Travel Tuesdays: This Gay-Owned Winery is Just One Reason to Head to Western Australia

While more than ten times as many visitors head to Australia's eastern hotspots than to Western Australia, WA is the largest state down under at nearly the size of Alaska, Texas, and California combined. Covering more than a million square miles, it's home to mountain ranges, vast desert, a craggy coastline with formidable surf, and a verdant wine region. Wild kangaroos populate fields like sheep here (something you won't find as readily in the more visited East) and you'll want to rent car or hire a driver to take you to each region you plan to visit outside the capital city of Perth.

There's enough here to fill a few weeks, especially with the sometimes considerable distances between points of interest, so you may want to focus on a particular region or two of this vast state on a first visit if a monthlong sojourn isn't in the cards; Cornelis Scheepers, co-owner of the completely LGBT-owned and operated Ampersand Estates, recommends the southwest corner for a start. He spoke with EDGE about leaving tech and entering the world of hospitality in Western Australia with his business partner, Melissa Bell, why he loves this part of the world, and what you should check out when you make your own way here.

EDGE: How did you make your way to starting a winery and distillery?

Cornelis Scheepers: Melissa and I sold our management consulting and tech startup to Deloitte in 2019. Being a Deloitte partner was a great privilege, but I missed breathing that entrepreneurial air that makes me feel alive, so I took a 3-month sabbatical and spent it on this very old, run-down vineyard we bought a few years back as an investment. During my sabbatical, I found time to think about my career and life. I wanted to wake up in the morning excited about the day and do things that made me happy, surrounding myself with happy people.

I started the winery and distillery because I craved creativity and passion. The vineyard was run down, the properties uninhabitable, and the kangaroos used the old tasting room as a chillout lounge. The whole place was a mess, but it was the mess I needed in my life. I grew up on a farm in South Africa and there was just something about this old vineyard that brought back incredible childhood memories; I had this immense energy to start fixing it up and make a great again. I'm an entrepreneur. I love creating something out of nothing.

EDGE: We all have hobbies and passions, but what convinced you this was a worthwhile business?

Cornelis Scheepers: I realized I could make a big impact in our community. The vineyard is based in the Southern Forests of Western Australia, and we're completed surrounded by national forest. Our government is protecting our forests from logging, but that also severely impacted the local industries economically. I saw so many success stories in the US of small towns being revived by local inventions and challenged myself to do the same.

As such, Melissa and I set up a distillery called Rainfall Distillery. We partner with farmers to create beautiful gins and vodkas from scratch by using local produce such as potatoes, honey, cherries, limes, lemons, oranges, macadamia nuts, walnuts, etc. The Southern Forests are the food basket of Western Australia and I thought that, if we could find a way of leveraging this fresh produce and creating secondary industries in the community, we could make a difference in the local economy and protect the forests at the same time. Our entire renovation was done by local tradesman and builders. We also employ locally and work on ways to build global business skills in our teams. We now have a young employee studying at one of the top universities in Australia–the first in her family to go to university. We're making a difference!

EDGE: How did Melissa become your business partner in all of this?

Cornelis Scheepers: Melissa and I met in 2012 in Perth. She's American and I'm South African, and we each decided to make Australia home one day. We both worked at a local management consulting firm in the city–she was the only lesbian on the team, I was the only gay, and it just made sense that we should be friends!

Over countless bottles of wine on my small apartment balcony, we dreamt of starting our own firm. You know, those conversations where you start off with a small idea and 5 minutes later you own a yacht and live in Monaco. Well, it's easy to take a risk when you have nothing to lose, so we did. We started The Terrace Initiative, a management consulting firm that disrupts the world of management consulting and before we knew it, we were living on Qantas planes flying between 7 offices across multiple countries. We sold our startup to Deloitte in 2019 and became partners of the global firm. It was our new life until that run down vineyard crossed our paths.

EDGE: When did Ampersand Estates officially open, and what can guests find there?

Cornelis Scheepers: Ampersand Estates opened in the Australian summer of 2021 (December 18). It's a beautiful 42-acre vineyard enveloped by forests of karri, marri, and jarrah. It's the region's oldest wine estate and offers exciting, contemporary event and accommodation venues. We pride ourselves on our stunning luxury accommodation, premium wines, and unique handcrafted sprits. We encourage our guests to experience exceptional, languid afternoons with gourmet picnics in the wilderness.
I believe we offer the opportunity to create lifelong memories one can't find anywhere else in the world:

-Private luxury accommodation in the pristine natural beauty of the Southern Forests
-Exclusive degustation wine tastings with the Ampersand Estates owners
-Long table gourmet picnic experience in the barn showcasing fresh local produce
-Southern Forests fine dining under the Southern Cross with Aboriginal musicians playing authentic instruments on the banks of the Donnelly River
-Private tours of the hidden gems of the Southern Forests in true Outback adventure style, experiencing the awe-inspiring sights of the Yeagerup Dunes rising up above the surrounding karri forests
-Sunset cocktails in the vines with kangaroos and canapes
-DIY gourmet cooking of authentic Australian cuisines with bespoke menus prepared by local celebrity chefs
-Walking amid the giants of the ancient karri forests
-Marveling at the remote beaches of the vast Southern Ocean

EDGE: As an international businessman, what compelled you to this region, specifically?

Cornelis Scheepers: The Southern Forest of Western Australia is one of the most breathtaking regions on our continent. Scenic beauty is next level and the region still offers that road-less-traveled experience away from the mass produced and commercial adventures so many of us have had. Not everyone even knows we exist, but those who do refer to this region as the best kept secret in Australia.

The Southern Forests and Valleys is the perfect region to experience natural beauty in Australia. The region produces some of the world's best produce that includes truffles, stone fruits, avocadoes, cherries, strawberries, honey, etc. We have access to Australia's best and most incredible surfing beaches, wines, distilleries, chocolatiers, mountain biking paths, forest tracks, inland dunes, kayaking, and more. It's the perfect destination for both the outdoor adventurists and the global foodie travelers.

EDGE: How welcoming is this area to the LGBT community?

Cornelis Scheepers: Our region is one of the most progressive LGBT regions in the world and is currently represented in Pride WA, Sydney WorldPride 2023, and many more local prides. The entire spirits range of Ampersand Estates represents the colors of the pride flag, and our 2022 Sauvignon Blanc is dedicated to Pride 2023. You'll see these on offer in all local restaurants, bars, wine and tapas bars, etc.

EDGE: For those with time to travel onward, what are some of your favorite spots in WA outside of the southwest?

Cornelis Scheepers: Southwest WA is incredible, but there are so many stunning places to see outside of here. If beaches are your thing, the kangaroos on the beaches of Esperance are just one of those unique things you can't find anywhere else. If national parks are your thing, make sure you visit Karijini National Park. It's an ideal place to indulge in your adventurous side. Swim in the rock gorges and your life will never be the same! Or, if swimming with wildlife in the ocean is your thing, Monkey Mia and Exmouth will ignite every sense in your body and you might feel small and humble in the presence of the greatest ocean life on our planet. If you like boats, make sure you jump on the ferry or rent a private yacht to explore Rottnest Island. Not only can you join Rodger Federer and many other celebrities in taking a smiling quokka selfie, but you can also experience the best island in Australia. If you like to discover intimate bars, restaurants, and artisanal beverages, Fremantle is just the right place for you. I love, love, love summer nights in the old town, bar hopping! If you're into the arts, make sure you come in January and February; that's when we have multiple art festivals in Perth, including Fringe.

EDGE: Since most people will enter and exit through Perth, what are some top recs for grabbing a bite and a drink while there?

Cornelis Scheepers: Here are some of my favorites. Rockpool Bar & Grill–Head Chef Brendan Owens comes to Ampersand Estate often. He's a local favorite and celebrity chef. Ask for his special Rainfall cocktails! Wildflower, in COMO The Treasury, changes its menu according to the Aboriginal seasons. Go to https://www.cooeeperth.com/|Cooee Perth, overlooking the Swan River in the city, to connect with Perth like nowhere else. Darling Darling is a true pirate bar where you'll find yourself in a different world for an hour or two. And any seaside fish and chips café. Wrap it in a paper bag, buy a local sparkling wine, and have dinner on the beach watching the sunset. This is my favorite dinner in all of Western Australia.