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1840s

1840: 500 acres of grapes planted in the Hunter Valley.

1840: The end of convict transportation to NSW.

1841: John Younie Tulloch born.

1842: William Macarthur publishes articles in The Australian on colonial grape growing. Reprinted in 1844 in an expanded version.

1843: Henry Lindeman establishes Cawarra at Gresford, plants grapes and builds winery: Riesling, Verdelho, Shiraz all planted.

1843: The Maitland Mercury is first published, becoming a major source of agricultural information dissemination especially for wine-making: the first permanent newspaper north of Sydney.

1843: The Hunter has 262.5 acres (106.2ha) acres of grapes producing around 75,000 litres of wine. By 1850 this was over 200ha.

1846: Depression hits Britain and affects the colony of NSW. There are now 300 acres of vines in the Hunter although the area is still dominantly cattle and grain farming. Exports and finance are significantly curtailed by the economic conditions in Britain.

1847: Hunter River Agricultural Society awards wine show prizes. Hunter River Vineyard Association forms out of the earlier Hunter River Society with James King as first President.

January 1848: William Tyrrell arrives in Australia, appointed Anglican Bishop of Newcastle.

1848: Hunter Valley wine growers import skilled vine-dressers from Germany to help develop the industry.

1849: Peter Crebert arrives in the colony from Germany.

1849: Henry Joseph Bouffier arrives in the colony from Germany.