Bra fence wellsupported

Bras on fences in the Cardrona Valley continue to fascinate tourists almost 20 years after the first bras were hung on a regular wire fence alongside Cardrona Valley Rd.

The current iteration of the Cardrona Bra Fence, also know as Bradona, can be found at the entrance to The Cardrona — Horse Trekking and Quad Biking and the Cardrona Distillery just off Cardrona Valley Rd.

Thousands of tourists stop each year to pose in front of the fence and give both their money and sometimes their bras.

In the past year the fence has raised more than $40,000 for the Breast Cancer Foundation through donations made by tourists at the fence’s pink charity box.

The money is collected by Kelly Spaans and Sean Colbourne from The Cardrona. The pair also look after the fence.

Distillery owner Ash Whitaker said he often sent staff over to the fence to

‘‘trim’’ off some of the bras so it did not become too heavy and unsightly.

Because the fence was so popular the car park/driveway had to be altered to accommodate more vehicles, Mr Whitaker said.

‘‘Popular is one way to put it,’’ he said. To coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month the distillery had made a pink gin, with $5 from each bottle sold being put back in the fence’s donation box.

The gin has so far raised about $5000 with a few bottles to go, Mr Whitaker said.