An iconic Riverland cellar door is set to close its doors to local patrons at the end of the month.

Though wetland management and operations are set to continue as normal, access to the wetlands and cellar door will be stopped after a recent decision to close the Kingston-on-Murray site.

Purchased in 1993, Banrock Station became formally recognised as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance in 2022, supporting a wide range of native species across 250 hectares of lagoons, and 1000 hectares of natural habitat.

“We’d like to thank our many visitors, staff and local supporters who have been part of Banrock Station’s story over the years,” Vinarchy chief marketing officer Sandy Mayo said.

“While the cellar door is closing, Banrock Station’s work continues.

“The vineyard remains in operation, our wines are still an important part of the portfolio, and our team will continue to care for the wetlands in line with Ramsar obligations, including ongoing environmental management and collaboration with conservation partners.”

“We are also continuing to explore potential partnerships with environmental tourism organisations to enable visitors to experience the wetlands into the future.”

Banrock Station been recognised through a number of awards over the years, including a TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Award (2021), Silver at the South Australian Tourism Awards (2022) and honours in the Great Wine Capitals Best of Wine Tourism Awards for both Innovative Wine Tourism Experiences (2017) and Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices (2022).

This article appeared in Murray Pioneer, 18 June 2025.