MARGARET RIVER AND WESTERN AUSTRALIA'S SOUTH WEST
While heading Margaret River for a glass of white wine is the first point for call for most when visiting Western Australia’s South West but you will need to visit Search and Stay for a holiday rental and stay for a few weeks because there is an enormous amount to offer here. With a host of self-contained apartments and accommodation, not only is there exceptional food and wine, renowned worldwide, but the spectacular beaches are also something to behold.
Surfing and Swimming in Western Australia’s South West
While this is no news to die-hard surfers, at Prevelly, you can follow in the footsteps of the world’s best who flock to the perfectly named Surfers Point for the annual Margaret River Pro.
For those who don’t fancy grabbing a longboard, there’s swimming and snorkeling to enjoy all along the amazing coastline.
When you’re not sipping your Semillon Sauvignon Blanc matched with local truffles and freshwater crayfish grab your towel because you’ll find some of Australia’s top swimming spots at Dunsborough, Eagle Bay, Denmark and Albany.
If scuba diving is more your thing, just a short distance off Dunsborough's coast, divers can check out HMAS Swan. At 113 metres long she’s one of the largest accessible dive wrecks in the southern hemisphere.
Want to enjoy the underwater experience without getting wet? Try Busselton Jetty Underwater Observatory.
WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK IN MARGARET RIVER AND SOUTH WEST, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Western Australian wine regions are clustered in the state's cooler, coastal, southwest corner. Home to six distinct wine regions including the celebrated Margaret River which is one of Australia’s largest wine regions with more than 200 vineyards. The South West of Western Australia also offers some of Australia’s best ‘paddock to plate’ fresh produce. Enjoy fresh marron, trout, venison, chocolates, cheeses, cherries, boutique beers and ciders as well as the rare black truffle – more of them are produced in Manjimup than anywhere else in Australia.
History, Art and Culture in Western Australia's South West
Delve into the history, art and culture of the South West’s first inhabitants, the Nyoongar people at various indigenous centres and tours across the region. You’ll also find exceptional South West artistic talent including painters, sculptors, furniture makers, jewelry designers and hand-blown glass artists. Head to the coastal city of Albany, the beautiful Princess Royal Harbour and King George Sound surround the historical city. King George Sound was the site of Western Australia’s first European settlement.
Albany also plays a significant role in the ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) legend. Being the last port of call for troopships departing Australia in the First World War - for thousands, it was the last time they stepped on Australian soil. you must visit the National Anzac Centre based here.
Nature experiences in Western Australia's South West
You’ll get a bird’s eye view of towering tingle trees in the Valley of the Giants, between Denmark and Walpole, where the world-first Tree Top Walk is suspended 40 metres above the forest floor. The South West is also home to giant Jarrah, Karri, Marri and Stuart trees. Near Pemberton you can climb a trio of karri trees, up to 75 metres high, using climbing pegs to reach lookout towers.
Get hiking along the spectacular coastal Cape to Cape Track, the bushland Bibbulmun Track, or out to the Porongurup Range’s Granite Skywalk.
Take off on two wheels along the Munda Biddi off-road cycling experience and other world-class mountain biking paths. Or head underground into one of the mesmerizing labyrinths. With more than 150 limestone caves dotted along the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge in the Margaret River region, it is an ancient underworld. Notably, Ngilgi, Mammoth, Lake and Jewel caves all encrusted with gleaming crystal ornaments.
And of course synonymous with Western Australia is one of its many and unforgettable whale experiences. From January to April, take an orca tour from Bremer Bay to see the southern hemisphere’s largest killer whale pod in a deep-sea canyon 70 kilometres offshore. Between June and November, witness the annual migration of humpback, southern right and blue whales from Albany’s shores, or get even closer to the breaching and tail-slapping action on a whale-watching cruise
For more information try Western Australia's South West.