Siwa is the original name that Alfred Kelly gave the Kellybrook property on Fulford Road in Wonga Park that he and Inez bought back in 1935. He named it such because of its beauty and sense of peacefulness which was like that of the Egyptian oasis called Siwa in the Western Desert that he rested at during WWII. We have named our vineyard, planted in 1975, to honour this history.

Being estate-grown, managed and at the home of the Kelly families, it has also come to be referred to lovingly as the “home vineyard”.

The original orchard by Darren Kelly in 1960 was replanted after being burnt out by bushfires in 1962. From 1975, the orchard was gradually replaced with grapevines and became the 15-acre home vineyard that can be seen today.

Planting commenced in the block, opposite the winery and cellar door building with young Gus and Phil lending their father, Darren, a hand. These vines are some of the oldest in the Yarra Valley.

Original plantings were of Shiraz, Cabernet, Gewürztraminer, and Riesling. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay were added a few years later and have become highly sought after varieties. With many of the vines now nearing 50 years old, they are producing fruit of ever-increasing quality, with incredible concentration and finesse, as is reflected by Kellybrook’s highly awarded wines.

Being in the Yarra Valley, Kellybrook is in Victoria’s coolest climate (in every sense of the word). Colder than Bordeaux but a touch warmer than Burgundy, the average temperature in January is just under 20 degrees Celsius. The soil of the Siwa Vineyard is grey-brown sandy loam with a mix of rocky, clay sub-soil, derived from the ancient sandstone of the Great Dividing Range.