the School's Tourism Awareness programme learners can enter an art competition and the best works will illustrate a desk calendar, to be distributed throughout the Cape Winelands.

UPCOMING BREEDEKLOOF EVENTS