MARGARET RIVER IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Margaret River in Western Australia is a picturesque region located no more than 300 km south of Perth, most famous for boutique-size wineries, and remarkable wines. You will also find there some pristine beaches, beautiful rock formations, and bush campsites tucked away from civilisation. This destination is a great idea not only for a weekend trip from Perth, but also for longer holidays. In this blog post, I’m going to share with you some of the best things to do in Margaret River in Western Australia. Let’s get straight into it!

LIGHTHOUSES

Margaret River region in Western Australia is spanning for over 100 km from north to south, between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin. There are two iconic lighthouses standing on guard over the rugged coastline open for visitors. The admission fee to Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse is AUD 15. The ticket to Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse costs a bit more, AUD 20 to be exact. Cape Leeuwin is also special for another reason. It’s the most south-westerly point of Australia, where the Southern Ocean and Indian Ocean meet.

WALKING TRACKS

I absolutely love Margaret River in Western Australia for a tremendous amount of walking tracks with splendid views. If you enjoy multi day hikes, check out the Cape to Cape Track. It’s Australia’s longest coastal trail that has 135 km in total, and runs through immensely beautiful Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park. Find out more about this trek in separate blog posts, Cape to Cape Track: need to know, and Cape to Cape Track: 7-day itinerary. If you don’t feel like doing the entire hike, you can always do a shorter section.

ROCK FORMATIONS

Margaret River region in Western Australia is also known for spectacular rock formations. Sugarloaf Rock is one of my favourites here. It’s a majestic granite rock that emerges from the Indian Ocean extremely close to the mainland. Absolutely stunning! Canal Rocks is another place worth a visit. It’s a very impressive, narrow channel between the granite rocks. Last, but not least, The Aquarium and Injidup Natural Spa. These are two secluded rock pools perfect for a leisure swim. Make sure to add them to your itinerary too.

CAVES

Margaret River region in Western Australia is home to over 100 caves that have been formed over the last million years. Not all of them are open for tourists though. If you are keen to venture underground and see some unique formations, consider a visit in Ngilgi Cave, Mammoth Cave, Lake Cave or Jewel Cave. I decided to visit Jewel Cave, and was very satisfied with the tour. It was very interesting, and the cave itself is absolutely gorgeous. The entry fee is AUD 22,50 for an adult. The site is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

BEACHES

Margaret River in Western Australia is full of pristine beaches. Some of them can only be accessed in a 4WD vehicle or reached on foot. Beaches located close to the towns are very often packed, especially in summer. Hamelin Bay is quite popular, but worth a visit anyway. You can spot here huge stingrays which is pretty cool. If you are looking for some secluded beaches with no people at all, get into your 4WD car or hike a section of the Cape to Cape Track. The best beaches in this region are not even marked on the map!

WATERFALLS

What else is worth doing in Margaret River in Western Australia? Let’s chase some waterfalls! Quinninup Falls is located near Yallingup. You can visit this one all year round. Luckily, water is flowing there even in summer. It’s a bit hidden, and a short stroll is needed to get up close. Just follow the google maps directions, and you will be fine. Meekadarribee Falls is located between Gracetown and Margaret River. It’s much easier to get there, but avoid visiting in summer. The waterfall was completely dry back in December.

FORESTS

What’s more calming than a walk in the forest? Boranup Karri Forest in Margaret River in Western Australia is dominated by Eucalyptus diversicolor, one of the tallest hardwoods in the world. If you want to disconnect from the outside world, and chill out far from civilisation, go camping at one of the bush campgrounds, and stroll around aimlessly. Conto Campsite has a decent infrastructure, but it’s generally more crowded. Whereas Point Road Campsite is hidden in the bush, and accessible for 4WD cars only.

TOWNS

Looking for some city vibes? Check the following towns, Augusta, Margaret River, Dunsborough or Busselton. I highly recommend to visit the last one because it’s quite special. Busselton has a 1,8 km long, timber piled jetty, which is the longest jetty in the southern hemisphere. It takes around an hour to do the end-to-end walk. The entry fee is AUD 4 for an adult. Other attractions include a jetty train and underwater observatory. If you want to grab a drink in Busselton, make sure to visit The Fire Station.

WINERIES

I should have probably mentioned it earlier, but it’s never too late, right? Don’t forget to go wine-tasting in Margaret River in Western Australia. This region is well-recognised for boutique-size wineries, and remarkable wines. There are over 200 wineries in total! Some of them offer winery tours. Unfortunately, I haven’t done that yet, so I can’t recommend you any specific tour, but I hope that will change soon. I just need to get myself a driver, because driving after drinking is not the smartest thing to do. Wish me luck!

These are the best things to do in Margaret River in Western Australia. Where will you go first? Let me know by leaving a comment below!

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Hey, it’s Karolina, the author of this blog. If you find my content valuable and helpful, I would be more than grateful, if you could support my work, and buy me a coffee. I do love writing my blog, and creating content for you guys. Thank you!