"Hercynia" was the largest vineyyard in the Bendigo District. It was started by Carl Wilhelm Greiffenhagen (William) and his cousins, twins, Carl and August Heine. The first vine cuttings were planted in 1860. The partners owned 300 acres at Axe Creek and in 1862 had 24 acres under vines and an orchard of 4 acres. By 1884 they had expanded to 30 acres of vines. They produced many award winning wines. August Heine ( 1832 - 1898) was born in Germany and came to Australia in 1854 with his twin brother Carl and their cousin William Greiffenhagen. Initially the three took up mining successfully but then the partnership bought 300 acres at Axe Creek and planted a vineyard. They also grew fruit and crops to feed the working horses. In 1870 August sold his interest in the vineyard and set up his own smaller vineyard at Sheepwash Gully. He had several business interests before he took up the caretaker position at the newly dug Weeroona lake, a position he held until his death. Carl Heine sold his interest in the vineyard in 1873 and returned to Germany. WIlliam Grieffenhagen (1834-1916) continued his very successful vineyard until the region was hit with a highly infectious vine disease in 1893. Although his own vines escaped infection, he was within the 2 mile quarantine area and was forced to dig out all his vines. He never replanted but depended on his orchard instead. He was a founding member of the Bendigo Agricultural Society and a local Shire councillor for several years. In 1870 he married Margaret Boyd.Binder containing information relating to Greiffenhagen's cellar (Hercynia Vineyard) 1860 - 1991 including black and white photographs & maps, compiled by John Houlahan as a third year thesis whichnis pat of the assessment for a Bachelor of Arts (Social Science) degree. Donated to the German Society 15/2/96 by the Grandfather of author Jack Houlahan.John Houlahanbook, bendigo, wineries, bendigo-history-axe creek- wineries- german

Photocopies of five newspaper cuttings from 11/5/1988 to 20/6/1990 mentioning the German Society by Bendigo Advertiser writer Maurie McDonald. Mentioned are German Society plans memorial to its pioneers, German contribution to Bendigo, German dinner an outstanding success, German settlers established vineyards in the district and German Society plans to remember its pioneers. One cutting has a photo of an ornate bookcase which was made for a Miss Pike. It was the work of a German tradesman, Mr C Nagle. Another has a sketch? Of the Brache & Co Weroona Vineyard, Sandhurst. It also mentions a number of early vineyards. These cuttings were held in an extra copy of the drawing of the man with the wine barrels (8803.33).bendigo, clubs, bendigo heritage, german heritage society collection - newspaper cuttings, bendigo advertiser 11/5/1988, 3/5/1989, 6/9/1989, 20/6/1990, maurie mcdonald, daryl pinder, peter hyett, glen schier, josef mika, ian walder, bendigo library, peggy & bill schlotterlein, annita schlotterlein, renate & hans ruemelin, michael ruemelin, max drechsler, vin drechsler, dr david stolz, rosemary schulz, mrs june stolz, ali zvirgzdins, eva mika, johann detleff kahland, eugene sandner, glen schier, lydia & josef aniolkowksi, helen, christa & dieter scharenberg, brache & co, weroona vineyard sandhurst, dr backhaus, bruhn, pohl, mannes' strathfieldsaye vineyard, hercynia vineyard, greiffenhagen, wittschiebe's vineyard, carl august heine, adventure vineyard, scheuffle, streckfuss, henry mayer, frederick kramer, frederick klemm, kahland, miss pike, mr c nagle, johann gottfried tabias christopher ballerstedt, gustavus von tempsky, ken wust, frank cusack, clem schmidt, dorothy strauch, ausrey drechsler, reg schleiger, ian weibegen, ron meurer, bill mannes tim iser, neil mertens