RUTHERGLEN’S reputation as the perfect place to stay, play and taste wine is behind a Chinese company’s decision to build a day spa and hotel as part of a multimillion-dollar investment.
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Rayah Estates Holdings has just received Indigo Shire’s tick of approval for a $6.2 million expansion of Tuileries Rutherglen.
The building permit will allow the company to build six two-storey villas and 10 hotel-style units at Tuileries.
There are further plans for a $4.3 million conference/reception area that will include a day spa and tennis courts.
It comes after the company bought Rutherglen Estates in January last year and Tuileries eight months later in a deal worth more than $10 million.
Rayah Estates Holdings company director Simon Cheung was at Tuileries yesterday for the announcement.
“We believe we have a fantastic opportunity to enhance Rutherglen’s future,” he said.
“Rutherglen is probably one of the best places in Victoria — it’s perfect to stay, play and taste wine.
“The wine here is of superior quality.”
Rutherglen Estates and Tuileries recently merged its management into one team.
The expansion is hoped to increase tourist numbers to Rutherglen, including those from China.
Construction work is set to start early next year and will create 25 jobs when the project is completed.
The parent company of Rayah Estates Holdings, Yihua Group, is ranked the 163rd biggest enterprise in China.
Indigo mayor Bernard Gaffney said people would wonder why the 163rd biggest enterprise in China, with a turnover in excess of $13 billion, would suddenly come to Rutherglen.
“It’s all about confidence, confidence in the product, confidence in the soil, confidence in the water and confidence in the people,” he said.
“Indigo Shire is so pleased that a company with such a big turnover has just brought well in excess of $20 million into Rutherglen.
“This is the boost that Rutherglen needs and a boost that the wine industry in the North East need.”
Rayah Estates Holdings one of the biggest exporters of wine into China.
A multimillion-dollar resort and day spa was first mooted by Rutherglen’s Vintara Winery in 2010. Vintara is now known as King Jack Wines after it was bought by Chinese interests earlier this year.