Our people

EcoVineyards Program founder and manager

Dr Mary Retallack

BAppSc., PGradDip (NRM), BEd., GradDip (Viti), PCert. (Arb), PhD (Viti/PlantProt), CAg, MAIA, GAICD, ARLF

Mary is the founder and manager of the EcoVineyards program which champions practical ecological solutions for a broad range of production systems.

As an experienced agricultural scientist, agroecologist, and third-generation viticulturist, Mary brings a wide range of skills and experience from practical, research, teaching, consultancy roles and is recognised internationally as a Chartered Agriculturist (CAg).

These skills have been gathered over the past 30 years along with a PhD in Viticulture and Plant Protection and tertiary qualifications in Conservation and Park Management, Natural Resource Management, Education, Viticulture, and Arbitration. Mary is a recognised leader in the fields of agroecology, functional biodiversity enhancement and native insectary plants.

Her PhD studies focused on the role of native insectary ground cover plants and measurement of their functional biodiversity benefits by assessing the predatory arthropods found in association. She is also an adult education extension specialist.

Mary has published broadly on the topics of native ground cover species and functional biodiversity enhancement in vineyards and given numerous presentations in Australia and internationally.

Examples include keynote WSU Ravenholt Lecturer at Washington Advancements in Viticulture and Enology (WAVE), Richland, USA; Organic and Biodynamic Winegrowing Conference, Marlborough, NZ; 21^st GiESCO International Meeting (Group of international Experts for Cooperation on Vitivinicultural Systems) in Thessaloniki Greece; the 42^nd Congress of Vine and Wine, International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) in Geneva, Switzerland; the 19^th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference in Adelaide, South Australia; and the Bragato Research Institute Grape Day, NZ.

She is also a member of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) Viticulture Commission, Enviro and Protec groups, and The Australian and New Zealand Grapegrower and Winemaker Journal editorial panel.

Mary’s leadership, excellence in science and education have been acknowledged as a Landcare Australia 2025 General Jeffrey Soil Health Award finalist; SA Women of Impact Awards finalist, Australia Day Award for Active Citizenship; induction on SA Women’s Honour Roll; winner SA Environment Awards (innovation); Gourmet Traveller WINE Len Evans Award for Leadership; The Australian inaugural list of 100 Green Power Players; Bob Hawke Landcare Award Finalist; AgriFutures Australia Rural Women’s Award (national winner); Emerald Grain’s list of 100 Women in Australian Agribusiness; Businesswomen’s Hall of Fame; a Women in Innovation finalist; and as a participant in the National Farmers’ Federation inaugural Diversity in Agriculture Leadership program. Her work has been featured on the ABC’s Gardening Australia program.

Mary is an ambassador for PIRSA’s Women Influencing Agribusiness and Regions, and Great Wine Capitals Knowledge Exchange initiatives. She is a Stepping into Leadership program and ARLF Drought Resilience Leaders Mentoring Program mentor. She lives on a small vineyard and apple orchard surrounded by native insectary plants in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia.