Western Australia has some magical places to enjoy and Margaret River comfortably finds itself on the list of top locations. There are lots of reasons to visit what WA has to offer, but occasionally you stumble across something that ticks so many boxes it’d be hard not to have fun. Margaret River is world renowned for a whole variety of attractions and is worth at least a few nights to soak it up.
You’ll find Margaret River in the South West of WA, in amongst the Karri forests, vineyards, spectacular beaches and incredible caves. It’s only 3 hours away from Perth, and extremely close to a number of amazing locations including Hamelin Bay, Busselton, Dunsborough, Prevelly and Augusta.
Redgate Beach is just one of the incredible places to visit.
What makes Margaret River so good?
There is something for everyone to enjoy around Margaret River. Whether you are an adrenalin junkie, food lover, wine addict, nature aficionado, 4WD owner, avid fisherman, craft-a-holic or local produce enthusiast, you’ll find lots to do. If you are chasing a relaxing break away with lots of time spent at a spa, it ticks that box too. Margaret River is home to numerous festivals every year and is visited by WA locals, travellers and international visitors year round.
There are so many wineries to enjoy.
Margaret River weather
Much like the rest of southern Australia, the south west of WA receives its rain and colder weather between June and August. The warmer months are December, January, February and March. Regardless of what the weather is doing, it’s a spectacular place to visit year round. In summer, the south-west is a hugely popular destination for those who live further north, as it’s an escape from the hotter weather.
Whatever the season, you can enjoy what the area has to offer.
Adventure in Margaret River
There are more adventure activities to do in Margaret River than you can poke a stick at. From canoeing the beautiful Margaret River to world-class surfing and body boarding, hiking, mountain bike trails, cave exploration, adventure rope courses, cliff abseiling, helicopter rides and the list goes on. If you love adrenalin, the south-west of WA is one giant playground.
If you are keen on some serious adventure, do an adventure caves tour at one of the bigger caves; you’ll go beyond the usual tourist path and crawl, climb and slide your way through some of the most beautiful underground caves in Australia.
Margaret River has world-class surfing.
Food and wine
Margaret River is famous for its food and wine. With the annual Gourmet Escape festival held in November each year, and more wineries than you’ll know what to do with, it’s a combination you’ll never tire of. A lot of produce is created in the South West; from fresh wood-fired bread to delicious fruit, chocolate, cheese, yoghurt, olive oil, candy, berries and the list keeps going.
Visiting the Margaret River Market.
The farmers market in Margaret River is held every Saturday morning at the education campus and is full of amazing produce that you can buy for a great price. This is 100% worth the visit, even if it’s just to top up your fruit supply and get a snack for breakfast!
There are more amazing places to have a meal at in the South-West than you’d be able to visit in weeks of staying there. Most wineries have amazing menus, with food that is truly spectacular. There is a heap of cafes and restaurants that also add a lot of value to the region, so check them out.
Margaret River is known for amazing wineries.
Nature
One of the major reasons so many people flock to the South West is the stunning natural beauty. From towering karri forests to some of the best beaches in the world and everything in between. You can spend weeks exploring the region.
The natural spa at Injidup Beach is hugely popular as are the many caves (Mammoth, Lake, Jewel and many more). If you don’t mind a bit of gravel driving, that can be somewhat corrugated the Boranup Forest Drive is spectacular, just off Caves Road.
If you are keen on seeing stingrays, Hamelin Bay Beach is a fantastic place to check out. It does get very busy though!
Explore Lake Cave when visiting the region.
4WDing and fishing
For us, the real attraction is the natural beauty, combined with great camping and 4WD tracks. With a bit of adventure, you’ll find some of the most amazing little 4WD tracks around Margaret River. They take you to pristine, quiet beaches or through incredible forests. Bob’s track, Point Road, Kilcarnup and North Point are just a couple of the amazing places you can take a 4WD.
Fishing in the area is fantastic off the many beaches and rocks, but the ocean can be unpredictable and rough, so stay safe when near waves that can roll in.
Explore the Point Road 4WD track.
Amazing beaches
If you are looking for beautiful beaches, then the South West has you covered. Many are 2WD accessible and easy to get to, whilst others require the use of a 4WD and tend to be more secluded. You can visit where the mouth of the Margaret River meets the ocean, or explore the many rock pools that line the coastline.
Beach access can be had in a huge number of locations from Dunsborough right the way down well past Hamelin Bay. Smiths Beach is a truly stunning location to spend the day, as is Gnarabup and Redgate. If it’s busy, or you want something different, just hop back in your car for a few minutes and drive to the next one!
There are some amazing hidden beaches at Margaret River.
Arts, crafts and local produce
A huge number of high-quality local produce comes from the Margaret River region. From fine woodworking furniture to glass blowing, jewellery, textiles, paintings and photography through to fruit and vegetables, you can be sure to pick up something amazing.
The chocolate factory, fudge factory, cheese factory, candy cow and a range of other foodie attractions make up a perfect tasting tour day out.
If you are after something a little different, there is a giant shell collection at Bellview Shells, just out of town that is absolutely amazing.
Check out the amazing food at the markets.
Accommodation at Margaret River
There is every form of accommodation you’d ever want around Margaret River. From unpowered bush campsites to beach shacks, glamping, backpackers, motels, apartments, tree houses, mud brick cottages, lifestyle blocks, bed and breakfasts, Airbnb’s, luxury resorts and super high-end homes for rent.
Being such a large area, you’ll find accommodation in Margaret River itself, Prevelly, Gnarabup, Boranup, Cowaramup, Metricup and Gracetown. Each location is unique, and beautiful in its own way.
You can stay near the beach, or set back on amazing properties with rolling hills, or nestled up amongst the karri forests with no one around for miles. There are some truly amazing homes that can be rented for a couple of families to stay at, and it works out pretty cheap overall.
Staying in a cabin at Boranup Forest is one of your options.
Camping around Margaret River
The best place to find a campsite in Margaret River is on the Wikicamps app. This shows you the well known (and some lesser known) camping locations in the area. You can stay close to the coastline, or set back amongst the forests.
There are a number of places that you can camp at, ranging from the usual caravan parks through to private property stays and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) sites like Jarrahdene and Contos.
Jarrahdene is a fairly new DBCA campground not far off Caves Road, nestled under the Karri Forest with well-maintained toilets, camp kitchens and lots of sites for different size camping setups. Booking is 100% online, so do it prior to arriving. This is a fantastic bush camping site and comes highly recommended.
Jarrahdene is a fantastic bush camping site.
Kids and Margaret River
If you’ve got young ones, there’s a huge amount of fun to be had in the Margaret River area. From the beautiful Rotary Park just out of town with its bridge over the river and great playground to a number of animal farms, winery playgrounds, kid safe beaches, mazes and cafés or town playgrounds, you’ll never be short of something to do.
The Rotary Park playground is perfect for the kids.
Other great places to check out
At the end of the day, the whole South West is a beautiful place. Augusta, Hamelin Bay, Yallingup, Dunsborough and Busselton are all spectacular places in their own right, but all within an hour’s drive of Margaret River. This means no matter where you stay, you have a huge range of options.
One thing worth mentioning is that you have options when it comes to the wind; sometimes the beaches at Margaret River are windy and unpleasant, but if you head up to Dunsborough often the beaches facing the other direction are perfectly flat, calm and beautiful.
Where Margaret River meets the ocean.
Is it busy?
Margaret River can be quite busy; it’s well known, and people come from all over to check it out. However, like anywhere, if you are prepared to look around you will find plenty of great places that allow you to have lots of peace and quiet. The main town and beaches are well known and get a lot of traffic. If you want to get away from the crowds, head to the lesser known attractions, or just follow your nose.
Margaret River is truly an amazing place, and rates highly for us as a place to head for a weekend away from Perth, or a week away from the big smoke. If you haven’t been there before, put it on the list; you’ll love it.
Are you going to add Margaret River to your destination list?
If it involves four-wheel driving, Aaron loves it. When he isn’t writing for his blog, 4WDing Australia or the Snowys Blog, you’ll find him camping and driving around Western Australia.