The latest film in the acclaimed WineLine documentary trilogy, WineLine 3 Gold, premiered at The Capri Theatre on 10 May 2025. Produced and narrated by Dr Richard Hamilton himself, this 55-minute film uncovers the family’s bold quest for fortune during the Australian gold rush – an era that forever changed the country.
Faced with drought and depression at home, the Hamiltons trekked across the Coorong, a scorching 90-mile desert, and flooded rivers to reach the goldfields around Amherst and Daisy Hill. The film retraces their journey, revealing the grit, danger, and sacrifices of life on the diggings, as well as the highs and lows of gold mining.
Though fortune did not smile on those five family members, their story is part of a broader history that saw Australia’s population and society transformed by the old rush. Back in South Australia, another Hamilton, Richard’s son Henry, stayed put and built the family vineyard legacy that blossomed into one of Australia’s largest wine companies.
Today, the Hamilton tradition continues in McLaren Vale, carried forward by the 5th and 6th generation of dedicated vignerons and winemakers.
Find out more at richardhamiltonwines.com
