South West

A glorious coastline of rocky outbreaks that frame pristine white beaches and sapphire blue seas together with the food and especially the wine of the Margaret River wine region are just some of the highlights awaiting when you explore WA’s South West.

From Perth it’s an easy three-hour drive south to Busselton and the start of the Margaret River. Busselton offers up a postcard setting by the seaside – a long white sandy beach, the calm clear blue seas of Geographe Bay and an endlessly long jetty complete with miniature train and an underwater observatory.

The Margaret River region spans from Cape Naturaliste in the northwest corner down to Cape Leeuwin in the south – each of the capes has a lighthouse. Its reputation as a wine growing region exceeds its size, accounting for just 3 per cent of the national wine crop but some 20 per cent of Australia’s premium wine. Tastings can be enjoyed at numerous cellar doors from boutique vineyards up to the palatial Voyager winery. Pairing great food with great wine, the region has also gained a reputation with foodies, especially during the annual Gourmet Escape festival.

This region is also popular with surfers, offering up great waves and beautiful beaches and for the intrepid the stunning coastline provides the ideal trek between the two capes and their lighthouses. Reaching Cape Leeuwin is not just the end of the walk but also the most south-westerly point of Australia.

The South West then stretches eastward along the southern coastline taking in highlights such as D’Entrecasteaux National Park with its spectacular beaches and towering forests, or for more coastal treats head to the inviting Greens Pool at Denmark. Along the coast be sure to keep an eye out for dolphins and migrating whales. Inland at Porongurup National Park is the Granite Skywalk on Castle Rock that dates back 1,100 million years.

The South West is the perfect destination to taste just how much WA has to offer visitors.