New access map launched at Winery Walkabout Weekend ‘09

A new map aimed at making public events more accessible to people with physical disabilities is being launched in conjunction with the 2009 Rutherglen Winery Walkabout Weekend.
The map has been developed by Indigo Shire’s Rural Access program in consultation with Rutherglen winemakers ahead of this year’s WWW, taking place this Queen’s Birthday Weekend from 6 - 8 June. Rutherglen’s biggest annual event, the Rutherglen Winery Walkabout regularly attracts 20,000 visitors to the town across the weekend.
Winemakers were asked to complete a checklist covering key access issues for people including wheelchair users and the physically frail including:
• The availability of wheelchair accessible car parking
• Clear, unobstructed pathways into buildings
• Ramps
• Minimum width doorways
• Availability of disabled toilets
• Counters at heights accessible to people in wheelchairs
• Clear internal and external signage
Wineries whose facilities are highlighted on the map are: All Saints Estate, Jones Winery, Pfeiffer Wines, Chambers Rosewood, Campbell Wines, Stanton and Killen, Rutherglen Estates and Anderson’s.

Commenting on the initiative, Winemakers of Rutherglen Chair, Mandy Jones, said the organisation was delighted to be involved in the development of the access map as it would help visitors with physical disabilities make the decision to come to Rutherglen and join in the town’s Winery Walkabout festivities.
The map will be available on the Indigo Shire website at www.indigoshire.vic.gov.au and the Rutherglen Wine Experience online at www.rutherglenvic.com
In its 36th year this year, the WWW is Victoria’s oldest wine festival, and offers a weekend of gourmet dinners and burgundy breakfasts, great live music and dancing, barrel racing and even a live grape stomp and of course the opportunities to sample the world famous wines of the Rutherglen region.
For more information, please contact Rural Access Officer, Loretta Caunt , 0427 688 248 or Mandy Jones, via the Winemakers of Rutherglen, 02 6033 6301.