Customer: Sherwood Estates
Project: Brand Elevator Package
Year: 2015
Services Delivered:
Some brands come with a story already woven through them. Sherwood Estates was one of those projects.
Sherwood Estates is a Collaborative Farming Venture managed by the Proud family. J.W. Proud first settled on the banks of the Murray River during the final years of WW1, and in the late 1920s, moved his family to Loxton where he helped commission the Sherwood Irrigation Area’s steam-driven pumps. Today, Sherwood Estates manages 200 hectares of wine grapes.
The Proud family’s connection to the Murray River, irrigation, viticulture and the land gave this brand identity a rich starting point. The challenge was to create a visual identity that honoured that history, while still feeling sharp, professional and ready for the future.
For Sherwood Estates, the visual identity needed to feel connected to the Riverland without becoming too literal or nostalgic.
The brand had to acknowledge the family’s long history on the banks of the Murray River, while also reflecting the progressive, precise and sustainable approach of a modern viticulture business.
This meant creating something that felt grounded and established, but not old-fashioned. Reliable, but not plain. Agricultural, but still polished enough to represent a business focused on quality, innovation and long-term growth.
The Sherwood Estates icon was designed with several layers of meaning.
The vineyard rows move towards a vanishing point, creating a sense of direction, depth and forward motion. This reflects the future-focused nature of the business and its ongoing commitment to sustainable viticulture.
The square, sharp edges of the icon give the identity a sense of precision and professionalism. This was important for positioning Sherwood Estates as an astute, well-managed Riverland business with a clear eye on quality.
At the base of the icon, the wave form speaks to the Murray River — a vital part of the Sherwood Estates story. It also resembles the edge of an open book, gently suggesting that this is a brand with history, memory and a story still being written.
The colour palette was inspired by the landscape around Sherwood Estates.
The silvery green reflects the vineyard foliage, while the golden orange draws from the warmth of the Riverland earth. Together, the colours create a brand identity that feels natural, regional and distinctive.
Rather than relying on generic agricultural colours, the palette was chosen to feel specific to place — connected to the vineyard, the river and the soil that shaped the business.
Along with the logo package, Sherwood Estates received a style guide to help keep the brand consistent across future applications. This gave the business a clear visual foundation for using the brand across digital, print and everyday business materials.
The final brand identity for Sherwood Estates brings together history, landscape and future direction.
It reflects a family business with deep Riverland roots, while giving the brand a clean and confident visual identity that can move forward with the business. The result is a logo and brand system that feels thoughtful, place-based and built with purpose.
If your business has grown around a strong story, but your branding no longer reflects the quality of what you do, a strategic brand identity can help bring everything back into alignment.
Start with a Brand Audit to talk through where your brand is now and what it may need next.
A Brand Audit gives you a clear picture of what’s working, what’s holding you back, and exactly where to start.
