ON one side are the Barossa Valley's wine barons and gourmets - on the other, the golden arches of McDonalds.
At stake is the image of Australia's most famous wine and food region.
The Advertiser reports that plans by fast-food giant McDonald's to open a restaurant in Nuriootpa have upset some of the Barossa's most high-profile food and wine identities, including celebrity cook and food manufacturer Maggie Beer and wine legend Margaret Lehmann.
"We need to protect the culture of the valley that brings us so many tourists," said Ms Beer, the long-time Barossa champion whose former nationally-popular TV show The Cook and the Chef was mostly filmed there. "We have to keep working on the Barossa as a gourmet destination.
"For me, McDonald's would be like a thorn in the valley's side. We would be seen as talking the talk, but not living the life."
In its second attempt to set down roots in the historic valley, McDonald's has its sights on land within view of Penfolds winery, on the corner of Barossa Valley Way and Railway Tce.
The battle between followers of slow food - which preserves regional cuisine - and fast food comes two years after the Barossa community was first divided over a failed plan by McDonald's to open in Nuriootpa.
The pro-Maccas guard say they should be able to satisfy their hunger for a "Mac attack" and argue it will create jobs, cater to shift workers and save on fuel (the nearest McDonald's is in Gawler).
Opponents argue the region's culinary culture and heritage need to be preserved; the restaurant's food is not sourced locally and it could harm local businesses.
Read more on The Advertiser online.
