2013: 5 year spray drift court case resolved with plaintiff paying the defendents costs. Marron death apparently caused by bacterial septicaemia, not pesticides.

2013: Mount Barker Spray Drift Case Settled out of court

June 2013: 5 year landmark court case between marron farmer and neighbour settled out of court. $1.9 million dollars worth of marron were allegedly killed due to spray drift from vineyard. Plaintiff paid $425,000 toward the defendents costs…”Reports that had been carried out by Fisheries officials at the time showed the marron had bacterial septicaemia and that was the cause of the marron’s death.”

It was alleged an initial spray drift incident took place between December 12, 2002 and February 26, 2003 which contaminated 36 of the Moore’s marron ponds and caused business losses totalling $3.1m.

Those alleged losses were said to consist of $1.6m for the lost marron stock, $500,000 for the cost of pond rehabilitation and $1m from loss of future sales for a period of seven years.

Since that time it was again alleged more vineyard spraying between October 13, 2004 and March 2, 2005 caused further losses amounting to $4.8m.

The alleged losses are said to consist of $300,000 for lost marron stock, $500,000 for the cost of pond rehabilitation and $4m from loss of future sales for a period of five to seven years.

There were 46 hearings involved in the case.