The Locals
Local Producers
While the striking landscape of the Western Australian Wheatbelt is ever-present, there is another level of experience waiting to be discovered.
Meet the artisan makers, who produce bespoke home grown product, that you won’t want to go without.
Walkers Hill Winery
Walkers Wines was established in 1995 with the first acre of shiraz vines planted, and the first vintage came in 1998.
Bill and Angela Walker were broad acre farmers, with a farm 8km north of Lake Grace. Having a patch of ironstone on which nothing seemed to yield well, Bill decided to try and diversify, and grow a different crop. And…with his love of wine, he decided grape vines seemed like a good alternative.
Although Bill was laughed out of the paddock ‘You can’t grow grapes out here. It’s not grape growing country’ he proceeded to pursue grapes. With a very large bull dozer they ripped the massive sheets of ironstone into rows and planted the first vines. Over the next five years Bill planted another acres of Shiraz grapes, along with an acre of chardonnay grapes. Bill persevered to get the vines trellised and trained. His efforts were rewarded when his 2002 Shiraz was awarded a Gold medal at the prestigious Mt Barker QANTAS Wine Awards. Many awards were to follow for both the Shiraz and Chardonnay.
In 2009 Bill sold the vineyard and in 2011 it was bought by the current owners, who have created a spectacular venue for events and dining.
- 6321 Kulin-Lake Grace Road, Lake Grace
- 0447 651 418
- [email protected]
Please phone ahead to ensure the winery is open
Marlu Farms
Marlu Farms Produce is made locally on the family farm in Hyden Western Australia, by Sandra Hunter. Using ingredients grown in the family garden, Marlu Farms produces a seasonal range of homemade preserves.
Meet Sandra, owner of Marlu Farms Produce
After completing schooling/university in Perth and working as an Environmental Advisor in the mining industry for 10+ years, Sandra and her husband decided to return to the family farm in 2015.
“Having grown up on the farm and being a part of an Italian family, the love of cooking and growing our own produce was already a large part of my life. This was something I tried to continue while living in Perth as much as I could, having our own veggie patch, cooking traditional recipes, and preserving as much as I could. And most importantly, sharing this with friends and loved ones.
On the farm, my parents had established a large orchard, olive grove and vegetable garden, which produced more than what we needed ourselves. There was only so much produce that we could gift, and the rest would end up with the chickens/sheep/alpacas, which I’m sure they were happy about. So slowly I started preserving as much as I could, creating new recipes and products tailored around the seasons, trying to take advantage of what I could source from the farm. Over time, the amount and range of my products grew, allowing me to start a small business of my own – Marlu Farms Produce.
My recipes are traditional, simple, clean, with no additives/preservatives and most importantly highlight the key ingredients grown here at Marlu Farms. Everything is handpicked, prepared by hand, chopped, sliced, diced by hand, cooked, and stirred by hand, jarred by hand, every label written by hand, and in most cases hand delivered. It doesn’t get more hands on then that!
I am so happy to be able to share my amazing products with you all.”
