Margaret River Activities

Worth getting out of bed for

Viewpoint

It’s a bit of a drive but the view from Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, the tallest on mainland Australia, is worth it (www.margaretriver.com). This is where the Indian and Southern oceans meet and the area is teeming with incredible wildlife including sea lions, dolphins and whales.

Arts and culture

All that wine is obviously proving inspirational as the region is peppered with some great galleries representing local and Western Australian artists. Yallingup Galleries (www.yallingupgalleries.com.au) and Gunyulgup Galleries (www.gunyulgupgalleries.com.au) are both excellent and exhibit paintings, prints, ceramics and glass. For contemporary fine art head to the Purist Gallery (www.puristgallery.com).

Something for nothing

This area is a fisherman’s dream so the options for catching your own dinner are endless. Cast your rod from a boat, jetty or riverbank and you’ll find bream, herring and yellowfin whiting snapping at your line. Beach fishing along the coast is also an option.

Shopping

If there's room in your case after visiting the vineyards then head to the amiable town of Margaret River for its galleries and boutiques. At the Natural Olive Oil Soap Factory (www.oliveoilsoapfactory.com.au) you can watch soap being made on the factory floor and trial their feel-good body products.

Daytripper

Several hundred caves lie within the craggy limestone coastline but only a handful are open to the public. Of these the most famous is the multi-chambered Mammoth Cave that was first discovered in 1850 and the enormous Jewel and sparkling Lake Caves (www.margaretriver.com).

Best beach

Margaret River’s sublime beaches should tempt you away from winery-hopping. Eagle Bay offers kaleidoscopic snorkelling opportunities, Yallingup Beach has a sheltered lagoon and Meelup, near Dunsborough, is another great swimming spot. Diving here is also excellent and the purposely-scuttled HMAS Swan Wreck is a highlight.

Perfect picnic

Pack your picnic hamper with Brie and Camembert from the Margaret River Dairy Company (www.mrdc.com.au), grab a bottle of your favourite wine and get set for some al fresco dining either on the beach or near the vines.

Walks

The spectacular coastal and forest Cape to Cape Walk (www.capetocapetrack.com.au) might be a trample too far at 135km but there are plenty of access points along the way meaning you can join the track for as little or long as you like; maps are available from the visitor centre (www.margaretriver.com).

Children

A handful of wineries such as Xanadu (www.xanaduwines.com) and Cape Mentelle (www.capementelle.com.au) have play areas to keep the kids occupied and you in the cellar door. The Yallingup Shearing Shed will have everyone oohing and aahing at the baby lambs (www.margaretriver.com) and at the Wonky Windmill Farm & Eco Park (www.wonkywindmillfarm.com.au) the little ones can hang out and feed pigs, ponies, alpacas and emus. Lose the kids – temporarily – in new attraction the Yallingup Maze (www.yallingupmaze.com.au), which promises to be kid heaven.

Activities

Margaret River is the surfing capital of Western Australia, so why not learn to cut some waves? The coastline between Capes Naturaliste and Leeuwin offers clean waters, world-class waves and year-round powerful reef breaks (mainly left handers). There are a number of small beach breaks perfect for inexperienced and novice surfers too. Yallingup Surf School is a good port of call, offering group, private and couples classes, as well as three-day courses (www.yallingupsurfschool.com).

And...

For an alternative view of the area, canoe up the Margaret River, while exploring Aboriginal culture and teasting on wild foods, with Bushtucker Tours (www.bushtuckertours.com). Tours costs AU$80 for adults, and depart from Prevelly Beach at the river mouth, running from 10am to 2pm.