Planning a little down south getaway to the Margaret River Region?
Great, because there is so much to see and do! Winter has its own special appeal–lack of crowds, super-relaxed locals, beautiful sunny days that break up the monotony of the winter rains, and surf breaks all to yourself are just a few of the reasons to head on down. If you’re here for the first time, here’s a map of the area:
If you are planning a trip and are looking for accommodation, then have a look at Highlife Holiday Properties and Dunsborough Ridge Retreat. Both are close to Dunsborough and offer beautiful accommodation options. And both have dog friendly options, so you can bring your fur-kid along!
Here are my top picks for activities and sights in the region. Some are paid, some are free, some are relaxing and some are adventurous!
1. Whale watching tour. There are several species of whale that travel down the coast, including humpback, minke and blue.
If the weather is good, then book a tour aboard Jet Adventures (out of Dunsborough) or Geographe Maritime Charters (out of Busselton). They’ll give you an experience you will never forget because the whales are as curious about you as you are about them. Remember to bring the camera. Whales travel through between August-November from the warm northern calving grounds to their Antarctic feeding grounds.
2. Go for a hike! There are so many beautiful short and long hikes in the region. Have a look at our hiking section for lots of ideas and descriptions. Wildflower season is getting underway here (best September-November), where you can spot any number of our 300 orchids, or 7000 wildflower species!
3. Go for a mountain bike ride! There are so many trails described on our Margaret River Find the Fun electronic guide. Put it on your Android phone and see where to park and where to ride. Never get lost again! Tap on the Google Play badge on this page and download it today!
4. Visit the Eagles Heritage Wildlife Centre and be sure to watch the flying display at either 11.00 am or 1.30 pm. Learn about our native raptors, and you can even volunteer to have one perch on your hand!
5. Check out historic Caves House Hotel in Yallingup for any number of fun and entertaining events. Live music Sundays, murder mystery nights, dancing, stand-up comedy, movie nights and theme nights are all great reasons to get out to Caves House! You may even run into their resident ghost!
6. Go storm watching…whenever there is a big storm, it’s worth venturing over to the west coast to watch the fury of the ocean as it crashes into the shoreline.
7. Markets and coffee…so spoilt for choice. The Margaret River Find the Fun electronic guide also lists the weekend markets and tons of coffee shops/cafes to keep those caffeine levels topped up.
There are many, many more things to do when you are down here in winter. Food, drink, cellar doors, breweries–the list is a long one! Hopefully this gives you a few inspirational ways to FIND THE FUN!