The proposal was put before a committee meeting last Monday; however, is yet to go before the Council in full.

In a report to the committee meeting, Cabonne's Director and Finance and Corporate Services Steve Harding supported the proposal but warned the council could potentially face criticism from private operators.

Mr Harding told the committee the Museum had contemplated applying for a special Governor's Licence was quite some time and that it was identified in the Museum's 2003 Strategic Plan.

A Governor's Licence is a highly limited licence to sell wine, and usually associated with a form of promotional event or service.

Conditions attached to a Governor's Licence include that wine is sold for takeaway purposes only, in pre-packaged two bottle wines packs of locally produced wine.

A maximum of three wine packs can be purchased at any one time, by any person of legal age

All staff at the Visitors Information Centre have to complete a responsible Service of Alcohol course prior to the licence being granted.

Mr Harding said the museum has recently received information from the Yass Information Centre - the first in the state to obtain a Governor's licence - that indicated it made a 10 per cent profit from the sales of the wine packs.

However, Mr Harding wrote, a local resident has recently opened Taste Canowindra, which offers tastings and sells wine primarily from Canowindra.

In his report, Mr Harding warned that the addition of a Governor's licence attract "potential for criticism from the operators of Taste Canowindra".

He had sought the opinion of the Progressing Canowindra team, but the team wished to remain neutral and not favour any business ventures.