Batlow Grows On Apple News

THE Batlow community has had a well-publicised battle since the 2019-20 bushfires significantly impacted their area. Since then, they have been on the steady road to recovery.

Talking with orchard owner Greg Mouat to gauge how Batlow is faring this past summer from the tourism point of view, he said, “there are people moving around, we have had people in with camper vans, and spending money”.

Greg sells his produce from his farm gate stall and converses well with his customers to keep his finger on the pulse. When asked had the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail created tourism change he commented, “I think there’s a combination, it’s not only the sculpture trail on its own, it’s also the rail trail at Tumbarumba, both of those things has an impact on the amount of people who come through (Batlow), in a positive way.”

Apples are always in demand in Batlow, and Greg sees a good picking season this autumn. “The crop this year in Batlow is looking very good, good high quality, good volume, the weather has been very good. So overall we are looking at a pretty good season with high quality fruit coming out of it.”

Besides the big apple you see on your travels, there are big plans for Batlow which will have an impact on tourism to the town. The Apple Thief brand relocated their entire operation to Batlow in 2022. After matching grant money, Dave Purcell and his team will build a new Apple Thief Cider House at his orchard north of town.

The Cider House will see a new purposebuilt venue constructed where they will welcome guests to the full apple produce experience, including his selection of apple ciders. “The cider house will be where people can actually drive into the orchard, park in the orchard and see the apples on the trees as they walk into the cider house,” said Dave.

Employing a wine maker who makes cider across the road from the Cider House, you know the produce is home grown. Campbell Meeks was a wine maker at Charles Sturt University in Wagga

Wagga for ten years doing research and commercial before spending time in Canberra.

“I think I met Dave ten years ago at the cider conference when it first started out,” said Campbell.

Commenting on his task of producing cider as opposed to wine, he said, “it’s very similar, a lot of the testing and the processes and the way we clarify and the way we treat it are very similar, I think it’s the carbonation that’s di erent. We carbonate in these pressure vessels, filter carbonated beverages as well as still beverages.”

With a mix of apple varieties in the orchard, Campbell is relishing his new venue. “I think we are all very excited to get the ten cider varieties in. Some are bitter sharp, sharp and then some sweet and bitter sweet, there are some like the kingston black that you could just use the one apple and make a really good cider. We will treat them all separately and make blends out of those to make that perfectly balanced cider.”

You can visit the Apple Thief now at Batlow, with their new premises expected to open next summer.