Margaret River

Margaret River is in the South West region of Western Australia, around 270km south of Perth on the Leeuwin-Naturaliste peninsula. The region stretches from Cape Naturaliste in the north to Cape Leeuwin in the south, where the Indian and Southern Oceans meet.

The drive from Perth to Margaret River township takes around 3 hours via the Forrest and Bussell Highways, covering roughly 270km. Many visitors break the trip in Bunbury or Busselton, and the upper Margaret River wine region near Yallingup can be reached in about 2 hours 45 minutes.

Both. Margaret River is the name of the main township (population around 8,000), but it also refers to the broader wine and tourism region that includes settlements such as Yallingup, Dunsborough, Cowaramup, Prevelly, Witchcliffe and Augusta. When people say they are visiting Margaret River, they usually mean the wider region rather than just the town.

The Margaret River wine region has around 150 cellar doors and produces just over 20 percent of Australia's premium wine despite making up less than 3 percent of the national crush. The region is internationally recognised for its Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, with Semillon Sauvignon Blanc blends also a regional signature.

Vasse Felix is the original, planted in 1967 as the region's first commercial vineyard, and is followed by other founding estates such as Cullen Wines, Cape Mentelle, Moss Wood and Leeuwin Estate. Voyager Estate, Xanadu, Stella Bella and Howard Park are also widely regarded, and most cellar doors are clustered along Caves Road and the Bussell Highway between Yallingup and Wilyabrup.

The Cape to Cape Track is a 124km coastal walking trail that runs the length of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park between the lighthouses at Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin. Most end-to-end walkers take 5 to 8 days, but the track is well set up for shorter day walks and section hikes from multiple access points along Caves Road.

The Margaret River Pro is a World Surf League Championship Tour event held each April at Surfers Point near Prevelly, where the Margaret River meets the Indian Ocean. The famous breaks here, including Margarets Main Break and The Box, also draw recreational surfers year round, with the biggest swells arriving in autumn and winter.

The Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge holds more than 100 limestone caves, with six set up for visitors along Caves Road: Ngilgi near Yallingup, and Mammoth, Lake, Jewel, Calgardup and Giants Cave further south. Mammoth, Lake and Jewel are operated by the Margaret River Busselton Tourism Association, while Calgardup and Giants are self-guided caves run by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.

September to May offers the most reliable weather for outdoor activities, with warm dry summers between December and February. March and April are particularly popular for wine lovers as the vintage is in full swing and the Margaret River Pro brings the coast to life, while September to December is best for whale watching in Geographe Bay.

Margaret River township is the most central base and suits first-time visitors, while Dunsborough and Yallingup in the north put you closest to Geographe Bay beaches and the upper wine region. Prevelly is the choice for surfers, and the small town of Cowaramup sits in the heart of the cellar door country.

The Margaret River region is the traditional Country of the Wadandi (Saltwater) people, part of the broader Noongar nation of the south west of Western Australia. Wadandi custodians continue to care for the land, caves and coastline, and cultural tours with Wadandi guides are available through operators such as Koomal Dreaming.