It could almost be the pitch for a reality TV show set in the south of France: young couple move to the country and renovate a rambling cottage. They plant a flower farm, make wine, and raise grass fed lamb. While their life certainly sounds more Médoc than Mooliabeenee, Evan and Katrina Miller are living their fairytale in the heart of the Northern Valleys — and while it’s full of hard work, each new episode brings its own rewards.
It was the COVID-19 pandemic that called Katrina, a Marine Biologist, back to the family farm — and while the virus has almost faded to a distant memory, the positive flux it brought our rural communities lives on.
“We were away travelling, and then had to come back in early 2020. We decided to go to the farm (during lock down) and work for a bit. Then we got involved in the actual business side, and then we renovated an old cottage on the farm,” explains Katrina. “After that we decided that we didn’t want to go back to our old jobs — I was teaching at the time — it was just so good for me to get back into touch with the farm again.”
Evan grew up in Kalgoorlie, but has taken to agriculture with ease and enthusiasm.
“I’m an engineer, or was an engineer. Once we came to the country, we didn’t really want to leave. Katrina’s Dad offered us a chance to join the family business, so we stayed — we just love it!” he says.
The couple now live in the renovated cottage and, as Katrina says, have been “Starting all these projects ever since.”
One enterprise is a flower farm they started planting two years ago, growing primarily native Australian flora, with a few South African Proteas thrown in. “It’s coming along,” says Katrina, “And we have some foliage to sell, but it’s kind of a slow project, and it’s pretty experimental still.”
Meanwhile Riseborough Estate Winery on Mooliabeenee Road had come on the market — an established vineyard with a stunning architecturally designed cellar door and gallery building. It was the opportunity of a lifetime. The family took ownership of the estate, perfectly pairing the property with the home farm — where Katrina’s family had always grown grapes for wholesale — alongside running Merino sheep.
“It’s an amazing space — we have so many ideas and plans!” says Katrina. “We’d love to host weddings and events, where we can include our wildflowers and regeneratively raised grass fed lamb — and of course develop our own wine label.”
It has been a crash course in viticulture for Evan, whose interest in the physical maintenance of the vines has increased exponentially since he discovered the connection between grape quality and the ability to create a beautiful wine. “I used to just think it was such hard work – but now I can see the benefits!” he says. Inspired by the vineyards of southern Europe, they plan to extend the vines and introduce new varieties.
“We’ve only got three varieties there, Shiraz, Cabernet and Chardonnay. We are pretty north, and it’s one of the warmer climates for grapes, so we want to move into alternatives that are more suitable — southern Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish varieties need less water and are a lot hardier.
“It’s a point of difference as not as many people are growing them. We have a little nursery over at the main farm growing all those getting ready and planting them out this winter.”
So far, the vineyard, called Siverina Estate, after Katrina and her brothers Simon and Oliver, has just one wine on offer — a light and easy drinking Chardonnay perfect for dreamy autumn evenings. The reds are soon to come, with the couple eagerly awaiting their release. “As soon as they are ready, we can officially open the cellar door,” explains Evan. “We want to have a proper range before we are open for tastings.”
Blending their pursuits harmoniously is the artwork featured on the wine labels – paintings of flora grown on the farm. “We were given a mural painted by artist James Giddy as a wedding present, and we later commissioned him to paint our favourite flowers for the labels. We have 12 varietals planned, so there’ll be more to come”
At the moment, Katrina and Evan are busy painting and replanting the gardens at the winery, getting ready to open the doors to visitors this autumn. With its amazing grounds and acres of grapes, endless opportunities are waiting to unfold – and there is no doubt the Millers will make it happen.
