If stunning scenery, wide-open spaces, delectable cuisine, and world-class wines sound like a recipe for a memorable holiday, David Bowden has just the place for you. Join him on an indulgent visit to Western Australia’s magnificent southwest.

Australia is one big country and it takes detailed planning to maximise any holiday there. It’s rather daunting to even contemplate seeing it all or even the main sights in one visit unless you have a lazy few months to spare and unlimited credit on your charge card. So the key to a successful Aussie visit is to choose one area and spend your time there.

Western Australia has great appeal as it’s less than a six-hour flight from Kuala Lumpur (and even residents of Sabah can fly direct from Kota Kinabalu to Perth), it’s the same time zone as Malaysia, the Mediterranean climate is most inviting, and there are many things to see and experiences in which you can indulge.

Perth has the dubious title of being the most isolated city in the world with Bali in Indonesia the closest form of civilisation at 2,580 km away. Adelaide (2,690 km) is the nearest Australian city and the capital, Canberra, is 3,720 km east of Perth. Little wonder Bali is regularly full of Australians, with many being those from Perth having an extended weekend holiday.

If Western Australia were a country, at 2.53 million sq km, it would be the tenth biggest country in the world. It’s seven times bigger than Malaysia and almost four times bigger than Texas. Believe me – this is one big chunk of earth.Wisely, most visitors arrive with a rough triangle of the southwest in their sights, with Perth, Margaret River, and Albany as its three points. With a state population of 2.6 million, everyone officially has one square kilometre to themselves, but these figures are misleading as most people live in the southwest. What it means is that once you leave the urban limits of Perth, you mostly have the roads to yourself.

Surf n’ Turf

After exploring the sights of Perth, drive three hours south to the Margaret River region which extends from Cape Naturaliste near Dunsborough in the north to Cape Leeuwin and Augusta in the south. It extends from beaches like Yallingup on the Indian Ocean through rolling hills and forests in the hinterland.

Many come to surf or just laze around on long, uncrowded sandy beaches. It’s a comfort for those who swim off the panoramic headland of Gracetown, for example, that the only thing between here and South Africa is the vast expanse of the Indian Ocean.

Yallingup is one of the most popular beaches, but there are many more between here and Augusta with Prevelly Beach being the closest to the small township of Margaret River.Whale watching is also popular during the season from June to November, with several companies offering cruises to see humpback and Southern right whales.

The great Australian outdoors is easily accessible in the region with extended and organised walks like the Cape to CapeWalk offered, along with paddle boarding, surfing, bushwalking, and mountain biking.

Now, it is spring and the forests, especially in the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park, burst into bloom with wildflowers. Beneath the ground, the spectacular Jewel, Lake, Mammoth, Ngilgi, and Yallingup Caves are other attractions; here, the Caveworks Interpretation Centre is the place to visit.

Premium Wines

For many visitors, wining and dining is an essential part of the Margaret River experience and there are many restaurants with well-deserved reputations for matching the best local produce with the fruits of the vines.Wine drinkers know about Margaret River wines, but may not appreciate the reasons behind their success. Growing conditions are incredibly favourable: warm, moderate summers, mild frost-free winters, generous rainfall, rich soils, and a consistent, stable growing season.

Combine these essential natural elements with advanced and technological wine-making, plus the enthusiasm of the area’s winemakers and the result is some of the world’s best wines.

Margaret River produces the ‘best of the best’ as it contributes just 3% of Australia’s total grape production but 10% of its premium wines. You don’t need to be Robert M. Parker Jr. to appreciate that this is as good as Australia gets for several wine styles. Interestingly, the one thing the region lacks is a lengthy wine heritage, as the first vines were planted just 40 or so years ago.

Climatic conditions are similar to those in Bordeaux, and Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay grow particularly well. Other grape varieties that do well are Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Chenin Blanc, and Riesling. Visitors can sample these at over 100 wineries which provide cellardoor wine tastings.With this many offerings, working out a list of wineries to visit takes considerable skill. Some of Margaret River’s iconic wineries include Leeuwin Estate, Cape Mentelle, Cullen, Devil’s Lair, Evans & Tate, Howard Park, MossWood, Xanadu, and Vasse Felix. Leeuwin Estate produces some of Australia’s finest and most expensive wine; indeed, their Art Series Chardonnay is renowned as a global benchmark wine.

The winery is a located in a natural amphitheatre surrounded by towering karri and jarrah trees and the annual February vineyard concerts are held on the winery’s grassy expanses. Some other interesting wineries to visit include Hay Shed Hill, Laurance, Pierro, Voyager Estate, MarriWood, Aravina, Clairault, Driftwood Estate, and Sandalford.

There are also an abundance of microbreweries in the region to ensure no one goes thirsty. Relax over handcrafted ales at Bootleg, Duckstein, Cheeky Monkey, Cowaramup, and Colonial breweries. Eagle Bay is quite a complex, offering a restaurant, brewery, winery, and great coastal views to sample brews like Kolsch, Vienna, and Pale Ale.

The Festive Southwest

Festivals are always a good time to travel anywhere, but they’re a must when they focus on the winning combination of food and wine. Two upcoming festivals worth considering are the Margaret River Gourmet Escape (18th-20th November 2016) and Taste Great Southern (23rd March-9th April 2017).

Gourmet Escape has a comprehensive range of activities all over the region with some 50 culinary superstars on the invite list. This is the event to rub shoulders with the stars: ‘An Audience with Nigella’ (Nigella Lawson), ‘Stein in the Vines’ (Rick Stein), and Andoni Luis Aduriz from Mugaritz, San Sebastian, Spain are just some of the stars to expect.

Taste Great Southern is a generally more low-key affair.Western Australia’s southwest combines indulgence and adventure, and one of the best times to appreciate this is during events such as Taste Great Southern. It’s more a local event than that in Margaret River and one where visitors get to meet the locals, the winemakers, and producers of the region.

Year-round activities in the southwest here include visiting the Albany Farmers Market staged every Saturday morning with an impressive selection of fresh local produce. Marron is a unique Australia crustacean that tastes like lobster, and the Old Marron Farm on the outskirts of Albany is the place to sample it.

There are some fantastic dining opportunities in the southwest and all benefit from sourcing the finest produce grown in pristine conditions. Little Villain in Denmark is typical in that diners can sample a variety of local produce from the restaurant’s small plate offerings and shared platters. Due South is a large restaurant overlooking Albany Harbour that uses mostly locally-sourced produce such as oysters and King George whiting.

Local cool climate wines (it’s hard to appreciate this but the adjoining Southern Ocean moderates the temperature) from leading wineries are served. Seek out Alkoomi, Ferngrove, Zaraphath, Castle Rock, Frankland Estate and Plantagenet.

Getting there

Perth is the best-served Australian destination with Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia X, and Malindo all operating direct flights.

Getting around

A rental vehicle is really the only way to explore the southwest; Hertz offers a comprehensive range of vehicles which can be conveniently booked for collection from Perth International Airport upon arrival.

A looped route in the southwest could take in Perth, Bunbury, Busselton, Margaret River, Augusta, Pemberton,Walpole, Denmark, Albany, Mount Barker, and Kojonup before ending back in Perth.

Where to stay

Stay in style at Cape Lodge, the Grand Mercure Basildene Manor, and Pullman Bunker Bay Resort Margaret River. Self-catered accommodations are available and best suited to families who can use full kitchen facilities to prepare their own meals. Riverglen Chalets in Margaret River is one of the best.

Contacts

Margaret River Gourmet Escape, Taste Great Southern, and TourismWestern Australia.

This article was originally published in The Expat magazine (November 2016) which is available online or in print via a free subscription.