My "Best of" picks for planning your Margaret River Trip

Margaret River has been my home for over 25 years now, and I am still thrilled to be discovering new things from time to time as we explore.

It is the natural beauty in combination with world-class wines & food, friendly community and relaxed small-town charm which I think makes this region so special.

This guide is here to help inspire a great itinerary during your visit, and assist you to find some unexpected treasures through our tried and tested favourites!

This Guide covers my ‘Top Picks’ for;

Where to Stay
Casual Eats
Long Lunches
Evening Meals
Foodie Stops
Wineries
Local Attractions
Free Activities
Workshops
Tours
Walks
Beaches
Health and Wellness Providers
For an extensive list, plus up-to-date information on events, you can also visit margaretriver.com

Favourite Places to Stay

I absolutely love being just out of town to enable respite after a busy day, so all of my favourites (including our own home and short stay accommodation) are within easy reach of attractions, but also offer a Retreat feel.

Nest ~ Margaret River is a bespoke 2BR cottage we have recently renovated to retain its rustic charm, and offer a beautiful, relaxing space. Featuring beautiful linens, vintage homewares and local ceramics. Nest is set on acreage less than 10 minutes from town and beach, central to everything our region offers.

iconic shack in margaret river rebuilt for holiday accommodation. Nest ~ Margaret River — *Nest ~ Margaret River*

Book Nest Airbnb

Other Great Stays

Seagrass Retreat is a beautiful, newly built seaside getaway in Augusta. Just 100m from the Ocean and full of Lotti & Adam’s gorgeous touches.

Villa Saltus is a stunning Villa close by to Nest, which is perfect for larger groups. Offering Spa, Sauna and Ice bath amongst beautiful landscaped grounds.

5 Local Attractions & Offerings

Margaret River Caves ~ From Mega Fauna to underwater lakes. Visit margaretriver.com or the visitor centre to pick the one most interesting to you!
Capes Raptor Centre ~ A great family visit in natural bushland with lots of great exhibits for the benefit of rescue and rehabilitation.
Margaret River Surf School offers classes for all levels.
Movies at Cape Mentelle ~ All through December and January you can enjoy this stunning outdoor cinema with a range of seating options. I recommend splashing out for the Delux Pass!
Jesters flat ~ A long established Horseriding company, these guys offer a great range of tours and treks including the Canebrake Pool ride

6 Free Activities

Visit The Cape Lighthouses
Enjoy Sunset at Surfers Point
Visit the Keville Rd Waterfall
Tour Augusta, Dunsborough or Yallingup. Even heading inland to Nannup, Balingup and Bridgetown is gorgeous if you are here for a longer stay.
Browse local Galleries. Both Red Sea Gallery and Yallingup Galleries are great.
Visit Witchcliffe for the Vintage stores, and especially the Witchcliffe Apothecary

4 Interesting Workshops

Margaret River is a pretty ‘artsy’ place though workshops can also include gin making, cooking and a wide range of other fun activities!

Here are a few;

Clay Workshops with River Ceramics (Thats me!) With Classes to suit all levels, I love to run workshops which cover sculpture, hand building and also decorating. You can look into these further and book your place here. riverceramics.net

hand building a pinchpot in clay — Hand Building with Clay

Garden Workshops and Courses at Fair Harvest

Blending Spirits with Margaret River Distilling Co.

Learn how to create beautiful, natural perfumes at Vasse Virgin

2 Fantastic Tours

There are lots of winery Tours in Margaret River, but here are a couple who do things differently & come highly recommended.

Discovery Margaret River ~ ‘The Tour for people who don’t do Tours!’

Walk Talk Taste Margaret River - Kellie and her walking tours with a difference.

My Top 5 Walks

We are so lucky here to have Forests, Beaches, Rugged Coastline and Rivers to walk. There are many many trails, including the famous Cape to Cape.

Here are my favourites;

Boranup Forest ~ In the beautiful Karri Trees just 25 minutes South along Caves Road. Great Birdwatching and wildflowers in Spring.

White Elephant Cafe to Surfers Point Return. Taking you right along the coast with lenty of beautiful beach access and an opportunity to see world class waves in the right conditions.
Hairy Marron to the Weir Loop Walk. I absolutely love this walk. Right in town and along the Margaret River through beautiful Forest. You can cross the river at both end via bridges to enable a beautiful loop walk. Fully signposted.

Ellensbrook Waterfall. A place of rich indigenous and settler history, the old Ellensbrook Homestead has a beautiful boardwalk to a gentle waterfall. Great to visit for a picnic and look at the settlement house and its stories.
Quinninup Falls ~ A Gorgeous Walk along the coast track (some with boardwalk) to a Winter Waterfall.

My Top 5 Beaches

The Margaret River Region has so many beaches! Little Bays, Wild Surf, Rock pools and long sandy beaches. Only Exploring and lucking the right conditions could prove your personal favourites.

Here is my shortlist;

Gnarabup Beach ~ This would be our ‘main beach’ but it has got to be one of the most beautiful dog beaches there is. It is protected from a lot of wind conditions and offers up calm water and beautiful swimming holes in most conditions. Less than 10 minutes drive from Nest.

Surfers Point ~ A beautiful spot to view the surf and look out to the West over the Indian Ocean.

Conto Springs ~ More difficult to get to, with a 10 minute gravel acess road. Absolutely stunning long beach set under towering cliffs. Makes for a beautiful walk by its shimmering turquoise waters.

Hamelin Bay ~ Situated at the Southern end of the cape, Hamelin Bay is a stunning long white sandy beach, fairly protected with beautiful swimming. Famous for the huge stingrays which come in to visit.

Kilcarnup (4WD or Walk-in Only) ~ I saved the best for last, Kilcarnup is our local string of beaches. Now more popular, especially at the family friendly surf beach Joeys Nose, though still offering other quiet bays and lagoons.

6 Top Breakfast & Casual Eats

Margaret River Bakery is great for a relaxed vego-friendly breakfast or brunch; think chai in the sunshine, tasty belly-filling breakfasts, and a chilled local vibe.

Egberts is famous for beautiful coffee and delicious pastries. The Portuguese tarts are delicious!

The Berry Farm is a 20-30 minute drive and is very kid friendly. Beautiful produce and beautiful grounds.

Giniversity is a great spot for simple tasty food, all of great quality. It doesn't tend to get as busy as the other pubs, and you can still order an early dinner up until 6pm. Best Gin & Tonics in town!

The Brewhouse is also great for lunch and early dinner, with a beautiful relaxed setting under the Karri Trees.

Fair Harvest Cafe is a beautiful Organic Farm Property just 5 minutes from Nest. Open to serve beautiful produce from the Garden. Check website for opening hours.

5 Top Long Lunches

Vasse Felix is one of our region’s best fine dining experiences. Excellent wines, and a scenic setting for a long, relaxed lunch.

Olio Bello offers olive groves, olive oils, and Mediterranean-style meals; a nice relaxed lunch stop with great value meals.

Glenarty Road — An incredible Paddock to Plate Experience, paired with some of our region's most beautiful wines. Book ahead to enjoy this one!

Hay Shed Hill — olive groves, olive oils, and Mediterranean-style meals; a nice lunch stop especially if guests enjoy local produce and a relaxed rural setting.

Fishbone is a delicious yet casual, relaxed Japanese style restaurant in the Wilyabrup Area

Other Fantastic Winery Lunches to consider are Cullens, Xanadu and Voyager.

5 Top Evening Meals

Pizzica is worth visiting for the architecture alone! Beautiful sub floor pizzeria with bar and great atmosphere.

Khana Khazana by Khan is a very basic restaurant setting, though the food is absolutely beautiful Takeaway and even home delivery is available.

Morries offers fantastic Tapas and cocktails in the heart of Margaret River. They offer a good happy hour 5-6pm and beautiful food into the night.

Miki’s Open Kitchen is a special dining experience of Japanese Cuisine with set menu and option to sit at the open kitchen. Be sure to book ahead.

Miss Chows is only minutes from Nest and offers a beautiful location for long lunch or dinner. Keep an eye out for dumpling specials in the off season!

Foodie Stops

Margaret River Wood Fired Bread - Absolutely Beautiful local bread cooked daily, and out of the oven at 3pm most days! Take some butter & go past to get one piping hot.

Blue Ginger is a great little delicatessen and cafe off the main beat. Lots of beautiful produce for stocking up your picnic basket. The Garden Basket and Fish Mongers in the same precinct are both great too.

Margaret River Farmers Market is an excellent stop to make and take your time with samples and shopping. Saturdays 7.30 - 11.30

Fresh Produce from the Saturday Farmers Market

6 Top Winery & Tasting Experiences

Passell Estate is an easy way to have a lovely time! Close to Nest with beautiful wines, a small and stylish cellar door, relaxing outlook and beautiful cheese platters.

Stormflower is definitely high on my repeat visit list, and often the place i drop into to pick up a special bottle of sparkling. The tasting experience is unique and delightful!

Si Wines is a beautiful, quiet rustic experience with a sense of being right in the thick of it. A little drive out of Margaret River to give you the feel of a back road exploration.

Juniper is a fun stop with great staff, lots of delicious wines and a laid back atmosphere. Lots of space to relax in the sunshine.

Glenarty Road (second mention!) makes amazing wines and offers a unique experience right to the south of our region. I’m a fan.

Woodlands Wines has a cult like following by members it seems! Great Wines, Incredible cheese selection and fun atmosphere. They sometimes run little events, so check the website for details!

Top Picks for Health and Wellness

If you are looking to pamper yourself or take the opportunity for self care during your stay, the following are some shortcuts to highly recommended services for massage, yoga and more.

Flourish Wellness ~ Spinal Flow, Cellular Health and Massage Therapy techniques to create a comprehensive, holistic wellness experience that restores your inner health and vitality.

Uniquely Balanced Margaret River offers Sound Massage and Sound Meditation. Conveniently located just a couple of minutes from Nest and suitable for small groups and couples.

Mend ~ Offers Dry & Infared Sauna, Ice Bath, Hot Plunge and Massage.

Fair Harvest Yoga with Sandi Hancock. Just 5 minutes from Nest, this is a great location in our local community and beautiful venue. See website for current class times.

Beating the Crowds

The busiest times in Margaret River are unsurprisingly, Christmas, New Years and Easter. All School Holidays and Long weekends have lots of visitors, so booking some of these in advance, or trying to come in the off-season is advised.

Either way, my biggest recommendation is to get out, explore and enjoy!

Warmly,

Jolene Hewison
River Ceramics

My Guide to Visiting Margaret River