The Town at a Glance

  • Where — on the Bussell Highway, around three hours' drive south of Perth
  • Role — the region's service centre: supermarkets, fuel, medical, banks, the visitor centre
  • Known for — the main street cafés and galleries, and the Saturday farmers market
  • Best for — a base. Wineries, caves and beaches are all inside half an hour

The region takes its name from this town, and the town takes its name from the river running through it. It is the place with the supermarkets and the doctor and the bakery, which makes it the practical choice to stay even for visitors whose plans are entirely about vineyards and coastline. Almost everything worth driving to in the region is within thirty minutes.

The main street runs along the Bussell Highway and is worth an hour on foot: independent cafés, a good bookshop or two, galleries, surf shops, and cellar doors for wineries whose vineyards are somewhere out on Caves Road. It is a working town rather than a resort strip, and it reads that way.

What to Do in Town

The Saturday Farmers Market

The region's growers and producers set up every Saturday morning. It is the single best hour you can spend in town, and the shortest route to understanding why the food here is as good as it is. Market details.

Rotary Park and the river

A short walk from the main street, a stand of karri and peppermint along the Margaret River with barbecues, picnic tables and shade. There are walking tracks that follow the river, and they are flat and easy.

Cellar doors without the drive

Several producers keep a tasting room in or close to town, which is useful if you would rather not spend the day driving between properties. For the full list of vineyards further out, see the wineries guide.

Eating and Drinking

Coffee and breakfast are well covered along the main street, and there is a bakery that draws a queue. In the evening the choice ranges from pub meals to the region's more ambitious restaurants, several of which sit a short drive out of town among the vines. Book ahead for anything at the upper end, particularly on weekends and through school holidays. The food and dining guide covers the region in full.

Where to Stay

Town has the region's widest spread of accommodation — motels and hotels on the highway, apartments and B&Bs on the surrounding streets, a caravan park, backpacker beds, and a large supply of holiday houses. Staying in town means you can walk to dinner. Staying out among the vineyards or down at Prevelly means you cannot, but you wake up somewhere quieter. See the accommodation guide.

Getting Here and Getting Around

Most visitors drive down from Perth on the Forrest and Bussell highways — allow around three hours without stops, longer if you take the coastal route or stop in Bunbury. Coach services run from Perth, and there are flights into Busselton Margaret River Airport. Once you are here a car is close to essential: the wineries, caves and beaches are spread across a wide area with no useful public transport between them. See Perth to Margaret River for the drive in detail.

If you are drinking, do not drive

Cellar door visits and a car are a bad combination, and the police in this region know exactly which roads to sit on. Use one of the many wine tour operators, or nominate a driver and have them taste and spit.

Work out your days

Suggested routes for one day, a weekend or a week in the region.

See the itineraries

Frequently Asked Questions

How far is Margaret River from Perth?

The drive is around three hours via the Forrest and Bussell highways, without stops. Coach services run from Perth, and Busselton Margaret River Airport takes flights from Melbourne and Perth. Check current schedules before you plan around them.

Is Margaret River town a good base for the region?

For most visitors, yes. It has the supermarkets, fuel, medical services and the widest choice of accommodation and restaurants, and the wineries, caves and beaches are almost all within thirty minutes' drive.

Do you need a car in Margaret River?

Effectively, yes. The town itself is walkable, but the attractions are spread across a wide rural area with no useful public transport between them. If you plan to visit cellar doors, consider a wine tour so nobody has to drive.

What is there to do in Margaret River town itself?

Walk the main street for its cafés, galleries and bookshops, visit the Saturday farmers market, and take the shaded river walk at Rotary Park. Several wineries also keep cellar doors in or near town.

When is the Margaret River farmers market?

Saturday mornings, year-round. It is the best single introduction to the region's growers and producers.