Frederic Breguet was one of the fathers of vine-growing in Victoria. He was born in Coffrane Neuchatel Switzerland on 21^st December 1813 and came to Australia in 1842.

Together with David Louis Pettavel he established our region’s earliest vineyard at Pollocksford naming it Neuchatel after the Canton from where they came and making their first wine in 1845. Their partnership didn’t last long and in 1848 Pettavel purchased his own property at Waurn Ponds, establishing his Victoria vineyard and a second vineyard Prince Albert in 1857.

In Ebenezer Ward’s book The Vineyards of Victoria in 1864 he states the Neuchatel vineyard, also better known as ‘Pollocksford’ was the oldest vineyard in the western district and was situated on the Barwon River about ten miles from Geelong, between the Fyansford and Barrabool Hills roads.

In recognition of our pioneering vigneron, it is with great pleasure that we induct Frederic Breguet into the Geelong Wine Industry Historic Hall of Fame.