Monday 1 December, 1.45pm – 6pm

The Australian wine business sector is being re-set.  A high volume of winery and vineyard assets are for sale, many driven by financial stress, but others by succession challenges or retirements.  On the other hand, some great wine businesses are taking the opportunity to expand and enhance their own business by acquiring quality assets at the bottom of the market.  So, there are a lot of industry players looking to either buy or sell at present.  The grape re-set is occurring.If you want to be a player in this process, this seminar is for you.  If you are a seller, this might be the most serious transaction of your career, being the culmination of your life’s work.  You need to understand how to maximise value and to avoid the pitfalls that could cost you dearly.

Find out more here and book.

Wednesday 3 December, 4pm – 6.30pm 
Idée Fixe Cellar Door, cnr Darch Road and Bussell Hwy, Margaret River
Celebrate the festive season with us with us while enjoying drinks and light refreshments at the new Idée Fixe Cellar Door. We will toast the year that was and share what’s ahead for sustainability from Margaret River Wine Association and Wines of Western Australia.

Free for MRWA or WoWA members, $25 non-members.

Register here.

Online Workshop
Wednesday 3 December, 1pm to 2.30pm

A practical and inspiring workshop designed for small and medium businesses to understand how sustainability isn’t just good for the planet – it’s good for business. This online workshop will unpack what climate action means in practice, showcase a local success story, and highlight actionable steps SMEs can take to strengthen competitiveness as we transition to a net zero economy.

In this interactive workshop, you’ll learn about:

• Overview of climate targets and government commitments

• Emissions reporting requirements and impacts for smaller businesses

• Rising customer/client and supply chain expectations around sustainability

• Understanding business risks from climate change

• Setting climate targets, measuring emissions and identifying actions

• Sustainability actions to prepare and future proof your business

Including a lived example from local business Rocky Ridge Brewing Co., to inspire and show that sustainable actions are possible and beneficial.

Register here.

Session 3: S = Social Responsibility

Wednesday 10 December 2025 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM AEDT

REGISTER

Guest speakers:

Our third webinar addresses the social elements of sustainability:

Session 4: G = Governance

Wednesday 21 January 2026 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM AEDT

REGISTER

Our fourth webinar addresses sustainability governance:

Learn how to safely operate a chainsaw.

This course covers the process of maintaining, preparing and operating hand-held chainsaws in a work environment.

Overview

Campus: Margaret River
When: All year round
Study Mode: On Campus

These skills can be transferred to the homestead, are useful for home gardners and could lead to employment in parks and gardens or landscaping.

You will gain skills and knowledge in understanding the correct type of chainsaw for a particular task, how to use the chainsaw, maintain the chainsaw and store suitable personal protective equipment.

You will also carry out routine checks and maintenance on a chainsaw, apply appropriate chainsaw techniques, cutting methods according to manufacturer’s specifications and documented low risk work procedures; assess and minimise environmental impacts of chainsaw use; maintain records of chainsaw training and certification, risk assessment and use.

On successful completion of this course, students will receive a statement of attainment for the following nationally accredited unit AHCMOM213 Operate and Maintain Chainsaws

Learn more.

Handle chemicals safely.

This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills required to manage risks associated with chemical use, and to understand your obligations in the areas of duty of care, quality assurance and environmental management.

Overview

Campus: Margaret River
When: All year round
Study Mode: On Campus

Participants will learn on a practical level how to improve their integrated pest management programmes, to better choose the right chemical for the job and to apply it more accurately.  The course is designed for people who will be spraying chemicals without supervision.

On successful completion of this course, students will receive a statement of attainment for the following nationally accredited units:

Learn more.

DFES Online-Bushfire-Fundamentals-Course

Bushfire Fundamentals has been developed to support those who undertake duties in supporting Incident Management Teams at bushfires. It is targeted at personnel working at incidents such as utility companies, St John WA, contractors, WA Police and Department of Defence. The course provides an overview of bushfire characteristics and behavior, bushfire safety and survival, the Australasian Inter-Service Incident Management System (AIIMS) and the role of WA fire agencies in bushfire response.

DFES Online-Rural-Fire-Awareness-Training

Rural Fire Awareness is targeted at farmer response brigades and seasonal workers to provide students with a basic awareness of fireground safety, suppression strategies and maintaining their safety when operating on a fireground.

Find WA Wines to the World past presentation’s and information sessions recordings here.

The adoption of organic and sustainable viticultural and winemaking practices is increasing around the world in response to climate change and economic, health and other social concerns of land managers and wine consumers. Organic and sustainable production systems have many similarities, with both aiming to protect and enhance the natural environment and ecological diversity. The two systems have different approaches to achieving those aims. In this webinar, Liz Pitcher will address some of the more common questions about these two production systems.

View webinar here.

A healthy soil is vital to ensure both high yields and future high yields, as well as environmental protection – there are no negative consequences on the ecosystem from having a healthy soil! But what IS a healthy soil?

Soil health can be defined as a soil’s ability to function and sustain plants, animals and humans as part of the ecosystem. This definition speaks to the importance of managing soils so they are sustainable for future generations. To do this, we need to remember that soil contains living organisms that, when provided the basic necessities of life – food, shelter, and water, – perform functions required to produce food and fibre.

This workshop aims to give participants an introduction to management practices and tools that work to repair and regenerate our soil ecosystems and build resilience from the ground up.

Session 1: Management practices to improve soil health & microbial diversity
Richard Leask, South Australian Viticulturalist & 2019 Nuffield Scholar

View live recording here.
Download PDF of presentation here.

Session 2: The soil health tool kit
Emeritus Professor Lynn Abbott
Download presentation here.

Find out more about the program and speakers here.

This event has been made possible through a collaboration between Lower Blackwood Catchment Land Conservation District Committee and the Margaret River Wine Association and is supported by Leaskagri, Wine Australia, Soil Dynamics and Grow Safe.

South Regional TAFE Margaret River campus offers a range of short courses including forklift operation, barista, first aid and evaluate wines.

Find courses here.

If you wish to discuss any skills / training requirements for your business please contact diana.fisher@srtafe.wa.edu.au

Further information on what skills / training is already available may be found at this here

Interactive Insights – book now for specialised training

Wine Australia has recently launched its new Interactive Insights portal and we’re offering tailored training on how to access targeted information for your state or region.

If you’re yet to do so, we’d encourage you to register for training here.

Eligible wine businesses can create a listing on the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW) at no cost to increase their online exposure. To take advantage of this opportunity, wineries can view the online training videos and see the new wine-related features, developed with funding from the Australian Government’s $50 million Export and Regional Wine Support Package.

Employers of vintage and pruning workers are invited to join Rural Enterprises, the Harvest Trail Services (HTS) Provider for the South West, to an online Information Session on:

Find Zoom recording here, the link also includes the PowerPoint Presentation and the Harvest Trail Services brochure.

Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code Online Training

This course includes a series of short videos, interspersed with questions, designed to educate and consolidate an alcohol marketer’s understanding of the ABAC system and the high standards for marketing and packaging alcohol in Australia.

Allow about 1 1/4 hours to complete the course.

Complete training here.

The conference will hear from grape and wine producers and leading researchers who will present the latest findings on bushfire preparedness, smoke effects and recovery from fire to ensure that grapegrowers, winemakers and businesses are better prepared, better informed and better equipped to handle the decisions that need to be made before, during and after bushfires.

Listen here.

Kickstart and exciting career in the wine industry.

On completion of this course you will gain insights in the procedural and technical tasks in bottling and packaging, cellar operations and laboratory testing, customer service tasks in cellar door, tasks related to wine grape growing and harvesting and post-harvesting.

Overview

Campus: Margaret River
When: Semester 1, 2025 | Semester 2, 2025
Study Mode: Full-Time

This qualification describes the skills and knowledge required for operational workers in the wine industry. These workers carry out skilled tasks under broad direction in a range of sectors. Some of these sectors include procedural and technical tasks in bottling and packaging, cellar operations and laboratory testing, customer service tasks in cellar door, tasks related to wine grape growing and harvesting and post-harvesting.

Learn more. 

The Chardonnay clone Gingin was imported into Western Australia in 1957 and has become one of Australia’s oldest recognised Chardonnay clones. While its phenotypic similarity to other Chardonnay clones has been noted, its exact origins remained a mystery. The AWRI has established a robust methodology for Chardonnay clonal identification that harnesses the detailed information provided by whole-genome DNA sequencing. This genomic technology was applied to unravel the history of this important grapevine clone by sequencing samples of Gingin and other clones suspected to be related to Gingin, including Mendoza and OF Chard. The findings shed light on the origins of these Chardonnay clones, while demonstrating the utility of the clonal genetic identification technology.

Watch recording.

Tourism Australia, Ultimate Winery Experiences and Wine Australia jointly present domestic marketing insights for wine and tourism businesses. Tourism Australia’s Robin Mack will discuss the renewed focus, strategy and support in the domestic market. Robin will also be sharing valuable consumer insights from their Consumer Demand Project and detail the tourism distribution ‘journey’.

Watch recording

Sustainable Winegrowing Australia is Australia’s national program for grapegrowers and winemakers to demonstrate and continuously improve their sustainability in the vineyard and winery through the environmental, social and economic aspects of their businesses. This webinar will provide an overview of the program including membership requirements, certification and use of the new Sustainable Winegrowing Australia trust mark.

Watch webinar recording

Pre-Recorded – register to receive link

Growers with uncontracted fruit may wish to consider resting their vineyard – that is, maintaining the vineyard asset under reduced management inputs and costs, until market conditions improve. This webinar looks at one of the resting options available to grapegrowers – the use of foliar applications of the plant growth regulator Ethephon.

Register here.

Join Wine Australia CEO Andreas Clark who will introduce the newly released Wine Australia Strategic Plan 2020–25. This Plan provides a pathway to support profitable, resilient and sustainable winegrape and wine businesses and addresses key issues including growing value, export, wine tourism, innovation, climate change, sustainability and biosecurity. In addition, Andreas will introduce the Annual Operational Plan outlining Wine Australia’s plans for the next 12 months. Also hear from Stu Barclay – Wine Australia’s GM Marketing, Dr Liz Waters – Wine Australia’s GM Research, Development and Adoption and Rachel Triggs – Wine Australia’s General Counsel and GM – Market Access in this webinar which is not to be missed!

Watch recording

9 July 12.30 pm – 1.30 pm

Australia’s climate is variable, and it is changing. Grapegrowers and winemakers in Australia are already adjusting practices in their vineyards and wineries to keep pace. However, to date, many of these changes have been reactive; driven by the changes that are experienced season-to-season.

The new, world-leading resource Australia’s Wine Future: A Climate Atlas will help improve our climate adaptation response, as it provides a range of detailed insights about how the climate is projected to change within each of Australia’s wine regions until 2100.

Presented by Dr Rebecca Harris and Dr Tom Remenyi of the Climate Futures team at the University of Tasmania, this webinar will explore The Climate Atlas and what it shows for Australian wine regions in the Regional Program clusters.

The Climate Atlas combines a series of climate change models to clearly show projected trends in temperature, rainfall, aridity and in their distribution patterns in regions of Australia where grapes are grown.

It will help to explore the regionally specific climate challenges that we will need to manage and includes an indication of which regions around the country are similar now to through to the predicted conditions in 2100, allowing growers and wineries to look to their peers and viticultural experts around the country on how to adapt for the future.

Click here to watch a special report on Landline about The Climate Atlas or here to download the Climate Atlas.

Watch webinar recording here

Expand your knowledge in the wine industry. 

This qualification will provide you with the practical skills and knowledge to meet the needs of managers in the viticulture industry.

Overview

Campus: Margaret River
When: Semester 2, 2025 | Semester 1, 2025
Study Mode: Full-Time | Part-Time

Learn more.