Second Mortgage for Vineyard Expansion – Mornington Peninsula, VIC

The client owned a long-established, family-run vineyard on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula a premium wine region known for boutique producers and tourism. The estate was valued at approximately $20 million and included both vineyards and hospitality operations.

The Challenge

Following a recent internal business restructure, the client’s financials were incomplete. Their accountant was still finalising statements, meaning a traditional full-doc application was not possible.

Despite this, the business required immediate working capital to fund seasonal expansion, purchase new winemaking equipment, and cover salary obligations ahead of the busy summer trading period.

Their existing lender, NAB, was unwilling to extend additional credit without up-to-date financials, leaving the client in a liquidity bind during a critical growth window.

Our Approach

We reviewed the client’s position and leveraged the significant equity in the property to secure a private second mortgage behind NAB.

The loan was structured as a low-doc facility, supported by property value and business performance rather than completed financials.
Our team sourced a private lender experienced in large-scale agribusiness and hospitality operations — one who was comfortable working with partial documentation and an asset-backed assessment model.

The result was a $5 million second mortgage secured against the estate, with flexible terms aligned to the vineyard’s cash flow cycle.

The Outcome

Loan Type: Second Mortgage (Private Lender)
Loan Amount: $5 million
Security: Vineyard and estate valued at $20 million

LVR: Approx. 75% combined (behind NAB’s first mortgage)
Timeframe: Valuation in 10 days, settlement within 15 days total
Purpose: Working capital, equipment purchase, and salary support

The client received funds in time to complete upgrades and hire additional staff ahead of the summer season. The fast turnaround and flexible structuring ensured business continuity and positioned the vineyard for a record trading period.