WA locals: Ben Gould, Vigneron at Blind Corner Wines

Ben Gould, Vigneron at Blind Corner Wines in Quindalup shared about growing up in WA and his passion for winemaking.

You grew up in WA, where your dad bought a vineyard back in 1991 (which he later sold). What inspired you to go down the same path?

I started working in vineyards in 1997. Dad decided to build a winery the next year and hired a winemaker who I worked alongside during harvest. It was exciting. All of your senses are firing during vintage. I was hooked and enrolled at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga to study the art and science of winemaking.

Ben Gould, Winemaker — Ben started working in vineyards in 1997. (Image: Dylan Moore)

You travelled around Europe with your wife Naomi visiting as many wine regions and surf breaks as possible. What Old-World techniques did you learn?

It all starts in the vineyard. The vines are the heroes. Keep the vines happy and the soil and surrounds healthy and diverse and the rest follows. We learned to trust in the hard work done in the vineyard and shepherd the wine to express its own sense of place instead of forcing it someplace else. We were inspired to make wines with no additions, but combined with modern knowledge and experience to create top drops that are expressive, vibrant, fault-free and long lived.

Blind Corner Vineyard — “It all starts in the vineyard. The vines are the heroes." (Image: Olive Lipscombe)

Can you put Quindalup in context for us?

We are situated in the north of the region, only four kilometres from Geographe Bay and 14 kilometres or so to the ocean in the West. We have less rainfall than Margaret River town and we have more sunshine through summer. It’s a win-win. More beach days.

What did you love about growing up on a property near Pinjarra?

It was great growing up in the bush, building cubby houses and treehouses, exploring the lake and generally being a ninja. Later, when I moved to Fremantle for high school, I enjoyed fishing off the jetty, squidding and swimming, along with holidays in Dunsborough.

Jetty in Dunsborough — “I enjoyed fishing off the jetty, squidding and swimming, along with holidays in Dunsborough."

In your opinion, what are the best things to do in WA?

Broome, Esperance, Rottnest Island, Ningaloo Reef, the gorges of Karijini, wandering round the old buildings of Fremantle. The beaches really are the best here. I keep the other stuff a secret.

Why do you choose to live where you do?

After all of our travels we have not found a place that equals Margaret River for growing vines so close to amazing beaches. The area is pristine in so many ways. Forests, caves, coastline, amazing produce.

Vineyards, Blind Corner Wines, WA — After all of our travels we have not found a place that equals Margaret River for growing vines so close to amazing beaches. (Image: Derek Mcdonald-Lee)

Do you have any favourite spots that you always take out-of-towners to?

The natural spa at Injidup is a great spot for its rugged, natural beauty. It’s a lot of fun to see how many people you can fit in a small shallow rock pool while trying to take Instagram-worthy selfies. We also like to head to Wild Hop Brewing Co. or Beerfarm brewery, Si Vintners for a glass and a yarn on the grass and to Settler’s Tavern for a pint and a burger. Bungalow Social is a favourite evening venue, with great wood-fired pizza and an ever-changing wine list featuring some local legends [like us … ha ha].

What are some quirky things to see and do in Quindalup that aren’t in the guidebooks?

Driving around the farms and seeing the hay bale art. The Bluey and Bingo ones are the best so far and they light them up at night. The Minion ones are good also.

WA might be enormous, but the right insider knowledge brings its mysteries a whole lot closer.

“Western Australia is a land of record-breakers,” says Carolyn Tipper, a Travel Director working on AAT Kings Western Australia tours. “It has the second-longest fault line, the second-largest meteorite crater, the second-fastest flowing river—it just keeps surprising you. And every area has its charm.”

From tropics to deserts, Australia’s largest state is a land of extremes. You can’t see all of Western Australia in a lifetime, but with the right guide, you can discover its hidden pockets of magic.

Carolyn wishes to reach her guests’ hearts. “I want them to enjoy and be in awe,” she says. “I want them to have the holiday of a lifetime.”

1. Mimbi Caves

You wouldn’t expect a Great Barrier Reef in the outback – but that’s what you’ll find at Mimbi Caves. Once part of a 350-million-year-old reef, these caves hold marine fossils, ancient Indigenous rock art, and Dreamtime stories shared by a Gooniyandi guide.

“That’s when the real connection happens,” says Carolyn, who has taken guests through on the AAT Kings Wonders of the West Coast and Kimberley tour . “When guests connect, not just with the land, but with the people who have called it home for tens of thousands of years.”

Eye-level view of traveller exploring Mimbi Caves. — Walk through ancient limestone passages. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

2. Kalbarri National Park

Nothing prepares you for the Kalbarri Skywalk: a 25-metre platform jutting over Murchison Gorge, 100 metres above the red cliffs and river below. From July to October, join the AAT Kings Untamed Pilbara and West Coast tour to see over 1000 wildflower species paint the park, and listen as an Indigenous guide shares their uses, bush foods and medicine plants.

“I want our guests to have an emotional experience,” says Carolyn. “It’s not just about seeing the land, it’s about stepping into the stories.”

An aerial view of the Kalbarri Skywalk, one of the secret places in Western Australia, with visitors on the edge. — Stand on the Kalbarri Skywalk in Western Australia. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

3. Hamelin Bay Wines

Margaret River isn’t just a top wine region – it’s a winner in every category. Where the Indian and Southern Oceans collide, granite cliffs rise, limestone caves sprawl and Karri forests tower. It almost distracts from the world-class Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

Almost.

Out of over 100 cellar doors, AAT Kings pick Hamelin Bay Wines as a favourite. Hosted tastings of small-batch wines on the Western Wonderland tour end with a group meal. The menu shifting with the seasons.

“Get off the beaten track to one of WA’s most relaxed venues for some amazing red and white signature wines,” explains Carolyn, “accompanied with upmarket pub food.”

Spectacular views.

A person raising a glass of Chardonnay against a glowing Western Australia sunset. — Sip world-class wines at Hamelin Bay in Western Australia. (Image: Getty)

4. Wildflower Guided Walk, Kings Park

Western Australia is home to 12,000 native plant species – 3000 bloom in Kings Park’s Botanic Garden. Stroll past Kangaroo Paw, Banksia and blooms from the Goldfields, Stirling Ranges and Kimberley. “The diversity of Western Australia is immense,” says Carolyn, who leads guests through on the South Western Escape tour .

Couple enjoying the view from the Lotterywest Federation walkway at Kings Park and Botanical Garden. — Wander among thousands of native plant species. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

5. Hoochery Distillery

Did you know that between Kununurra and Emma Gorge lies the state’s oldest continuously operating distillery? Well, the oldest legal one. Set on a family farm, Hoochery Distillery was hand-built using materials found on the property, conjuring up award-winning rum from local sugarcane, wet season rainwater and yeast.

Today, visitors can sample a hearty nip of rum, along with whiskies and gins – all crafted using traditional, labour-intensive methods. It’s the ideal way to soak up the ‘spirit’ of the Kimberley on the AAT Kings’ Untamed Kimberley tour .

People enjoying a rum tasting at one of the secret places in Western Australia. — Sample award-winning rum. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

6. Geraldton

The wildflowers of the Midwest will make your heart blossom. In Geraldton, the Helen Ansell Art Gallery brings the region’s botanicals to life in vivid colour and intricate detail. In nearby Mullewa, wander bushland trails lined with everlastings and native blooms. Further afield, Coalseam Conservation Park bursts into carpets of pink, white, and yellow each spring. Do it all on the Wildflower Wanderer tour with AAT Kings.

woman walking through Wildflowers, Coalseam Conservation Park — Chase vibrant wildflower trails. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

7. El Questro

Wake up after a night under the stars at Emma Gorge Resort, ready to explore the mighty beauty of the El Questro Wilderness Park. With deep gorges, thermal springs, and cascading waterfalls, time slows here.

Join the AAT Kings’ Wonders of the West Coast and Kimberley tour to drift through Chamberlain Gorge, where sheer sandstone walls glow burnt orange in the sun, archer fish flick at the surface, and rock wallabies peer down from ledges above. Then, step into Zebedee Springs, a secret oasis of warm, crystal-clear pools among prehistoric Livistona palms – a moment of pure, wild stillness.

Emma Gorge Resort at El Questro. — Wake to adventure at Emma Gorge Resort. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

8. Lake Argyle

Once vast cattle country, Lake Argyle now sprawls like an inland sea – Western Australia’s largest freshwater lake, created by the damming of the Ord River. Scattered with over 70 islands, its glassy waters teem with life, like freshwater crocodiles, barramundi, bony bream, sleepy cod and over 240 bird species. That’s nearly a third of Australia’s avian population.

Glide across the lake’s surface on a cruise as part of AAT Kings’ Untamed Kimberley tour , where the silence is only broken by the splash of fish and the call of birds. For Carolyn, this place is a perfect example of how WA’s landscapes surprise visitors. “Lake Argyle is a big puddle of water that became a game-changer,” she says. “Seeing it from a boat, coach, and plane is mind-blowing. It puts time, isolation and the sheer scale into perspective.”

Aerial View of Triple J Tours on the Ord River, near Kununurra. — Glide past islands on Western Australia’s largest freshwater lake. (Image: Western Australia)

Discover more of Western Australia’s hidden gems and book your tour at aatkings.com.

WA locals: Ben Gould, Vigneron at Blind Corner Wines

Ben Gould, Vigneron at Blind Corner Wines in Quindalup shared about growing up in WA and his passion for winemaking.

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