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.

Discover the perfect road trip stopover between Perth and wine country.

Western Australia punches above its weight when it comes to coastal hot spots, but no other town or city has seen a tourism boom quite like Mandurah. Named Australia’s Top Tourism Town in 2023 , it’s the relaxed, beachside break you’ve been searching for. And it’s perfectly placed, sitting between Margaret River and Perth, as it’s just a 55-minute drive from Perth’s CBD. Which is why we’ve put together your ultimate Mandurah guide.

Aerial view of Mandurah. — Plan your perfect coastal escape to Australia’s Top Tourism Town of 2023.

The best things to do in Mandurah

Wetlands and rivers, ocean and inlet; Mandurah’s laid-back lifestyle centres around the aquatic. Its waterways cover twice the ground of Sydney Harbour – measuring some 134 square kilometres in total – and form a unique environment for oceanic and estuarine flora and fauna to thrive.

In the city’s estuary lives perhaps the region’s most famed inhabitants – a resident pod of 100 bottlenose dolphins – and the inlet’s silty bottom is home to the prized blue manna crab. Spot the former breaching and playing on an hour-long dolphin cruise through the channels, or try your hand at catching the latter by wading through the estuary’s shallows with a scoop net in hand.

While swimming at the circular Kwillena Gabi Pool, chance encounters with the local wildlife aren’t uncommon. The sheltered estuarine pool takes its name from the traditional custodians of the land, the Bindjareb people, and directly translates to ‘dolphin waters’. Jutting out of the eastern foreshore, it’s enclosed by a ring of net-free floating pontoons, which allow the dolphins to swim freely through the attraction.

If that’s a little too close for comfort, book a kayak tour with Down Under Discoveries . The dolphins have been known to cruise beside the paddle-powered crafts, which are a fun, family-friendly way to explore the city’s inner waterways.

Dolphins swimming in Mandurah. — Watch dolphins glide by as you explore Mandurah.

You don’t have to be on the water to appreciate the coastal city’s aquatic beauty, with 600 kilometres of cycleways and scenic walking trails traversing Mandurah’s estuary, inlet and coast.

Follow the 30-kilometre coastal trail and you’ll come face to face with one of Thomas Dambo’s headline-making ‘Giants of Mandurah sculptures, Santi Ikto, along the way. There are five sculptures around Mandurah in total, hidden among gum-filled reserves or sitting sentry over the water.

Head to the Mandurah Visitor Centre to pick up a map to pinpoint their exact location and download the traveller’s companion to learn more about the sights along the way. Or join a three-hour e-bike tour from The Bike Kiosk and you’ll stop by two of the giants – Santi Ikto and Yaburgurt Winjan Cirkelstone – as you sightsee central Mandurah.

The towering Santi Ikto, one of Thomas Dambo’s iconic Giants of Mandurah. — Meet Santi Ikto, one of the legendary Giants of Mandurah.

Where to eat in Mandurah

Mandurah’s culinary scene reflects its laid-back lifestyle, with large, honest meals and locally brewed beer. After visiting Lake Clifton’s 2000-year-old thrombolites, head to the peppermint and gum-shaded beer garden at Thorny Devil Brewery . Tuck into a platter of house-smoked meats and an ale pulled fresh from the tanks. Closer to town and right on the waterfront is Boundary Island Brewery ; here, woodfired pizza, pub-style seafood dishes and easy-drinking brews are centre stage.

On a Murray River Lunch Cruise , the focus is as much on the environment around you as the food you’re filling up on. Help yourself to the colourful salads and freshly cooked meats on the buffet as you meander up the winding, jarrah tree-lined waterway, stopping at the heritage Cooper’s Mill for a quick walking tour along the way.

Keep your eyes trained on the Creery Wetlands as you pass – you’ll spot much of the region’s migratory birdlife, and, as always, might see the playful bottlenose dolphins in the inlet.

The most memorable meals aren’t necessarily always the fanciest, and lunch aboard a self-skippered Mandurah BBQ Boat is a testament to that. All food and beverage prep is left up to you as you cruise through the canals, sausages and steaks sizzling away on the central hot plate.

If seafood is more your kind of fare, board the Wild Seafood Experience , where dolphin cruise meets long table lunch. Eight courses of crab, crayfish and scallops await.

A table filled with plates of crab, crayfish, and scallops. — Dine on the water with eight courses of ocean-fresh fare.

Where to stay in Mandurah

With so many waterways comes abundant waterside stays. Like the self-contained Seashells Mandurah on the shores of Comet Bay. The calm, oceanic outlook from the one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and villas is as close to Maldivian as Mandurah gets. Families especially enjoy the property, bouncing between the protected cove and the beachfront pool for endless hours of fun.

The Sebel Mandurah , just a hop, skip and jump from the Mandurah Ocean Marina, has a different outlook entirely, overlooking the estuary and lively foreshore on the other side. It’s also within walking distance of the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre , cinema and a swathe of waterfront bars and eateries.

But you can’t get any closer to the water than on a vessel from Mandurah Houseboats . You don’t need a skipper’s ticket to hire one, nor do you need comprehensive boating experience; just a full driver’s license and your undivided attention during the pre-departure tuition will do. Then you’re free to take to the estuaries and tributaries for a few nights of peaceful rest, surrounded by the very element that makes Mandurah so special.

A houseboat cruising in Mandurah along the river — Captain a houseboat to explore Mandurah at your own pace.

Plan your next WA getaway in Mandurah.

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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