Ron and Kay Macfarlane established the Margaret River Regional Wine Centre (MRRWC) back in March 1996. Later that same year, they produced the first edition of this newsletter.

The following lead story in that first edition underlines the Macfarlane legacy and the guiding vision that remains today – to establish a central point to provide the wine tourist with all the information needed to ensure an enjoyable stay in our region.

Little did Ron know that the intervening years would see the centre shipping wine to all over Australia and the rest of the world, far off corners such as Anchorage in Alaska and Banff in the far north of Scotland.

Not bad for a little shop in a little village in one of the most remote corners of the globe.

The legacy lives on.
The extract from the first newsletter (right) illustrates how it was then and how it remains today. It’s just that, thanks to the Macfarlanes, the Margaret River Regional Wine Centre’s market is now a lot bigger.

Ron Macfarlane, inducted
into the Augusta Margaret
River Tourist Association
Hall of Fame.

It has been said that nature abhors a vacuum and this couldn't be truer where our new Margaret River Regional Wine Centre is concerned.

We conceived the idea for the region's first wine centre during the five years my wife and I operated Basildene Homestead, an exclusive heritage listed guesthouse in Margaret River. While there we noticed 80% of our guests stayed in the area only one night and were unable to taste and buy regional wines due to their tight travel schedules.

There was an obvious gap waiting to be filled – somewhere to obtain information, taste an extensive range of local styles, buy wine at competitive prices and provide a comprehensive mail order service – all under the same roof.

Basically, we've made it easy for visitors with limited time. Yet sending wine anywhere in the world is just part of the service we offer.

It is important to add that we are also here to complement what the regional wineries have to offer, by providing an ideal starting point for those seeking the local vineyard experience.

If someone has a penchant for cabernet or perhaps pinot noir, we can direct them to the wineries renowned for those wines. We can also point out some of the smaller wineries, which are now producing stunning wines and are giving the bigger, better-known players a serious run for their money.

Apart from offering daily comparative tastings and showcasing featured wines of the region, the centre also offers wine tour itineraries, a wineries database and our quarterly newsletter featuring our specially selected tasting dozen.

We believe we are providing a long overdue service for the region and that the wineries, locals and visitors will benefit greatly from the new centre.
-- Ron Macfarlane