Spanning 2,243 square kilometres (866 sq mi) at its northern end the idyllic township of Margaret River nestles into a hillside. The town is quaint with specialty shops, a great pub and a supermarket on the main drag. As the regional hub, most of the population resides here, as well as the township of Augusta at the region’s southern end. In between the two are vast tracts of state and national parks and fantastic lime cave systems to explore, along with 60 kilometres of wild coastline where the green and blue hues of the Indian Ocean rise into walls of surf and break along the wide sandy beaches. The scenes are typical of the Western Australian coast, but there’s something supremely unique about Margaret River that keeps the visitors coming back again and again.
Dotted amid rolling hills of thick native bushland are carefully tendered vineyards, cellar doors, craft breweries and specialty factories and kitchens. The manicured gardens of the winery estates are a dramatic contrast to the gum forests and indigenous undergrowth. Narrow roads lead to surprising destinations and experiences often end with mouthfuls of something delicious. The people are friendly and it’s not hard to get them talking about the area and what you should try while you’re there.
With half the region making up state and national parks, Gifting Owl gift vouchers showcase the best of the best in tours and activities. The Margaret River Wine and Nature Tour is an all-day adventure that takes you to the highlight places across the region. A small group event, the tour is limited to seven passengers, making the experience more enriching as you learn about the local geology, its unique flora and fauna including some of Western Australia’s famous wildflowers and are left breathless by the coastal views. The palate is just as important on this tour and there’s plenty of time to join in tastings of boutique wines and spirits, have lunch among the gum trees and sample some of the local delicacies such as specialty chocolate, jams, olives and nougat.
The person you have in mind might prefer the Voyager Estate Tour & 4-Course Lunch tour. Voyager Estate is well known for its beautiful gardens, fine wines and dining. The three-hour tour takes guests to the heart of vineyard operations; from the barrel room to the underground cellar and then on to the dining table for a degustation experience of 7 courses paired with wines.
The region is also marked at each end by its lighthouses. Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse is just outside the village of Dunsborough in the north. While close to Augusta in the south, Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, Australia’s tallest mainland lighthouse, overlooks the point at which the Southern Ocean meets the Indian Ocean. These are hugely popular attractions, and both give fascinating insights into the maritime history of the area as well as spectacular ocean views. That’s just on their own. But many tours team one or both lighthouses with other great adventures such as the two-hour Jewel Cave and Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse tour. Or a gift for the hale and hearty - the eight-day Cape to Cape Walk – one of Australia’s great walks taking in the coastal treats of the region and during winter (June to Nov) plentiful sightings of migratory whales.
Margaret River gifts spoil you for choice, so we understand how hard it might be to make up your mind on the perfect experience gift. Fear not. If your gift recipient is travelling to Margaret River, you can always opt for a Gifting Owl voucher and leave it up to them to decide. Your gift is valid for three years and fully exchangeable with other Gifting Owl tours. One thing we can be certain of is that your gift recipient will be getting a gift from you that they can really sink their teeth into. Happy gifting!
