Creative market for waste product

Tropical fruit wine has found international approval and is now being exported to Singapore and Taiwan by a winner of the Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation (RIRDC) Rural Women's Award. Developed out of frustration with the 'excessive' wastage of tropical fruit in traditional markets, tropical fruit wine has rapidly developed into a new regional industry.

Paradise Estate Wines is the brainchild of Mary Lankester, Queensland Winner of the RIRDC Rural Women's Award 2002. The family-owned company, based in Mission Beach North Queensland, has grown to become a national success in commercially developing banana-based wine from fruit once considered worthless.

Mary was awarded the title in recognition of her commitment and vision for a vibrant rural Australia, and her work in developing new and alternative agricultural industries which bring the promise of increased work opportunities to the region. She believes this initial bulk order of wine to Singapore holds the promise of future and larger orders.

Paradise Estate Wines now produces 12 different wine varieties, all banana based but with various tropical fruit infusions, including coconut and lime, pineapple, persimmon and mango. All 12 varieties won medals at the Australian Fruit Wine 2005 Show in Tasmania and last year Paradise Estate Wines won the Australian Boutique Label Design Award.

Nominations for the 2006 Awards have opened. The award is open to all women involved in agriculture including forestry, fisheries, natural resource management and related service industries. (Visit: www.ruralwomensaward.gov.au)