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2nd June 2008.
Margaret River has exploded into one of Australia's premiere wine growning regions and a huge tourist destination over the past few years. It has become a tourist mecca based on their wineries, surfing, boutique breweries, cheese, chocolate and venison factories and have ensured Margaret River is the place to get away for that well deserved holiday break.
It's a colourfull bustling little town and come long weekends and public holidays, you have to book months in advance just to get in. It now boasts a population of just on 6,000 permanent residents plus around 1.5 million tourists a year.
Wineries:
The region abounds with wineries, breweries, eateries, art galleries and boutiques. There are literally dozens and dozens of wineries and after a few, you've seen enough. A word of warning to newcomers, buying wine at the wineries cellar doors is expensive. I know they have staff to pay and they also have to cover the costs of tastings etc, but they're a lot more expensive than bottle shops. Must admit though, they are well decked out and we, or should I say I, enjoyed being able to sample the wines. Still trying to find a wine Marlene will like and drink, it's mission impossible. Make sure you aren't driving or you could end up in the ditch. We saw a few of these.
Breweries:
The boutique breweries are real, modern, working facilites and you can view all the various stages of the beer being made and they also serve first class food. Best to order a small sample tray before you order your chosen pint with a meal. They range from chili beer to sour beer plus everything in between. You have to see all the names of all the different brews to believe it.
Caves:
The region has some awesome caves. We've seen caves throughout the world but for us, Jewel Cave is probably the most impressive we've seen anywhere. 300 steps down to 52 metres below ground level then all the walks and platforms down there, then the hard part, 300 steps back up makes for a good days excercise. The guided tour is only an hour, but it feels like 4.
Huge caverns, small narrow walkways, all the usual stalacmites and stalactites, but the variety of all the various views, the formations and the awesome spectacles make this our favourite and recommended cave.
Got back to our rig and tried to start the Patrol and the battery was flat after only an hour and a half. The caravan fridge had obviously flattened the battery. I specifically had a dual battery system fitted for this very reason. The auxiliary battery powers the accessories and leaves the main battery charged for starting the vehicle, or so I thought. Either I've got it wrong or it hasn't been installed correctly. Had to get the generator out and after 20 minutes of charging, the battery had enough power to get us up and going again.
Marlene's done it again, she did the whole tour and although she struggled a bit in the very low and narrow areas where you have to crouch low and almost crawl to get through, she did the distance on her own. Reckon she deserves a glass of wine to celebrate, if only I could find a wine she likes, meantime, I'll have to have one for her.
Yallingup:
This sleepy little paradise has become a mecca for surfers, holiday homes and retirees. Unfortunately, the property boom has put most of these properties beyond the reach of most of us with $million plus price tags.
I've only ever seen waves like this in the movies, but wow, being able to actually see them in person, plus film them and also capture them on the camera was an awesome experience. Even the surfies steered clear of them. We watched them for a couple of hours as every minute was a new exhilirating experience.
All I can say is WOW....... You have to be there and see it to experience it.
The Cape Naturalist Lighthouse is nearby and although a nice spot, was nothing compared to the Cape Leuuwin Lighthouse in Augusta.
Other Attractions and Interests:
There are numerous other attractions around the Margaret River region including the Cheese factory, Chocolate factory, Olive Oil factory, Venison farm, Candy Cow, Soap factory plus the loads of other items of interest, there's just too many to mention. Allow at least a week to explore this region as there is so much to see, do and experience.
Off to Busselton in the morning. |
Our Trip 
