Margaret River

Margaret River does several unrelated things extremely well: world class surf, more than a hundred cellar doors, limestone cave systems, and the karri forest at Boranup. Three hours from Perth, and the only destination on this list where three days feels short.

The drive from Perth

Around 275 kilometres, about three hours, on Kwinana Freeway, Forrest Highway and Bussell Highway. Sealed and easy the whole way, with a choice at the bottom: stay on Bussell Highway for speed, or swing onto Caves Road for scenery.

Worth stopping for:

• Bunbury Dolphin Discovery Centre, roughly halfway.
• Busselton Jetty, an easy hour off the drive and hard to justify skipping.
• Cowaramup, known locally as Cowtown for the life-size cow statues down the main street.

What to do when you get there

Split the region into three and you will not waste a day.

Wine and food. Cellar doors run from Yallingup in the north to Karridale in the south. Most open around 10am and close between 4.30pm and 5pm, which catches out everyone who drives down after lunch. Book one long lunch and leave the rest loose.

The coast. Surfers Point at Prevelly is the main break and hosts the Western Australia Margaret River Pro, a World Surf League Championship Tour event, running 16 to 26 April 2026. Gnarabup and Redgate Beach are the swimming options. Hamelin Bay is the one people talk about afterwards, because smooth rays come right into the shallows at the boat ramp.

Underground and inland. Lake Cave and Jewel Cave run guided tours, Mammoth Cave is self-guided with an audio tour, and they are ticketed separately from any national park pass. Above ground, Boranup Drive runs through karri forest that regrew after logging and is now 60 metres tall, and Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse at Augusta marks the point where the Indian and Southern Oceans meet.

When to go

October to November and March to April. Mild, dry, vines either green or in harvest, and the wildflower season reaches this far south in October. Late May to early August is whale season off Augusta and Flinders Bay, when southern rights and humpbacks come north. Winter is also truffle season and big surf, which is a fair trade for the rain.

Book accommodation before the car in April, because the Margaret River Pro fills the region.

A three day plan

Day one: drive down with a stop at Busselton Jetty, arrive mid afternoon, and spend the rest of it in the northern end around Yallingup and Wilyabrup. Cellar doors here are close together, which is the gentlest introduction.

Day two: the coast. Surfers Point in the morning, a swim at Gnarabup, then Boranup Drive and a cave tour in the afternoon. Finish at Hamelin Bay to see the rays if the tide suits.

Day three: south to Augusta and Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, then home the long way up Caves Road with one last lunch. Three days covers the region properly. A week lets you slow down, which is the actual point of coming here.

The hire car we would put you in

The People Mover, a Kia Carnival or similar. Margaret River is the classic group trip, and this is the only car in the fleet that takes eight people and four bags. One person drives, everyone else tastes, and nobody is following a second car around Caves Road at dusk. It is automatic, it has sliding doors that open in tight cellar door car parks, and the luggage space is the difference between taking a case of wine home and posting it.

Two or three of you? The Compact SUV is the sensible choice: comfortable over three hours each way, and easy on Caves Road. Family of five or six? The SUV 7-Seater. Every road here is sealed, so there is no case for anything more rugged.

Before you leave the depot

Decide on the driver and mean it, because police presence on the Margaret River roads during peak season is heavy and the region is spread out enough that there is no walking home. Book a cave tour and one lunch. Bring a cooler bag for anything you buy. And leave Perth by 9am if you want the afternoon, because three hours becomes four once you have stopped at Busselton, which you will.