Beaches, caves, cafes & awesome country towns..
Margaret River central provides the perfect base to set up camp whilst you explore the multitude of attractions and things to do in the region. The town is always bustling with life and truly comes alive during the night with many bars, restaurants and live music for visitors to enjoy. Boutique shops, stunning beaches, famous wineries, gourmet restaurants, cycle trails, hiking routes, speciality coffee shops, the list is endless! There's always plenty of places to go and things to see in and around Margaret River Central.
The cafe scene
If you just want a good coffee, you’ll find an abundance of great cafes along the main street of town. Many have funky or rustic settings, and are great spots to watch Margaret River’s myriad cultures go by. If you hanker for pastries, you can also try the bakery, complete with retro, Grandma-style decor.
Another hub is on Station Road, where you can get yummy fresh greens before wandering deli aisles and sitting down to another coffee. Head to Prevelly and Gnarabup and you’ll find a couple of cafes with awesome ocean views that are perfect for breakfast after a morning swim.
For something a bit more traditional, take the region’s famous Bushtucker Tour, from quiet paddling down the majestic Margaret River to wine and beer tasting, with wildfoods hand-made in Margaret River.
Gnarabup Beach
No visit to Margaret River is complete without a trip to the beach. Gnarabup is a favourite – this calm and beautiful shore is very popular with swimmers and stand-up paddleboarders. The outer limestone reef shelters swimmers from big swells, and a headland to the south makes it a great place to escape the winds. The water is so clear you can see where the rocks meet the sand at the edge of the reef. In the corner, is a seasonal cafe that overlooks the ocean, making it perfect for your post-swim coffee.
The Point
Don’t leave town without going for a sticky beak at The Point, one of Margaret River’s most famous beaches. A world-renowned wave, home to the annual Margaret River Pro, and the perfect spot to watch it all unfold. Surfers, kite boarders, travellers, picture-takers and picnic-goers all come together to take in the view and absorb the action. There’s also a great little lagoon for swimming, a shaded area for barbecues, and lots of lawn for picnics.
[gallery columns="2" link="none" size="full" ids="https://media.localista.com.au/2018/09/LakeCaveMRToursFB.jpg|Lake Cave,https://media.localista.com.au/2018/09/SurferspointAustraliasSWFB.jpg|Surfers Point"]
Mammoth Cave
This commanding limestone cave is a natural time capsule, its large chambers home to the ancient fossil remains of extinct megafauna. Entry to Mammoth Cave is easy, with wheelchair access through the first chamber. Go at your own pace along boardwalks, using the self-guiding audio headsets. The cave is open 9am to 5pm, last entry is at 4pm.
Lake Cave
Take a guided tour of the region’s only cave to be blessed with a permanent lake. The tour is short, but the reflections of the ceiling on the water are extraordinary and well worth the 300 stairs. Tours depart every hour on the half hour, from 9.30am to 3.30pm.
Gracetown
Watch the enormous surf roll in across the curve of Cowaramup Bay in Gracetown. Elevated vantage points offer great views any time of day, but the sunset is particularly lovely, turning the water from silver to gold. Sheltered by a southern headland, there’s a calm swimming beach down off the ridge. The walking here is great too, along a section of the Cape to Cape Track.
Cowaramup
Lovingly known by the locals as Cow Town, Cowaramup is a little township just north of Margaret River. And it has cows everywhere. Well, fibreglass ones anyway – 42 of them, life-sized Friesian cows and calves that have taken over the town and can be spotted in the streets, parks and shops. Cowaramup also holds the world record for the most number of people dressed as cows.
Image credit: Cowaramup - Mark Boskell, Lake Cave - Margaret River Tours Facebook, Surfers Point - Australia's South West Facebook