Today, that same land has become one of the region’s most distinctive estates - where vineyard, orchard and landscape shape the experience as much as the wine.
It started with repair.
Erosion gullies were stabilised. Thousands of native and European trees were planted. Wetlands were restored so water could move naturally through the land toward Lake Canobolas. Over time, birds returned. Then animals. Then frogs. A working landscape, brought back into balance.
The orchards came first - apples, cherries and plums sent to markets across Sydney and beyond. Borry also helped establish the Orange Farmers Market, contributing to what the region has since become known for.
In the 1990s, when Gaye joined Borry, the next chapter began. The focus shifted from commercial fruit growing to cool-climate wine, planting varieties suited to the altitude and alpine conditions.
The orchard never disappeared. It evolved. Today it includes more than 180 varieties of heritage apples, quince and plums - many once grown in historic European orchards.
In 2001, over 500 oak trees were planted and inoculated with Black Périgord truffles, establishing one of the earliest mainland truffières in Australia.
As the land matured, so did the estate. Accommodation followed in 2002. The restaurant opened in 2005. In 2006, the underground cellar became a place for truffle dinners, music, and long-table gatherings.
Today, Borrodell remains a working estate. Gaye continues the vision - sharing the land, its produce and its rhythms with those who come to experience it.
The name Borrodell honours the farming families who shaped the Orange region long before the estate took its current form.
The Borrodell family arrived from Essex and established orchards near Sisters Rock. The Gartrell family came from Cornwall via California during the gold rush before settling into fruit growing in the district.
When Borry and Gaye named the estate, it was a deliberate nod to that lineage - a recognition that the story didn’t start with them.
