Best places to stop when travelling from Perth to Margaret River
A weekend escape to the Margaret River wine region is an easy three-hour drive from Perth. And whilst there’s lots to see and do when you arrive in our beautiful part of South Western Australia, equally there’s some spectacular scenery to absorb along the way with quaint attractions to explore and breathtaking coastal scenery. Cafés, restaurants and food providores are scattered along the route as you pass through towns like Bunbury, Busselton and Dunsborough. It’s worth taking a few days to experience and explore our beautiful region. For assistance in planning your itinerary head to Inspirock Trip Planner.
Here are a few of our local favourites that we’re stopped at as a family over the years that we recommend you add to your itinerary for when you need to stretch your legs on your trip. Don’t forget that we’ll have a welcoming glass waiting for you at Brown Hill Estate when you arrive, so be sure to add our Rosa Brook Cellar Door to your itinerary when you reach your end destination.
The Crooked Carrot
If you’re travelling with kids, The Crooked Carrot at Myalup is the perfect spot between Perth and Margaret River to stretch your legs and grab a bite to eat, about one-and-a-half hours’ drive from Perth. Farming family the Castros have transformed what was once a roadside produce stall into a welcoming café with plenty of outdoor seating interspersed with vintage farm equipment and collectibles, including a tram carriage that made its way over the Nullarbor from Melbourne. There’s a huge nature playground for the kids to burn off some energy as well as a kitchen garden brimming with herbs, vegies and bush-tucker ingredients – keep an eye out for their market days. Once you’ve finished exploring, order something simple and delicious from the paddock-to-plate-inspired menu.
Open daily, 6am-4pm.
Dolphin Discovery Centre
For an encounter with the local ocean life, a visit to Bunbury’s Dolphin Discovery Centre is a must. Koombana Bay is home to more than 100 bottlenose dolphins, who are regular visitors to the shallow Interaction Zone where you can wade in and get up close. You can also head out into bay on a boat for a dolphin-watching tour, or a swimming experience for something really memorable. It will be sure to be a memorable visit for the whole family.
Open daily, 8am-5pm.
Bunbury Farmers' Market
There’s so many local farmers producing exceptional produce within Western Australia, and the Bunbury Farmers Market is always a treasure trove to explore. They source their selection of fruit and vegies from more than 150 local growers, as well as fresh meats, seafood, deli goods and some terrific ready-to-eat meals. We can’t resist the housemade ‘beef swags’ of slow-cooked beef wrapped in pastry (perfect with one of our shiraz/shiraz blend options).
Open daily, weekdays, 7.30am-6.30pm; Sat, 7.30am-5.30pm; Sun 8am-5.30pm.
Ludlow Tuart Drive
Taking a short detour off the main highway before you arrive in Busselton is well worthwhile as it features a scenic drive looping through the Ludlow Tuart Forest. The world’s last remaining area of majestic tuart trees, these incredible specimens are more than 300 years old and stand at around 30 metres tall. Naturally, the area is home to an abundance of wildlife, so if you have time to stop off and explore, you may be lucky enough to spot a mob of kangaroos or wildflowers in season.
Busselton Jetty
Busselton is the next popular stop on the road for tourists, not least for the famous Busselton Jetty that stretches out into beautiful Geographe Bay. At 152 years old and spanning 1.84 kilometres, it’s the longest timber jetty in the Southern Hemisphere. If you don’t want to walk the whole way, you can climb aboard the jetty train. When you reach the end you can descend into the Underwater Observatory to take a glimpse at the sea life that makes its home in the artificial reef around the jetty. Once you’ve walked the planks, grab some refreshments at one of Busselton’s cafes or craft breweries such as Rocky Ridge.
Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse
Keep hugging the coastline as you enter our beautiful Margaret River wine region and you’ll arrive in the laidback little town of Dunsborough, with its white-sand beaches. Just past town, you’ll find Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse marking the start of the Cape to Cape Track. Walk some of the trails, climb the lighthouse for grand vistas over Geographe Bay, or enjoy spectacular views and great food at nearby Bunkers Beach House.
Cowaramup
Just north of Margaret River, the town of Cowaramup capitalises on its name. Snap a selfie with some of the many cow sculptures dotting the streets, stop into The Candy Cow for nougat, fudge, chocolate and honeycrunch made on the premises, and find handcrafted local goods and art at Mukau Giftware and Gallery. Also in Cowaramup is the popular tasting room and cafe among the olive groves at Olio Bello, where you can sample the estate-grown virgin olive oil varieties as well as oils infused with parmesan, basil, lime and even vanilla.
VISIT US
Once you’ve arrived in Margaret River, it’s only a few minutes to the village of Rosa Brook where our family-owned winery Brown Hill Estate is located. We look forward to welcoming you at our cellar door and sharing some of our signature drops. If you have a few days to explore the region, take a look at our suggestions for the best brunches in town and family-friendly activities to make the most of your stay. Enjoy and we look forward to seeing you on your next trip to our beautiful home in the Margaret River, Western Australia.