Some great tips on where to eat and what to do in the Margaret River Wine Region – click on Broadsheet to see the full listing.
The Margaret River region is three hours’ drive from Perth and stretches roughly 100 kilometres, from Busselton in the north to Augusta in the south.
Natural attractions
The region has everything you could ask for in a country escape. It’s best known for internationally recognised wines, amazing local produce and first-class dining. But it’s also home to some of the most diverse and beautiful natural destinations in the country. We’re talking pristine beaches, world-class surf breaks, dramatic cliffs, idyllic bays, tall-timber native karri forests and ancient cave systems. The region is also dotted with luxury spas, artist studios and artisan producers of everything from olive oil and chocolates to soaps and surfboards.
Wine country
There are 217 vineyards and 187 wineries. The region produces just three per cent of Australia’s overall wine production, but more than 20 per cent of Australia’s premium wine. Wine here isn’t just good – it’s excellent. The region is particularly renowned for cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay. There are also plenty of breweries, so beer drinkers won’t miss out.
Local produce
A visit to the Margaret River Farmers’ Market is a must for anyone serious about food. The region’s produce includes grass-fed beef, pork and lamb; line-caught fish and fresh seafood (including abalone); and pasture-raised free-range poultry and eggs. There’s more: venison, marron, native bush foods, a multitude of fruits and vegetables, olives and olive oils, wood-fired bread, artisan cheeses, chocolates, coffee, ice-cream and other dairy.
Events
Australia’s premier food festival, the Margaret River Gourmet Escape, attracts global culinary superstars each November and is just one of the region’s major events. Each autumn, the World Surf League Championship Tour sees the world’s best surfers compete at Surfers Point. Then there’s the Leeuwin Estate Concert Series, Cinefest Oz film festival, Emergence Creative, Jazz by the Bay, the South West Beer Festival, Ironman WA, Southbound music festival, the Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival, Anaconda Adventure Race, Cape to Cape MTB, Forest Rally and, new in 2017, the winter Cabin Fever festival. You’d be hard pressed to find any other region in Australia that can boast such a diverse and culturally rich events calendar.
