Nola Marino (Forrest, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Congratulations to the three Margaret River wineries that won awards at the National Wine Show: Devil's Lair, Once & Well, and Evans & Tate. But none of these awards would have been possible without the efforts of Dr John Gladstones AM, the widely respected agronomist who in 1965 originally recognised and identified Margaret River's suitability for growing wine grapes, with its conditions similar to those of Bordeaux in France. John worked closely with Vasse Felix's Tom Cullity, who planted the original vines in Margaret River, and the region is now world renowned for its quality vines and is home to around 200 wine producers in the regions. Gladstones also became one of the world's leading authorities on lupins as a crop plant and also bred subterranean clovers.

This quiet and unassuming but outstanding leader, Dr John Gladstones, passed away recently at the age of 92—deepest sympathy to his family. John has left a remarkable, an enduring and a permanent legacy. Vale, John Gladstones. He was able to pioneer what we've seen in the wonderful Margaret River region and left an indelible mark, and we are intensely grateful for the effort that he put in originally to identify the Margaret River region as one suitable to grow the fabulous wine that is enjoyed around the world.