Tim Richards visits Margaret River and gets to sample a delicious taste of sun, surf, cheese and wine with a dash of Middle Earth.
Margaret River in Western Australia’s thriving south-west may have started life as a sometimes-struggling farming, dairy and timber town, yet it’s far from your sleepy rural community. Just a three-and-a-half hour drive south of Perth, along good-quality highways, Margaret River has become one of the most popular pleasure spots in the green south-west of Western Australia. As it becomes ever more popular with visitors, its streets feature fine restaurants and shops, and the surrounding area is rich with things to see and do. Historic caves, forest and surf sit alongside manmade treats such as wine, chocolate and cheese. And the beautiful thing is, its popularity hasn’t spoiled the region’s allure.
The thing most people know about Margaret River before they arrive is its wines, particularly its premium whites.
Vasse Felix is one of the major players, as the winery that claims to have launched the Margaret River wine region. Located in the Cowaramup area, it has a colourful history. The falcon on its label depicts the birds used by founder Tom Cullity to drive off the native parrots which ate his first crops.
Less well known is Rivendell, a family-owned concern. Situated near Yallingup, the vineyard was named after the home of the elves in The Lord of the Rings, long before Peter Jackson made his hugely successful movie adaptation. Some people even say it looks decidedly Middle-Earthish.
Like many wineries in the area, Rivendell is located off a quiet side road, lined by gum trees and other reminders of the Australian bush. But its main building overlooks a beautiful garden which drops away down the side of a hill, with a striking valley view.
“It’s hard to say which is our most successful wine,” says manager Wendy Standish. “The verdelho has always been popular, along with our semi-sweet white wine called Honeysuckle. In the reds, the blend known as The Cabernets is the most successful.”
Just east of the Margaret River township is the Berry Farm, which has a very different take on making wine. The owners started out in their kitchen making homemade jams, but the surplus of fruit turned the owners’ minds to alcoholic products. Their fruit wines use plums, berries, pears, mangoes and kiwifruit as their basic ingredients and taste just as good as the grape variety.
These three are just a few of over 70 wineries dotted through the region, which runs from Cape Naturaliste in the north to Cape Leeuwin in the south. Most offer tastings, and many also offer food and lodgings, which is well worth considering if you want to relax and avoid drinking and driving (if you’re after a day of tasting, don’t forget to designate a non-drinking driver).
Predating the wineries by centuries are the region’s caves, popular with tourists for decades. There are hundreds of these limestone caverns in the area, with four open to the public.
The most attractive is the Jewel Cave, with its variety of stunning formations and a single six-metre long straw (a very thin stalactite). The Mammoth Cave is equally as beautiful; its expansive yet cosy atmosphere is both luminous and mysterious.
Even with the numerous vineyards and other farming properties dotted throughout the area, the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park manages to stretch between the capes.
Bushwalkers can tackle the challenge of the Cape to Cape trail through this area, which follows the coast from north to south. This 140 km walking trail makes its way through impressive coastal scenery, where you get to see Western Australia’s famous 60-metre high karri trees. Although you can walk the entire length of the trail, it’s also easy to complete smaller sections, as the track often meets access roads and camping grounds on the way.
SurfingIf walking sounds too unchallenging, the region also boasts a renowned surf coast. Surfing in Margaret River is understandably popular, with the waves aided by reliable swells coming from the coast of Africa.
There are dozens of places to surf along the nearby coastline and as the conditions vary from powerful reef breaks to easy beach breaks, there’s something to suit surfers of every level. The biggest waves hit the coast in winter and spring, although the other seasons present consistent swells. Absolute beginners can take advantage of several surf schools offering lessons in how to stay upright and make the most of the big waves. If you want to give board riding a go, try the Josh Palmateer Surf Academy or Margaret River Surf School.
If you visit around Easter, try and catch the International Salomon Masters, a premier world surfing event, which is usually held the week before Easter each year and culminates in a concert on the last night.
If you’re not much of a surfer, head north out of town to the Margaret River Chocolate Factory, where the products are described as “food of the gods”.
The chocolate-making process can be viewed through a window, where you get to see the skilled European tradition in contrast with the beautiful native bushland setting of the factory.
“Our most popular products include chocolate-covered sundried apricots and handmade chocolate caramels,” says co-owner Martin Black. “If you want to combine wine and chocolate, Vasse Felix has a noble riesling which goes well with all our handmade gourmet truffles.” Caramels. Riesling. Truffles. Nirvana for the sweet tooth!
Cheese fanciers should make a bee-line for Fonti Farm, home of the Margaret River Dairy Company. This is where WA’s only locally produced brie and camembert are made, along with a range of flavoured hard cheeses.
At the end of a long day of wine, cheese and chocolate tasting, there’s even more great food to be had in the town of Margaret River itself. The Margaret River Hotel’s bistro, D’Vine, offers good quality cafe-style food and outdoor seating for warm sunny days.
A fine dining alternative is Vat 107, an ultra-modern restaurant and accommodation double, which prides itself on its cutting edge menu and extensive wine list. And then there’s Romano Rotelli’s restaurant, Pensiero, in the small neighbouring hamlet of Witchcliffe.
“It has to appeal to everyone from millionaires to local farmers,” says Romano, the Italian-born chef and owner of Pensiero. His restaurant serves up a modern Australian menu with a Mediterranean emphasis stretching to exotica such as ostrich dishes.
The accommodation list is extensive, and where you stay will depend on your needs, desires and hip pocket. You can choose to stay at a winery or take your pick from B&Bs, cottages, motels, hotels, resorts, guesthouses or pitch a tent in well-equipped camp grounds. The Margaret River Visitors Centre can provide information on where to stay, or you can use NRMA’s National Booking Service (NBS). (For a list of places to stay and things to do, pick up a copy of NRMA’s Western Australia Experience guide book (Members get a discount of over 35 per cent) or NRMA’s WA Accommodation Guide (2005 version due out in May).
Margaret River is on the south-west coast of Western Australia, and overlooks the Indian Ocean. It’s about 320kms from Perth, and one of the best ways to get there is by car, which takes around three-and-a-half hours. Simply get on Freeway South and you’re on your way. If you need a rental car, Hertz offers special rates for NRMA members. For more details call 13 11 22.
December/January is the busiest and most hectic time to go, so to avoid the crowds head there in late February or early March. Late October and early November are also a perfect time to visit, with Margaret River’s Wine and Food Festival held at this time of year.
For more information, Visit the Margaret River Visitors Centre or call (08) 9757 2911.
Make the most of your drive down south with this great side trip. Two-and-a-half hours from Perth, the drive between Balingup and Nannup is a little-known stretch of history and beauty, and perfect for sightseeing, swimming, canoeing and bushwalking.
Officially known as the Blackwood River Valley Tourist Drive Route 251, the road meanders past scenic lookouts, wineries, fruit farms, cheese factories, historic museums and restaurants, with accommodation dotted along the way.
The locals have affectionately named this area the Golden Triangle, referring to the golden-leafed forests and Blackwood River Valley that lie between Nannup, Balingup and Bridgetown.
Start first with the somewhat daunting, yet rewarding ascent to the Balingup Heights Cedar Chalets lookout, with commanding views of the mountainous countryside. Back in the car, you’ll soon discover the Old Cheese Factory, touted to be the largest craft centre in WA, where you can enjoy lunch overlooking orchards and the Balingup Brook.
From the factory, take a walk to the Birdwood Park Fruit Winery, home to some of the State’s premier fruit wines. The Blackwood Valley is renowned for its pristine farming properties and quality stone fruit orchards, so leave plenty of room in the car (and tummy) for your pick of fresh produce.
Once back on the Balingup-Nannup road, follow your nose to the Balingup Lavender Farm, where you’ll find open gardens and picnic areas and a gallery displaying local artworks.
Sixteen kilometres from Balingup, visit the Heritage Country Cheese and Lewana Cottages, both located in the picturesque Lewana Valley, and buy some cheese samples to take along to the wineries that lie on the road ahead, such as the Hillbille Winery with its characteristic red timber barn.
If you’d like more than a day to explore the area, there are various accommodation properties along the Blackwood River, which fringes Route 251, including Fern Gulley Retreat, Shoalbrook Country Estate, Redgum Hill Bed and Breakfast and Beyonderup Falls Adult Country Escape.
Another great place to stay is the Tathra Winery, Restaurant and Hilltop Retreat where you can enjoy fine fruit wines, local delicacies and breathtaking views from the wildlife sanctuary. Tathra also offers an historic experience like Ellis Cottage Museum (constructed in the 1870s) which houses a range of 19th-century artefacts.
Continuing along the road, you’ll pass idyllic farmyards and quaint country homes until the turn-off to Nannup appears. The town of Nannup has a great collection of unique and historic weatherboard and random rubble buildings, and driving through makes you feel like you’ve gone back in time.
By Jodie Gysen
4WD
