Margaret River is a town in the Margaret River Valley, located around 277 kilometres south of Perth. Affectionately referred to as, “the Margs,” the area is the perfect balance between outdoor recreation and a refined wine destination.

The area is renown for both its fantastic surf breaks as well as for the Margaret River Wine Region, which brings in around 500,000 visitors annually.

Margaret River: What to Do

Margaret River is one of Western Australia’s primary food and wine regions.

As such, it is arguably the premier destination in Western Australia for foodies and wine enthusiasts.

The area has over 120 wineries, which produce some of Australia’s best cabernet sauvignon, semillon, sauvignon blanc, merlot, and shiraz.  

Some of the best wineries in the region are Leeuwin Estate, Xandu Wines, and Voyager Estate.  In addition to having tasting rooms and variety of wine tasting experiences, the majority of the wineries also have their own restaurants, allowing visitors to pair some of the Margaret River Region’s fine wines with some of its finest fresh seasonal cuisine.

 Margaret River is home to a number of wine festivals and events throughout the year, the largest of which being the four-day Margaret River Gourmet Escape in November, which attracts some of both Australia’s and the worlds best chefs and wine-makers.  However, Margaret River isn’t just about wine.

 The area is also home to a number of award-winning restaurants and excellent breweries.  The area has the wonderful gift of being able to access both fresh seafood right from the ocean as well as excellent local meats, vegetables, and fruits from the surrounding valley.

Visitors can also browse the local farmers markets where they can enjoy fresh, local cheese, handmade chocolates, and other baked and fresh items.

Margaret River really is the total package when it comes to the food and wine holiday.  The Margaret River Visitor Centre is a great place to start your culinary adventure as it can provide tips regarding when to go and how to even begin your trip.

 Of course there is more than just food and wine in Margaret River.  The area is also home to fantastic beaches and world-class surfing.  In fact, it was the surf that originally put Margaret River on the map.  The area is known internationally as one of the premier big wave surfing locations in the world.

The area is home to over 40 top surfing spots that offer everything from powerful reef breaks to fun beach surf.

 It is typical for Margaret’s Main Break, aka Surfer’s Point, to be host international surf events and the nearby Cowaramup Bombora, aka Cow Bombie, two kilometres offshore consistently produces one of the biggest waves in Australia.

If surfing isn’t for you, Margaret River is home to a variety of beaches that are prefect for a number of activities.

Visitors can swim with dolphins at Bunbury and Rockingham.  Yallingup offers a wonderful beach for swimming, fishing, or simply relaxing the day away lounging in the sand and listening to the surf.

Likewise, Dunsborough offers a wonderful stretch of secluded beach that is excellent for swimming, surfing, and diving.  Dunsborough is home to to the HMAS Swan shipwreck, which is a very popular dive site.  

At Busselton, visitors can walk along the southern hemisphere’s largest timber jetty as well as visit the wonderful variety of colorful coral and fish at the Underwater Observatory in Busselton.  If you want to see some bigger fish, go whale watching at the Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse in Geographe Bay.  Finally, Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park offers some wonderful walking trials that allow visitors to take in the dramatic coastline of the area.  Margaret River truly is a recreational haven.  

Finally, the Margaret River Region is home to several hundred caves, some of which are open to the public.

All of the caves are situated in the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park.  The most famous cave is Mammoth Cave, which is a multi-chambered cave located around 21 kilometres south of the town of Margaret River.

 Mammoth contains fossils dating back 35,000 years and can be toured with a self-guided audio tour.

The other caves open to the public are Jewel Cave, Lake Cave, Ngilgi Cave, Calgardup Cave, and Giants Cave.

Where to Stay

The town offers visitors to the area no shortage of accommodation options.  With everything from opulent resorts, hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, vacation rentals, backpacker’s hostels, caravan parks, and camping grounds there is something for every budget and preference in Margaret River.

How to Get There

Margaret River is accessible by road and is only a 3-hour and 20 minute drive from Perth.  There is also regular coach service between Perth and Margaret River.

If you really want to travel in style, then take a chartered flight into nearby Busselton.