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  • The Margaret River region juts out from the south-west coast of Australia,

  • into the waters where the Indian and Southern Oceans meet.

  • Mother Nature was in very fine form the day she put this place together.

  • The Margaret River Region,

  • or Margs as locals like to call it,

  • is place of abundance.

  • It’s a playground,

  • a place of stunning beaches

  • and over 50 world-class surf spots.

  • It’s a pantry,

  • a place that wherever you go,

  • something delicious is being put before you.

  • It’s a garden,

  • where ancient Karri forests give way to coastal heath

  • carpeted with thousands of species of orchids and wildflowers.

  • The Margaret River region runs down the Western Australian coastline for over 80 miles,

  • and stretches inland for a further 20,

  • and the best way to explore this remote region,

  • is by car.

  • A good place to break the three and a half hour drive down from Perth is in Bunbury,

  • whose fabulous beaches, lighthouse and laidback lifestyle are just a taster for what lies ahead.

  • A further 40 minutes down the highway is Busselton,

  • the gateway to the Margaret River Region.

  • Busselton’s jewel is her wooden jetty,

  • the longest of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

  • First constructed in 1865, the jetty has endured fires and cyclones,

  • and is today one of Australia’s most unique dive sites.

  • At the jetty’s far end, take the 26-foot descent to The Underwater Observatory

  • and experience the aquatic life that thrives amid the jetty’s pylons.

  • Busselton marks the beginning of one of Australia’s most scenic drives,

  • Caves Road,

  • which gets its name from the incredible limestone caves

  • which honeycomb the region.

  • One of the most accessible is Mammoth Cave.

  • Descending through lush forest,

  • leave the sound of birdlife behind and enter a silent subterranean world below...

  • Caves Road winds inland through picturesque villages and historic timber towns

  • before arriving at the region’s main settlement,

  • Margaret River.

  • Even though Caves Road is only 69 miles in length,

  • it could take days to fully explore end to end.

  • Each village,

  • each farm gate,

  • invites you to slow down, stop,

  • and taste all this region has to offer.

  • There are beers brewed with pure rainwater,

  • ice creams and cheeses courtesy of the most contented cows youre ever likely to see,

  • and olive oils and preserves crafted with passion and love.

  • But it all comes together,

  • the climate,

  • the soils,

  • the people,

  • in the wines.

  • Surrounded by coasts on three sides,

  • and enjoying virtually rain-free summers,

  • as a wine-growing region,

  • Margaret River has been compared to France’s famous Bordeaux region.

  • Margaret River’s first vineyards were planted in the mid 1960’s,

  • just yesterday in wine growing terms,

  • but today, it’s home to over 200 wineries.

  • Cruise from cellar door to cellar door,

  • sampling some of the most exciting Chardonnays,

  • Shirazs and Cabernet Sauvignons on the planet.

  • And at wineries like Vasse Felix,

  • the region’s first winery,

  • enjoy some of Australia’s most innovative and picturesque dining along the way!

  • All along Caves Road are turnoffs to the coast,

  • side roads to places that for decades were only known by local fishermen and surfers.

  • At Margaret River’s northern end is Cape Naturaliste,

  • a headland surrounded by secluded spots,

  • like Bunker Bay,

  • Eagle Bay,

  • and Meelup Beach.

  • The Cape Naturaliste lighthouse looks out over Geographe Bay to the west,

  • and south towards Cape Leeuwin.

  • Between June and December,

  • the lookout points around the lighthouse

  • make this cape one of the best places to spot whales in Australia.

  • Cape Naturaliste marks the start of one of Australia’s most beautiful walking trails,

  • the Cape to Cape track.

  • The track follows beaches and cliff tops,

  • and strings together many places,

  • which still retain their Aboriginal names.

  • Places like Yallingup, which means,

  • place of love,

  • and Boranup,

  • the place of the male dingo.

  • Then there’s Hamelin Bay,

  • named after the French explorer who sailed along this coast in 1801.

  • And, Prevelly,

  • named after the monastery in Crete,

  • which gave sanctuary to a local soldier in World War 2.

  • The names of these beaches may vary in origin,

  • but one thing unites them all,

  • their ability to nourish and feed the soul.

  • A great way to experience the coastline is to get out on water,

  • on a whale watching cruise.

  • Once hunted to the brink of extinction,

  • today, thousands of whales return each year to mate,

  • calve and simply enjoy the warm waters of Margaret River.

  • The Margaret River region’s southern end is marked by the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse,

  • where below, the waves of the Indian and Southern Oceans meet.

  • Once, teams of lighthouse keepers toiled to keep the light burning.

  • Today, you can climb the same stairs to marvel at the views,

  • and appreciate how the region has blossomed,

  • from one of the wildest and most remote places in Australia,

  • into one of the most welcoming.

  • Margaret River is one of those rare destinations that's a feast for all the senses

  • with tastes, touches, sights and sounds youll savor, for the rest of your days.

The Margaret River region juts out from the south-west coast of Australia,

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