“Extra Eyes in the Vineyard” – How AgTech Helped Michael Paxton Strengthen Water Use at Quelltaler
- azrina9
- 13 hours ago
- 3 min read
When it comes to growing premium winegrapes in South Australia’s Clare Valley, managing water wisely isn’t just good practice - it’s a survival strategy. For Michael Paxton, Vineyard Manager at Quelltaler Vineyards in Watervale, the challenges of a drying climate and rising input costs were nothing new. But his recent experience with TEKFARM® showed how technology could give him a clearer picture - and more control over every drop of water used.
Through TEKFARM®, Michael was introduced to a suite of technologies that have reshaped the way he monitors vine health, plans irrigation, and prepares for heat events. The initiative, delivered in partnership with Wine Australia and Farmers2Founder’s TEKFARM® program supported by the Future Drought Fund, gave Quelltaler the chance to trial technologies in a low-risk, supported environment.
Pain Points in a Changing Climate
Quelltaler’s vines rely on stored winter rainfall and supplementary irrigation. But recent years have seen a shift from soaking rains to short, intense bursts that run off before soaking into the soil. This, coupled with a perched water table and rising electricity prices for pumping, made efficient water use both more urgent and more difficult.
On top of that, Michael was seeking better ways to manage early-season irrigation particularly during critical growth stages like flowering and fruitset, where even short-term water stress can impact yield and quality.
Technology Stacking
Through TEKFARM®, Quelltaler deployed a set of commercially available tools that worked together to provide a fuller picture of vineyard water dynamics:
CropX (Green Brain): soil moisture probes, weather station, and dendrometer
Swan Systems: centralised irrigation management and water budgeting platform
Airborne Logic: aerial imagery to detect vine vigour variation and irrigation issues
Athena IR-Tech: evapotranspiration sensors
RipenTech: bunch weight sensors to monitor yield fluctuations
Michael describes Swan Systems as a game-changer: “I was logging in four to five times a week before Christmas. It gave us a clear snapshot of what was happening across the vineyard and what needed attention.”
The RipenTech sensors, installed at veraison, revealed a ~20% difference in day versus night bunch weight in Shiraz - insights Michael now uses to time irrigations and fine-tune harvest planning.
When it came to Athena IR-Tech, the experience was a bit more mixed, but still promising.
“The information from Athena didn’t always line up with what we were seeing in the field,” says Michael. “But we’re working on calibrating it better and getting more value in the next season.”
The sensor’s evapotranspiration data wasn’t used as a standalone tool, but as another layer of insight to compare against field observations and other sensor readings. With further training and a second year of use, the team expects to integrate it more confidently into their scheduling strategy.
Better Data, Better Decisions
What’s changed most? According to Michael, it’s the confidence in decisions and the ability to act early, especially during heatwaves.
Irrigation is now guided by live, localised data.
Vine monitoring can happen remotely, with tech confirming what’s seen in the field.
Alerts flag potential issues before they become problems.
“It’s helped us be more responsive to unpredictable weather and get smarter about using the water we have”
Michael says the process was well-organised and didn’t add workload to the team. In fact, having the data available in one place made it easier to share with consultants and winery staff - and will help streamline handovers to future irrigation managers.
From Trial to Transformation
While the individual tools were helpful, it was the combination of technologies what TEKFARM® calls "tech stacking" that delivered the greatest value. Together, they created a connected system that’s improving efficiency, reducing risk, and helping Quelltaler prepare for a hotter, drier future. Michael’s experience is already being shared through regional field days and industry events, including the “Make Every Drop Count” workshop hosted at Quelltaler in August 2024.
"The TEKFARM process was well-organised and low-impact, giving us the chance to trial technologies we might not have otherwise considered for our vineyard."
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