The Margaret River Region

Margaret River is situated in the south west corner of Australia, 250km (2½ hour drive) south of Perth.

The wine region itself is quite long, stretching 120km from north to south and 30km east to west and taking in the areas of Augusta, Karridale, Margaret River, Cowaramup, Carbanup, Vasse, Dunsborough and Yallingup.

In the mid 1960's the Margaret River area was scientifically identified by Dr John Gladstone (UCLA) as being an ideal place to grow premium wine grapes.

With Cape Leeuwin in the south and Cape Naturaliste in the north, the region is surrounded by oceans on three sides, The Indian and The Great Southern Ocean. This maritime climate, coupled with generous winter rains and gravely loam soils, make it a perfect location for wine grape growing; comparable to the Bordeaux region in France.

Since the first plantings in 1967, Margaret River has established itself as a premium wine region consistently producing wines of exceptional quality.

Renowned varieties to come from the region are Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, with other varieties of Shiraz and Semillon also making their mark.

Today there are around 200 vineyards in the region with over 90 wineries and cellar doors.

Surfing

The Cape to Cape area is also renowned for its world class surf breaks which form an integral part in the Margaret River lifestyle.

The long stretch of coastline boasts multitudes of these breaks which draw in surfers from around the world for their consistent, big clean waves.

The area is also host to several surfing events held annually with a major one being the Margaret River Pro (formerly Margaret River Masters). This event is held just after easter (mid April-May) and is a World Qualifying Series (WQS) event as part of the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Tour. It attracts up to 200 of the worlds best surfers to compete for $100,000 in prize money and also valuable WQS rating points.

The combination of the winemaking and surfing lifestyles are obvious as you travel throughout the region. It is also blessed with serveral world class food producers and restaurants, making it a must-see destination on your next travel plans.