Margaret River Visitor Guide

Exploring the Region CRuiSing ThE CAPES Spend a fun-filled day cruising from Cape naturaliste to Cape Leeuwin, or break your drive into sections and explore at a more leisurely pace. There are more than 300 accommodation operators throughout the region so we recommend that you spend a couple of nights in the northern half, and a couple in the south for the ultimate experience. 8. Caves Road is aptly named after the ancient wonderland that lies beneath. There are seven caves open to the public along this famous route with a range of self-guided and guided show caves and soft adventures available. Jewel, Lake, Mammoth and Moondyne are 2. Spend some time in Dunsborough browsing some of the best cave experiences in Australia. 12. From Augusta head back north along the boutique clothing and homeware stores. Bussell Highway sampling some more local From Dunsborough follow Cape Naturaliste wines – the Rosa Brook trail, Boodjidup Road Road to the Meelup Beach Road turnoff which and Stevens Road are bursting with quality winds the calm waters of Meelup and Eagle Bay food, wine and artisan experiences. 1. The region's most popular self-drive route starts in Busselton. Enjoy breakfast overlooking Geographe Bay and the beautiful Busselton Jetty before making your way along Bussell Highway to Dunsborough. 3. Continue along Cape Naturaliste Road, stopping in at Sugarloaf Rock to experience a more rugged aspect of the coast. This scenic lookout offers some great photo opportunities. 9. After lunch stop in at the seaside town of Prevelly and see where the Margaret River meets the ocean. Alternatively, gather some gourmet local produce during your journey and picnic while the locals tackle one of the world's best surf breaks. 10. Continue along Caves Road, driving through the majestic Boranup Karri Forest, on your way to the town of Augusta. Nearby Hamelin Bay is also highly recommended. 13. Next stop on Bussell Highway is the charming and bustling town of Margaret River. A stop here is a must with quality shopping, café and dining experiences to be had. 11. Stop in the town of Augusta to admire the stunning views over the south west's biggest river system – the Blackwood. After this you can continue 8 kilometres through the town to Cape Leeuwin. Here, the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse 5. From Cape Naturaliste drive back toward stands 39 metres as the tallest on the mainland Dunsborough and along Caves Road to of Australia. It is also the extraordinary meeting Yallingup, famous for its surf breaks. Here place of the Southern and Indian Oceans! you can watch surfers take on the waves in spectacular fashion. 14. Only 10 kilometres north of Margaret River is Cowaramup – a quaint town with a quirky bovine theme. The cows reign supreme (check out the name of the shops!) and a herd of lifesized beauties line the streets. Just outside of Cowaramup, Miamup Road, Tom Cullity Drive and Harmans Mill Road are a great loop for food lovers. 4. From Sugarloaf you can walk to Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse along the coast. The 2km is fully sealed a gentle walk. Alternatively, you can drive back along Cape Naturaliste Road. 6. Return to Caves Road toward Augusta. Be sure to take a detour along Marrinup Drive and explore the numerous galleries nestled in the bushes showcasing the work of local artisans. See the business directory for a list of galleries. 7. As you make your way along Caves Road there are plenty of wineries and breweries to stop in for a taste or two. Don't be afraid to explore some of the side roads to uncover some brilliant blends. Find a favourite and stop for lunch. diSTAnCES & dRiVE TiMES FROM MARgARET RiVER Perth Busselton Dunsborough Augusta Bunbury Nannup Pemberton Walpole Denmark Albany 267 km 49 km 46 km 43 km 101 km 108 km 139 km 322 km 328 km 379 km 3 hours 30 minutes 35 minutes 30 minutes 1 hour 1 hour 1 ½ hours 3 ½ hours 4 hours 4 ½ hours AiRPORT CuSTOMS Visitors should note that strict regulations apply to the importations of all plants and animals and their products. More information on what can and cannot be brought into the state is available from the Department of Agriculture and Food at www.agric.wa.gov.au TiME ZOnES Western Australia is eight hours ahead of GMT, the same time zone as Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. It is 1 ½ hours behind Adelaide and Darwin and two hours behind the eastern coast of Australia, except from October to March when most other states advance their clocks forward an hour to daylight savings time. information & bookings +61 8 9780 5911 or margaretriver.com | 5

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