Margaret River for Asia: Things to Do

Surf beaches, forests and caves

Uncrowded, unspoilt and mostly unknown outside of Australia, the Margaret River Wine Region is a true wonderland of awe-inspiring natural beauty. With crashing waves along rugged coastlines, rolling hills, towering forests and subterranean caves, one might say that experiencing Margaret River has its ups and downs.

Among the premier natural attractions are Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park, Boranup Karri Forest, limestone caverns and seemingly endless shorelines where you can beach comb, hike, explore, picnic, camp out and ease your mind and sooth your soul.

Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park

Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park runs the 120-km length of the region along the Indian Ocean coast between Cape Naturaliste in the north to Cape Leeuwin in the south. In between are craggy sea cliffs, imposing granite headlands, white sand beaches, world-class surfing and calm inlets suitable for a family swim.

The 20,000-ha park, which is 261 km from Perth and just 36 km from Busselton, is generally accessible to conventional vehicles, with most roads being sealed. Look for native Australian flora and fauna as you enjoy one of the many hiking trails, including the challenging Cape-to-Cape walk.

Coastline, Rocks and Beaches

The spectacular natural coastline of the Margaret River Wine Region is sometimes rugged and craggy and often smooth and sandy, but always provides stunning ocean vitas from numerous vantage points.

Prominent rock formations along the coast include Sugarloaf Rocks, near Cape Naturaliste, and Canal Rocks, which gets name from the natural “canal” shape. Also look for the Wyadup and Torpedo formations.

The coast between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin is known world-wide for its surfing beaches. Three Bears, Yallingup, Injidup, The Gallows, Huzzas, Redgate, and Margaret River are meccas for surfers from around the world, each year attracting international attention with a number of top-level surfing competitions being held in the area.

By contrast, Geographe Bay — between Bunbury and Cape Naturaliste — features a seemingly endless ribbon of sandy beaches safe for small children. Special beaches to spend a day visiting also include Meelup and Hamelin Bay.

Boranup Karri Forest

Boranup Karri Forest, which lies within Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park, is found between Caves Road, the main road that runs from Dunsborough and Yallingup in the north, right down to Cape Leeuwin in the south, and the west coast south of Margaret River Township. The forest represents the western-most stand of karri in Western Australia, with some of the pale-barked trees reaching a height of 60 m or more.

The forest is snaked with gravel roads suitable for two-wheel-drive vehicles and hiking trails leading to excellent picnic and camping spots nestled in the hilly terrain. A short walk takes you to Boranup Lookout, 200 m above sea level with sweeping views over the forest and the coast west to Hamelin Bay. These majestic giants are stunning, being the third tallest species of tree in the world.

Subterranean Limestone Caves

Any tour of the natural wonders of Margaret River would not be complete without a visit to at least one of the fascinating and spectacular caves. Relentless water burrowing into the ancient limestone ridge that stretches 80 km along the coast between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin has resulted in the creation of an underground system of more than 350 caves.

Most caves are closed to the public, but those that are open for viewing are accessed from the aptly named Caves Road between Yallingup and Augusta and offer guided tours. Among these are:

Mammoth Cave
First recorded in 1850, the cavernous Mammoth Cave, about 20 km southwest of Margaret River Township along Caves Road, is widely known for its selection of fossils of prehistoric creatures of more than 35,000 years ago. Mammoth Cave, which includes the Marri Walk, is highly suitable for family outings.

Lake Cave
Featuring a subterranean lake and delicate rock formations, Jewel Cave, about 24 km southwest of Margaret River Township along Caves Road, is also notable for its huge karri trees and unique “suspended table” at its remarkable entrance. First recorded in 1867, Lake Cave offers up a world lost in time with its visitors’ staircase leading down through the ages.

Jewel Cave
Possibly the most striking of all the caves open to the public, Jewel Cave, 8 km north of Augusta on Caves Road, features extraordinary “helictites”, five-m-tall straw-like formations, as well as an exceptionally tall stalactite. The discovery of fossil remains, Tasmanian Tiger (Thyiacine) dated at 25,000 years BC, also makes Jewel important to researchers.

Other caves of note are Ngilgi Cave near Yallingup and Moondyne Cave near Jewel Cave about 8 km north of Augusta.

The CaveWorks Visitor Centre set amidst the caves specialises in lending an exciting new dimension to the understanding of caves. Additional details about caves and guided tours can be obtained from the Margaret River and Augusta tourist offices.

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