Levantine Hill leads the way with bird-saving technology

Elias Jreisatti and his family do not do things by halves. 

The creation and expansion of the Levantine Hill wine property in the Yarra Valley over the past 12 years has been extraordinary. 

Top architects; research that took Elias and his wife Colleen to some of the finest wine properties in the world; the winemaking excellent of Paul Bridgeman, a world-class restaurant. 

A spectacular new winery and functions space opened recently and there are plans for luxury hotels on the spectacular site.  

Onwards and upwards. 

Now Levantine Hill has instituted a new system to keep birds from its vines without using netting, which can be both unsightly and dangerous for avian creatures and small mammals, which get trapped. 

The new system uses lasers to keep the vines safe from flying predators, an alternative to noisy scarer guns, or shooting. 

The system was designed and manufactured in the Netherlands by the Bird Control Group and is fully automated. Birds see the lasers as a threat and flee the area.   

The system has been used in vineyards in the US and Canada but the system is the largest of its type in Australia.

Levantine Hill managing direct Samantha Jreissati said: "Like most wineries we have been concerned about the welfare of birds and small animals. That had to be a better way then using nets, and we've invested in a technology solution that has proven to be successful overseas."

The system has been approved by Birdlife Australia and the WWF as a humane deterrent method.