TarraWarra Estate, Tarrawarra Victoria

TARRAWARRA ESTATE IS A 400-HECTARE PROPERTY THAT ENCOMPASSES 26 HECTARES OF VINES, AN EXTENSIVE NATURE RESERVE, CATTLE GRAZING, A KITCHEN GARDEN, CELLAR DOOR AND RESTAURANT.

The estate was also adding a new museum, art gallery and learning space to the premise, which would be open to the general public and school groups.

There was an existing system onsite, that needed to be upgraded. SSA was engaged to design, obtain approvals for and construct a new wastewater treatment system to treat the wastewater from all buildings onsite, including the restaurant, cellar door and new gallery space.

Initial calculations determined that future flows would be more than 5,000L per day. SSA worked with one of Australia’s best environmental engineers to develop the design of the system and submit an application for a Development License Exemption (DLX) through EPA Victoria.

Initial designs included the treated wastewater being sent to a dam, which was the source of irrigation water for the vines, but it was determined early on that the dam was connected to the natural waterways during times of elevated water levels, making this option unviable. So SSA investigated and provided to the client an additional three design options along with associated cost-analysis for each option.

There were several site constraints to deal with, including local waterways, established trees that are deeply cherished by the property owners, as well as a beautifully landscaped garden and lawn area surrounding the buildings.

The final design incorporated Primary Treatment, Flow Balancing and aeration of the wastewater – with adequate emergency storage – to produce recycled water (class C), which was utilized to irrigate 3,500m2 of open space on the property. The wastewater also needed to be bored under manicured lawns from the buildings to the location of the treatment system more than 300 meters away.

SSA worked closely with many key stakeholders to deliver a successful project for the client, including the builders, the estate’s arborists and gardeners, the farm and vineyard managers, EPA Victoria and many other subcontractors onsite.