Lonely Planet has chosen South West Western Australia as one of the world’s Top 10 Regions for next year in LONELY PLANET’S BEST IN TRAVEL 2010, published today.

BEST IN TRAVEL 2010 is Lonely Planet’s fifth eagerly-awaited annual collection of the best places to go and the best things to do around the world for the year ahead.

As one of theTop 10 Regions to visit in 2010, South West Western Australia “offers variety in spades,” Lonely Planet’s book says. “Well-heeled Perth weekenders make the three-hour trek from the big city to the gourmet paradise of Margaret River; families hit the Busselton beaches; walkers make for the tracks and trails that join Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin.”

“While word is out about the southwest,” the book says, “distance still dissuades many Aussie east-coasters – take the opportunity to make it here before they do.” However, Lonely Planet does acknowledge that “old-timers mutter darkly about ongoing development. Many locals have been priced out of the housing market and fear for a sustainable future for the region.”

Other regions to make Lonely Planet’s Top 10 Regions 2010 list are Alsace, Bali, Fernando de Noronha, Goa, Koh Kong Conservation Corridor, Lake Baikal, Oaxaca, Southern Africa and The Lake District.

Drawing on the knowledge and passion of Lonely Planet’s staff, authors and community, BEST IN TRAVEL 2010 showcases a year’s worth of inspiration to take travellers out of the ordinary and into some unforgettable experiences.

 Other highlights include:

✪The Top 10 Countries to visit in 2010: El Salvador, Germany, Greece, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, New Zealand, Portugal, Suriname and the USA.

✪2010’s Top 10 Cities: Abu Dhabi, Charleston, Cork, Cuenca, Istanbul, Kyoto, Lecce, Sarajevo, Singapore and Vancouver.

✪”Top Travel Lists” of the best experiences for the year ahead, from wildlife-watching in South Africa to catching a space flight launched from the Mojave Desert. Interested in rubbing shoulders with thousands of locals running a marathon? Explore the options in the “Magical Marathons” list. Or it might be something more pragmatic – such as an eye operation in India, which features on the “Medical Adventures” list.

✪2010 Travel Planner, with over 30 adventures mapped out month-by-month – from January’s Lowcountry Oyster Festival in Charleston, USA to New Year’s Eve in Paramaribo, Suriname.

Spring is in the air and warm weather trending to 30 degree temperatures for the middle of October is a pleasant change from the cold wet weather experienced in early spring, the vines are loving it. Already we can see recovery in the visual appearance of vine foliage as normal spring growth occurs and newly unfurling leaves are free from the damage caused by recent wind, cold temperatures and light hail.

The early indication of crop load for the 2010 vintage looks promising with many shoots showing 2 or 3 immature bunches. At this stage we call these bunches “Inflorescence” as they are promise of flowering (florescence) and therefore the future crop. From this point onwards we must protect the crop and monitor for pest and disease. Monitoring occurs regularly (at least weekly) and involves time spent specifically looking for pest and disease. In all work practices, vineyard employees are encouraged to be observant and report anything that is unusual. Spraying is done fortnightly to help protect the crop from powdery mildew, downy mildew and other damaging diseases. The chemicals used are Sulphur and copper – both naturally occurring products and acceptable in organic production. Monitoring will show if the need for more specific control methods are required. Other cultural practices such as shoot thinning, fruit thinning and leaf removal can be done to help reduce the risk from disease by allowing sunlight and airflow into the vine canopy. The sunlight has ultraviolet light and this is known to cause sterilization of disease pathogens and airflow allows a reduction in humidity and also indicates that spray chemicals can be efficiently applied to give full coverage within the canopy, both are very important in providing basic control of disease.

A lot of effort is put into minimizing the use of chemicals for disease control. Improving biodiversity in the vineyard environment is a system often put into practice. As you drive through the Margaret River region at this time of year, the colours seen in the vineyard pasture is an indication of the level of effort that some viticulturists are applying to increase biodiversity. With some care it is possible to move away from a monoculture (just growing grapevines) and to include many other flowering plant species into the mix of herbage grown to increase biodiversity. With a trained eye and some basic knowledge of plant species we can see flowering clovers, lupin, daisy, cape weed, chicory, brassica, medics, lotus, vetch. These compliment many grasses including oats, rye, tritacali and native species all grown in the vineyard as part of a greater management system.

Of course there are also weeds that grow naturally and there are some benefits from a natural balance of species which sometimes requires intervention to achieve the balance. We recognise the importance of biodiversity in plant species within the vineyard, as this forms part of the natural control of pests and disease. Beneficial predatory insects such as the many different types of wasps, lacewings and ladybirds all add to the natural pest and disease control. Many beneficial predatory insects will graze on flowering plants, using nectar and pollen as an energy source in preparedness for the development and emergence of other insects. Other cultural practices extend the benefits of biodiversity, for example when mowing in the vineyard it is common practice to cut alternate rows so as not to greatly disrupt biodiversity and then return a few weeks later to mow the uncut rows; This gives the beneficial insects the opportunity to migrate to unaffected areas of the vineyard and it reduces shock in the environment. Of course it is easy to understand what can be visually observed but we also realise that much within the vineyard goes unobserved. To a great extent this is at a microscopic scale and therefore difficult to see and therefore understand. Such is the case with certain types of beneficial microbiology. Traveling around Margaret River we often see spray carts out in the vineyards, the natural thoughts are that fungicides and pesticides are being applied. While this is often the case, we need to consider that science is allowing us to better understand other facets of plant health and disease control that involve using selected microbiology.

Organic principles are incorporated into normal vine care and there is ever increasing movement away from chemicals to improve the microbiological activity that occurs naturally in soil and also on the vines. It is becoming common to apply compost teas, milk products and other complimentary biologic additives that help enhance the vines immune system and/or introduce competing pathogens that help regulate the spread of damaging disease. Recently we have been applying some selected microbes into soil with the intention of improving plant health and to help with pest and disease control. Of major interest are fungal species referred to as Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhiza (VAM). The use of VAM in agriculture is now proving without doubt to be one of the most technical sciences in providing alternatives to chemical pest and disease control while improving plant health that results in higher yield and better food wealth. Simply, VAM works symbiotically with the vine root system to increase the availability of minerals to the vine. A complex outcome with certain species of VAM involves the introduction of naturally occurring organic acids from the selected pathogen to the vine, a system that provides a systemically acquired resistance “trigger” and this helps reduce infection and promotes plant health… Simply, healthy plants grown in healthy soils have fewer problems with pest and disease, a fact that many caring viticulturists in Margaret River are working towards understanding and improving. Contributed by Bruce Pearce

Join us on a behind the scenes vineyard tour on the Margaret River Discovery Company Best of the Best Wine Tour.

We had a good size fire touch the outskirts of Prevelly/Gnarabup on the weekend.

From all accounts a very narrow escape for the residents of the these seaside communities. And from the mouth of several of local brigade members “it was bloody scary”.

You know they are not overstating the ferocity of the fire when you can see the ember burns on their foreheads!

 The fire started on Saturday, FESA estimates that about four hundred hectares of bushland has been destroyed, at an area known as Blackboy Hollow, south-east of Prevelly. The flames came within meters of luxury homes in the coastal town, many residents fleeing to the beach.

Authorities are still trying to determine how the blaze started, but there is speculation that a local resident was doing a private burn off which got out of control and have added they’re shocked at how unprepared many house holds are for a bushfire.

The fire serves as a timely reminder to all householders to prepare for fire. Particularly in the South West of W.A where bushfire is a common occurrence in high fire risk zones such as Prevelly.

Coastal heath fire in the Margaret River region

I went camping last night at a secret little spot amongst the Karri trees in Boranup Forest. A beautiful evening under the stars, a warming campfire and a  bottle of Edwards Cab Sauv made for some very contented campers.

Just after sunset we were joined by some similarly contented Southern  Brown Nosed Bandicoot’s or Quenda as the local Aboriginal people know them

Bandicoots are multi-oestrus, meaning they breed at several times during the year, not just in one short season. Female bandicoots have very tiny babies, which are born after only 12 1/2 days’ gestation. This is believed to be the shortest gestation period of any mammal. The babies climb into the mother’s pouch the same way baby kangaroos do. They drink milk and grow, until they are big enough to come out of the pouch. When they are about three months old they can begin to live by themselves. Female bandicoots can have as many as five babies, but usually only one or two survive.

Southern Brown Nose Bandicoot or Quenda

Bandicoot pouches are open at the back, not at the top like kangaroo pouches. Bandicoots spend most of their time on all four feet. They do a lot of digging. If the pouch opened at the top, it would get full of dirt, which wouldn’t be very nice for the baby bandicoots-also the extra cargo would slow down the bandicoot when she was running from a predator.

The Quenda is on the threatened list. Despite its listing it is a regular visitor to the Boranup Forest campsites showing little fear as they forage around picnic tables.

Expect to meet a Quenda or two on the Margaret River Discovery Company Overnight South West Adventure  http://margaretriverdiscovery.wordpress.com/overnight-adventure/

Following is a little story about a great example of customer service.

Two years ago I had the good fortune to win a Mountain Bike in a magazine subscription competition (Australian Mountain Bike Magazine).  Not a cheap $200 junker, rather a $5000 Santa Cruz Heckler!

I have owned several high end mountain bikes over the years but nothing compares to the Heckler. The ultimate in single pivot dual suspension bikes.

The Australian distributors http://neezy.com.au/  kindly built the bike to my specifications and size requirements (XL for my 6’5” 100kg body).  A dream machine that made the local lads quite envious and forever put an end to the question “does anyone ever win those subscription competitions?”.

Anyway, a fee weeks ago I somehow managed to put a hairline crack the in frame around the bottom bracket, a highly unusual occurrence in a normally bomb proof piece of aluminium engineering.  I contacted the boys at Santa Cruz Australia and without question they offered a frame replacement.

Now let’s remember this was on a bike I won in the first place.

A few weeks later a brand new, same colour, latest model frame arrived on my doorstep. Plus an XL size t-shirt loudly and proudly proclaiming me a Santa Cruz rider.

A truly remarkable demonstration of customer service and an example I am delighted to share via the internet. No wonder Steve Peat won the World Champs on his Santa Cruz rig with backing like this.

If you are looking at buying a serious mountain bike, backed with a genuine warranty and outstanding customer service I couldn’t recommend Santa Cruz highly enough. If you are looking to buy within Australia contact your local dealer or the Australian distributor, Andrew at Neezy.

Check out the global website for more details http://www.santacruzmtb.com/home/

Having a tonne of fun on the Santa Cruz Heckler.

I updated the tabs at the top of the page (located in the main picture) to provide more information about the various Margaret River tours I offer. Please click through the links above for more detail.

An example of my most popular tour is the Margaret River Dicovery Tour……

Margaret River Discovery Tour

Outdoor Magazine rate this among the ten best holiday experiences in Australia.

Reflect on the tranquillity of the Margaret River, with an option to canoe, before exploring the region’s waterfalls which are shrouded in the mystery of Aboriginal legend. You experience lunch among barrels of ageing wine with Australian Winemaker of the Year, Clive Otto, before taking our luxury 4WD off-road to explore stunning locations you cannot find without a local’s knowledge. We finish our day together viewing the spectacularly rugged Wilyabrup cliffs.

If you only have a few days in Margaret River and are looking for the best overall experience this is the tour for you.   

Canoe Tour on the tranquil Margaret River

• Discover the remote Willyabrup coastal cliffs with a short guided walk along the Cape to Cape track.
• Gourmet lunch at an exclusive private wine estate including a winery tour and opportunity to meet the Winemaker.
• Reflect on Aboriginal heritage and culture with a 4WD trip to the dreamtime site of Meekadarabee Falls.
• Sample regional produce including local cheese & olives.
• Canoe the tranquil Margaret River (optional).
• Wonder at the biodiversity of the forest including wildflower, whale and bird spotting (seasonal).
• Small group of no more than 3 couples.

 A flexible, all inclusive wine tour with a difference, often referred to as “The ultimate Margaret River experience”.

“The Discovery tour is one of the best tours I have ever done, and definitely, the best that you can do in Margaret River.” Canada/tripadvisor.com

“The highest rating tour on TripAdvisor and we weren’t disappointed!” Malaysia/tripadvisor.com

 “So much more than just another wine tour. Great value for dollars spent!” USA/tripadvisor.com

Make your Margaret River Discovery Company tour booking (click here) http://www.margaretriverdiscovery.com.au/contact.php  or email me sean@margaretriverdiscovery.com.au

How’s this for telephone etiquette ……..

I hosted a Private Tour for a couple  of interstate finance brokers  the past few days. One of the wineries they requested we visit is a leading Margaret River boutique producer. I called the cellar door  as a point of courtesy to double check opening times. Introducing myself as Sean from MRDC, I enquired about the closing time(being a public holiday) and tried to book a tasting. The majority of the cellar doors we visit appreciate the heads up we are coming and generally go the extra mile, in recognition the MRDC guests are typically high yield discerning travellers.

I was cut short in my enquiry with the response “What is the Margaret River Discovery Company?”

To which I replied “A touring business”.

The reply, “Not interested. We don’t take tours”.

As succinct and abrupt as that. No further questions, no enquiry as to the number of people. End of conversation.

Perhaps if I hadn’t been cut short I could have been a bit more explanatory, apparently he didn’t know about the personalised touring style of  MRDC and had no prior knowledge of the $5000+ my guests had spent earlier in the day (Fraser Gallop Estate, Cape Mentelle and Edwards will happily verify that). Nonetheless we visited his winery anyway. And he is now several hundred dollars better off than he was this morning.

Outside the scope of my Discovery/Best of the Best tour, I provide all my guests a list of the recommended Five Best of the Best Boutique Producers to visit during their stay in Margaret River. It’s a hard list to compile with so many great producers and ‘Abrupt Estate’ was on it, but I am delighted to refresh the list and finally include Brown Hill Estate. And if you have never visited Brown Hill out on Rosa Brook Road, go. It is one of the most delightful, genuine and delicious tasting experiences in the region.

Five Best of the Best Boutique Producers-

Brown Hill Estate http://www.brownhillestate.com.au/

Cape Grace http://www.capegracewines.com.au/

Graylyn Estate http://www.gralyn.com.au/

Juniper Estate http://www.juniperestate.com.au/

Lenton Brae http://www.lentonbrae.com/

And just a note to any winery, indeed any business, that operates with a similar level of arrogance. It’s 2009. The way you communicate with customers, and us with you, has changed.

Brown Hill Estate. A must visit!

With the ever increasing daylight hours as we enter the spring season, the vines are showing signs of bud-break and the promise of new growth and another cropping cycle. Many vineyards in the Margaret River Region that have early varieties such as Chardonnay are already showing new green shoots, while later developing varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon are just showing some bud movement, at this early stage referred to as “wooly bud”.

There is no set rule as to what constitutes the right temperature or length of daylight to start the process of budbreak. Instead, there are hypothetical requirements of winter chilling that will place the buds in dormancy and this is necessary before the buds will break. After chilling, buds will resume growth once the environmental conditions become favourable. Certainly, there is good reason to understand that healthy and well nourished vines will respond differently compared to vines that may have been stressed in the previous year and that other cultural practices such as the timing of pruning may also affect the timing and success of bud-break. For instance, later pruning may result in later bud-break and this is a strategy that a viticulturist can use to some advantage.

In Margaret River, the start to spring can be quite cold, wet and windy. This isn’t so good for budbreak and the newly emerging shoots can be damaged For this reason; early varieties such as Chardonnay may be pruned as late as possible (pruning can be left as late as wooly bud in some vineyards) to delay the onset of bud-break. The intention by the viticulturist is to target less damaging weather by offsetting budbreak by a week or two later into September.

As you could imagine, it’s not always achievable to hit good weather and this year’s cold and wet start to spring is proving a difficult challenge. In many vineyards, we accept seasonal variation and work with the variation to create the best result through to vintage. We trial many different strategies and continue to seek out solutions to reduce risk and increase the success of budbreak and shoot growth in difficult years. Some of the more successful strategies I have observed include physical wind barriers and site selection. I have seen great success with planting trees as wind breaks and even tall cover crops such as cereal rye to reduce wind velocity, some vineyards use shade cloth material attached to the upwind side of the vine trellis as a more permanent barrier to wind. Site selection is important when planning a vineyard and a elevated rocky site for a vineyard may improve the absorption of heat and provide a longer period of warming temperature in the early vine growth period. The importation of rocks to absorb and hold temperature is a traditional method that has been used with success in some of the older vineyards. There are other effects from site selection that can improve success. Row orientation in line with prevailing wind (lets the wind pass through the vineyard), providing a north facing slope to capture the sun to improve heat load and providing well drained soil to improve soil temperature and root development early in the growing period are all quite practical steps in improving early season bud development and vine growth. Somewhere in this matrix of variables there is another solution to improve yield and quality and the viticulturist continually seeks out any opportunities!

Recently there has been a revelation with the promotion and use of kelp extracts to help condition the new vine growth from the harmful effects of cold and windy weather. We already know that kelp extract would help condition the vines to hot weather but hadn’t fully understood the benefits kelp can bring to offset the effect of cold temperature and the stress on the vines early in the growing period. There are many different kelp products available and we need to better understand them, especially in regard to viticulture and quality wine production. Kelp is possibly the fastest growing of all plants and considering the cold saline water environment in which it grows, has developed the ability to survive and proliferate. The harvesting of kelp from castings on the beach or harvested from the ocean as a renewable resource, lends great hope to the sustainability of supply and environmental consideration in using kelp. It would be most interesting to assess the benefits that some kelp products can bring in promoting root development, shoot growth and bud fruitfulness under difficult growing conditions. If I have learnt anything in the past few years, it has been not to discount or rubbish any natural (organic) concept and to better understand the benefits of organic and biological principals. We may think we have invented something new…but in fact we may simply have reinvented something that was well understood by our forefathers but lost in time.

Contributed by Bruce Pearce

Amongst the vines at Cape Mentelle

Every Tuesday: Ransack the Cellar at Must Margaret River
Every Wednesday & Sunday: Market Day at Saracen Estates, 11am – 5pm
Every Friday: Friday Must Do at Must Margaret River
Every Sunday: I Must Do Brunch! Must Margaret River
25 – 28 September 2009: Athol Wark’s Taste Sensations & Wine Pairing at Adinfern, visit www.adinfern.com for session times and to book.
26 September 2009: AFL Grand Final Brunch at Saracen Estates
26 September 2009: AFL Grand Final Luncheon at Clairault
26 September 2009: Margaret River Farmers Market, The Old Hospital, Tunbridge Street
26 September 2009: Shake Up Your Weekend Cocktail Class – Must Margaret River
27 & 29 September 2009: Margaret River Cinema – Arthouse Sunday The Fox & the Child
1 October 2009: Daniel Brennan– Settlers Margaret River (Thursday Night Acoustic Vibe Night)
1 October 2009: Wine Night at Gnarabar featuring Voyager Estate
2 October 2009: Mellifluous (Duns) – Settlers Tavern Reggae / Roots Music / Ska /Sunshine Soul
3 October 2009 – Howard Park International Riesling Tasting & Lunch – call 9756 5200 or visit www.howardparkwines.com.au to book
3 October 2009: Priestessa / MC Mattriks (Melb)  Plus: Jshwa Acoustic – Settlers Margaret River – Lyrical / Electro-Acoustic / French pop / hypnotic beats
4 October 2009: Josh Owen Settlers Tavern -Stripped Back Acoustic Blues on the Verandah 4-7pm
5 October 2009: Acoustic Open Mic Night – hosted by Brett Wilson – Settlers Margaret River (raises money for Margaret River Primary School Band come on down and get a groove on)
5 – 11 October 2009: Riesling & Charcuterie at Must Margaret River
9 October 2009: A Conversation with Stephanie Alexander at Xanadu Wines
10 October 2009: Margaret River Farmers Market, The Old Hospital, Tunbridge Street
10 October 2009: Fresh is Best Cookery School at Cape Lodge
15 October 2009: Cassoulet with Wines of France Dinner at Must Margaret River
15 October 2009: Kisschasy ‘National Seizures’ Tour – Settlers Tavern Margaret River
17 October 2009: Cullen Wines Annual International Chardonnay Tasting
18 October 2009: Yum Cha Brunch at Vasse Felix – 9756 5000
21 October 2009: Margaret River Wine in Perth, Frasers Restaurant
22 October 2009: Simon Johnson’s Voyage of Discovery at Must Margaret Rive
23 October 2009: Oktoberfest Launch Dinner at Saracen Estates & Duckstein Brewery
24 October 2009: Margaret River Farmers Market, The Old Hospital, Tunbridge Street
24 October – 1 November 2009: Oktoberfest! At Saracen Estates & Duckstein Brewery
25 October 2009: Jazz Soiree with Bob Malone in Concert Cape Lodge
30 & 31 October 2009: Busselton Show
31 October 2009: Shake Up Your Weekend Cocktail Class – Must Margaret River
31 October 2009: Don Walker w/ Lucky Oceans, Dave Brewer – Settlers Margaret River

3 November 2009: Melbourne Cup Luncheon, Clairault
3 November 2009: Melbourne Cup Luncheon, Saracen Estates
7 November 2009: Margaret River Farmers Market, The Old Hospital, Tunbridge Street
7 November 2009: Burning of the Vine Cuttings, Leeuwin Estate.
8 November 2009:  Anaconda Adventure Race, Augusta
9 – 15 November 2009: Must Cheese Week at Must Margaret River
11 November 2009: Ian Moss & Band – Settlers Margaret River
14 November 2009: Cowtown Focus Wine & Food Tasting, Pioneer Park, Cowaramup
22 November 2009: Annual Indian Indulgence Event at Cullen Wines
24 November 2009: Winemakers Cabernet Sauvignon Masterclass
25 – 27 November 2009: Margaret River Wine Show
27 – 29 November 2009: Tijuana Cartel at Settlers Margaret River
28 November 2009: Margaret River Farmers Market, The Old Hospital, Tunbridge Street
28 November 2009: Shake Up Your Weekend Cocktail Class – Must Margaret River
4 December 2009: Australian Chamber Orchestra at Vasse Felix – 9756 5000
5 December 2009: WA Ironman Triathlon, Busselton
12 December 2009: Margaret River Farmers Market, The Old Hospital, Tunbridge Street
26 December 2009: Margaret River Farmers Market, The Old Hospital, Tunbridge Street
2 January 2010: Twilight Movies at Cape Mentelle
8 January 2010: Twilight Movies at Cape Mentelle
16 January 2010: Twilight Movies at Cape Mentelle
23 January 2010: Twilight Movies at Cape Mentelle
13 February 2010: Twilight Movies at Cape Mentelle
March – June 2010: CowParade
3 April 2010: Twilight Movies at Cape Mentelle
10 April 2010: Twilight Movies at Cape Mentelle
8 – 12 April 2010: Margaret River Wine Region Festival
14 – 16 May 2010: Margaret River Words Uncorked 2010 – Travel & History

I received a call this morning from a lady planning to walk the Cape to Cape Track next week; she was asking if the Margaret River mouth crossing was open at the moment.

So here in a nutshell are the current track conditions for anyone planning to walk the track in the coming weeks.

• The Margaret River region has received healthy rainfall this winter. All the water tanks, spring, creeks and rivers have abundant water.
• The river crossings, except the Margaret River are quite manageable (though you will need to strip down even on the smaller crossings such as Boodjidup and Wilyabrup). I do not advise crossing the Margaret River unless you are experienced at river crossings. The flow is quite strong and the underlying sand is thigh/hip deep. It is very easy to lose your footing !
• Use the alternate Caves Rd route to bypass the Margaret River.
• There is an abundance of wildflowers for the entire distance of the track. The orchids are out and the stunningly pink Winged Borania are prolific.
• Both our legged and unlegged reptilian freinds are starting to make guest appearances. Gaitors or long pants are recommended.
• Dont attempt the walk without a copy of Jane Scott’s Cape to Cape guidebook.

Please be aware that track condtions change on a daily basis. This information is current for the week beginning 21st September 2009 and we take no responsibility for your Cape to Cape experience!

Overnighting on the Cape to Cape track. Good times!

The Margaret River Discovery Co are offering fully catered/guided day walks on the Cape to Cape track, starting at $150 pp.