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The Margaret River region is known globally for its quality wines but let me tell you there is so much more to this region than visiting these wineries! I spent 5 days exploring Margaret River and there are so many fun things to do there. Three hours south of the state’s capital you can go from cute little country towns to surf breaks and to the most amazing rock pools in just a short drive. If you love the outdoors, keep reading for essential information on planning your trip & my list of 15 fun things to do in Margaret River.
Closest Airports to the Margaret River Region
The closest airport to Margaret River is Busselton Margaret River Airport (BQB). From the airport, it’s a 40-minute drive into town, although this is a smaller airport so they don’t have a massive flight schedule.
Your other option would be to fly into Perth Airport (PER). This is a domestic & international airport and has plenty of flights daily. And, then from Perth airport, it’s just over a three-hour drive to Margaret River town. Depending on the traffic the drive is pretty easy, mostly on the freeway.
Flying into Perth airport isn’t a bad option as you definitely need to hire a car for this trip anyway. All the fun things to do in Margaret River are spread out over the region. So, walking or getting a bus everywhere isn’t really an option.
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Margaret River Accommodation
The Margaret River Region has a variety of accommodation options including, camping, bed & breakfast, backpackers, holiday homes & resorts.
We stayed at ‘Margaret River Hideaway & Farmstay’ and absolutely loved it. The land is massive, there are beautiful farm animals all around and each room was a well-equipped house that was perfect for families or a group of friends.
Also, the farm was very reasonably priced, and only a few minutes’ drive from Margaret River town. Plus, the Colonial Brewery is a few minutes up the road.
Best Areas to Stay
The Margaret River region is a pretty large area, driving from north to south along the coast would take you an hour & 15 minutes (95Km).
I wouldn’t be overly concerned with what area you stay in because either way, you’ll need a car to get around. Margaret River town has a few accommodation options which would be great because you’d be able to walk to the shops, but there isn’t enough there to keep you busy all day.
If you did want to stay within walking distance to the beach and shops, I would recommend Yallingup. It’s close to the northern tip of the region and has accommodation close to the beach and a small group of shops.
Search for the best accommodation in Margaret River.
15 fun things to do in Margaret River
…. broken down into categories.
Margaret River Beaches
Hamelin Bay Beach:
This beach was beautiful, the water was so blue & clear! But that’s not why you come here, Hamelin Bay Beach is a winner because every day massive stingrays swim up and down the shoreline. If you stand in the shallow water they will happily swim right by you.
I read that the best time to see them is between 9-10 am or in the late afternoon when the fishing boats are coming back. I visited from about 10 am and plenty of stingrays were swimming around, it was amazing. But I would suggest checking the tide times as well, try and aim for low tide as it’s harder to see them when the water gets deeper.
Meelup Beach:
This calm beach is protected from wind & with barely any waves this beach is perfect for swimming and even hiring a kayak or stand-up paddleboard. Meelup Beach is a short drive from Dunsborough. Definitely pack a picnic before you leave town and make a day of it.
Point Piquet:
Another stunning beach and only a short distance from Meelup Beach, is Point Piquet. It is even worth just stopping by and enjoying the stunning view from the rocks.
Injidup Natural Spa:
One of those wow moments when you see these stunning rock pools. With the waves crashing over the rocks creating the feeling of jets in a spa, it looked scarier than it is, I never really felt like I was going to be washed away.
These rock pools are in Yallingup and only a short walk from the car park. The car park is off the main road and signed “Wyadup Rocks”.
Unusual Things to do in the Margaret River Region
Ngilgi Caves:
Did you know that there are over 100 underground caves in the Margaret River Region? Only 4 are open to the public (Ngilgi Cave, Lake Cave, Jewel Cave & Mammoth Cave) and which one you pick would depend on whether you’re after a guided tour or prefer to explore on your own.
I visited Ngilig Cave (pronounced Nil-gi, the first g is silent), this one is semi-guided & tours start every 30 minutes. When you first arrive you’ll be given a 15-minute introduction by the staff, which was a great way to learn about the history. Then once inside we were free to explore on our own. It was absolutely stunning and such a unique experience. Entry was $22.50 per adult and took about 1.5 hours to see it all.
Amaze’n Margaret River:
This half-hectare giant hedge maze would be perfect if you needed to work off all the wine and food you’ve been enjoying during your trip. Although, I can’t help but think back to the final scenes in the movie The Shinning!!! 😳
Amaze’n Margaret River is on the Bussell Highway and entry is $22 for adults & $15 for kids.
Free Stuff to do,
Sugarloaf Rocks:
One thing that is a must-do in Western Australia is to watch the sunset over the ocean and Sugarloaf Rock is the perfect spot in the Margaret River Region. Sugarloaf is just north of Yallingup and is a giant granite rock emerging from the Indian Ocean. From the car park follow a short path up the hill and you’ll be greeted with amazing views of the coastline and Sugarloaf.
Canal Rocks:
This stop is just up the road from Injidup Natural Spa & is another series of granite rocks. I loved Canal Rocks because there’s a footbridge built over the ocean and the views are stunning. Even though the ocean was too rough to swim here, the views were definitely worth stopping for.
Cape to Cape Track:
If you’re up for it this hike is 123km and will take you 5-6 days to complete. I’m sure every section of this track offers amazing views. I haven’t done this track yet but after seeing the beauty of this region, I’ve definitely added it to my Australian bucket list.
And, you won’t need any permits for this track and some (but not all) camps site are free of charge.
A lot of the fun things to do in Margaret River are simply just being outdoors and exploring the coastline. This is such an amazing part of Australia and it’s so awesome having all these amazing places only a short distance apart.
And, Other Things to do,
Wineries & Breweries:
This is often the only reason someone would come to Margaret River, there are lots and lots of wineries and nearly just as many breweries. Even if you’re not a big drinker it’s still fun to visit at least a few, they pretty much all have restaurants, many also have kid’s areas & the settings are beautiful.
Personally, I’m not much of a wine drinker, so thankfully there are so many good breweries around. The breweries we visited were Wild Hop, Bootleg Brewery & Colonial Brewery. Wild Hop was my favorite!
Because I’m sure some of you are big drinkers and if you’re not as lucky as me to have a designated driver, there’s always the option to book a tour that will take you around to a number of different wineries and/or breweries.
Check out Viator who hosts a number of different tours in the region.
Canoeing on the River:
Going by the name you would think the river in Margaret River was the star of the show, but it’s not. You could easily visit this region and not even really notice the actual river. That’s not to say it isn’t worth seeing, just for me the ocean was a clear winner.
The best way to experience the actual ‘Margaret River’ is by getting out on the water, it’ll be fun, with beautiful scenery & there’s a lot to learn about the aboriginal culture and their history in this region.
Viator has half-day canoe trips that include lunch – Click here to book.
The Chocolate Factory:
The Margaret River Chocolate Co. is the perfect little stop for any sweet tooth. There’s a cafe and a massive store with so many options, it’s crazy! And they even have big containers of free samples, including dark chocolates for us vegans.
Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse:
At the tip of the cape is where the Southern and Indian oceans meet. At various times throughout the year, the different water currents and swell patterns are evident from the lighthouse. I have even seen photos where you can see the two oceans meeting and a very distinct color difference.
Although, when I was there it just looked like another ocean 😆. Cape Leeuwin is actually the most south-westerly point of the Australian continent.
The cost to enter the ground of the lighthouse is $7.50 and it’s $20 to have a guided tour which includes going to the top of the lighthouse.
I was just happy wondering the ground & visiting the museum, my own self guided tour.
Busselton Jetty:
This is probably the longest Jetty you would have ever seen! Busselton Jetty is 1.8km long and at times the water underneath was so clear you could see fish and stingrays swimming around.
So just to walk on the jetty you’ll have to pay $4 for a day pass. I couldn’t believe they charged you just to walk it! Such a money-grab but of course, I still went. 🤦🏽♀️
There is also a tram that runs from the beginning to the end of the jetty that costs $7 one way.
If you wanted to explore underneath the jetty, at the end is The Underwater Observatory. There weren’t any tours available when we were there but from the footage, I saw it looked pretty amazing. The observatory room is 8 meters below the ocean’s surface and you’re surrounded by an artificial reed that has been created around the jetty’s pillars.
Boranup Forest:
This Forrest is absolutely beautiful, with hundreds of Kerri Trees, standing over 50 meters tall. If you drive along Caves Road on your way to Hamelin Bay, you’ll get amazing views without even getting out of the car.
A lot of the time when driving around the Margaret River Region you’ll see lush forest along the side of the road but if you look deeper you’ll see that behind those few rows of trees is completely cleared land so it’s nice to see an area that is still how it was back in the day (apart from the road you’d be driving on).
This part of Western Australia is so beautiful and perfect for a 5-7 day trip. WA is the biggest state in Australia so generally, everything is super spread out. Making Margaret River so special because there are so many incredible sights and fun things to do in a reasonably small area.
And, another area like this is Rottnest Island, the color of the water here is insane. Rottnest is perfect for a 2-3 day trip & that will give you time to see it all. You can read my Rottnest article by clicking here. Get ready to experience the magic of the Western Australia coastline.
Thank you so much for reading. My Australian content will always be expanding, with even more places to discover. So if you’d like me to send you my new travel guides, click here to join my mailing list.
Happy Travels.
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If you want to travel around more of Australia, check out my Ultimate Guide to Travel Down Under. Which includes heaps of ideas for your Australian bucket list!
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Elyse is the author & content creator behind A World To Live. After traveling to over 40 countries, she has a passion for discovering new places. Elyse is a money-conscious traveller who loves writing independent travel guides to help her readers get the most out of their travels.
This looks absolutely amazing. I don’t think there is anything here that I wouldn’t want to do. Thanks for sharing this amazing spot.
Thank you so much, Susan. Really glad you enjoyed it
Wow! Western Australia sounds amazing, I can’t wait to visit one day 🙂 The beaches look so dreamy!
Oh Amy they are 🤗 The water is always so clear and blue
Love this post!!!! I hadn’t heard of this part of Australia before and it sounds like there’s SO much to see and do. Everything sounds incredible, especially the caves and beaches. The wineries and The Margaret River Chocolate Co. would be high on my list as well!
Thank you so much, Shannon, hopefully you can visit soon
Love Margaret River and love reading about your adventures here! How fun is the maze! we had the best time (unexpectedly hehe).
Thanks heaps Tess. Glad you liked the maze 🙂
Nice one Elyse! This is a great article I feel to help travelers plan a trip to Margaret River, and it’s very up to date and accurate
I’ve added your Pin to my Travel News board on Pinterest so hopefully more people can find this!
Thank you so much, Sam, definitely need to spread the news on how absolutely stunning the Margaret River Region is!