DRIVE YOUR STORY – MARGARET RIVER REGION DRIVE TRAILS

Get side-tracked in beautiful places with self-drive trail guides for the naturally adventurous. See more of what matters with these recommended routes to take in your own time. Five unmissable coast and country drives. Endless stories.

five unmissable coast & country drives

Make the most of your next WA holiday. Visit driveyourstory.com to start planning your visit and finding more than you were looking for

Get side-tracked in beautiful places with self-drive trail guides for the naturally adventurous. Whether you are driving from Perth to Margaret River or flying straight into Busselton Margaret River Airport. See more of what matters with these recommended routes to take in your own time.

Feel the adventure unfolding in your hands as you explore beyond the expected. Discover wild places, culture, produce, ideas and inspiration to make your next getaway an unforgettable experience.

A curated collection of five coast and country drive trails guiding you towards the parts of the Margaret River Region you’re looking for and the parts you didn’t expect. Follow them to the letter or use them as your North Star to get back on track if you’ve wandered off the beaten path (and we hope you do).

Plan ahead then feel free to get a little side tracked while finding new favourites, slowing down with a swim, or stopping into a hidden gem. Linger a little longer to bask in the glow of sunset then bring home a story that’s all your own.

Find us on the Cowaramup Harvest & Vines Trail

We recommend dedicating 1-2 days for each trail. Below are some highlights of this trail.

Cowaramup Harvest & Vines Trail Highlights;

Caves Road: is 111km long and connects the two Capes, Naturaliste to the North and Leeuwin to the South. Adorned with large Karri, Marri and Jarrah trees the drive will showcase the farming industry’s of the region. Vast vineyards, cows and sheep grazing on open paddocks, olive trees, kangaroos and more.

Vineyard Views: the first vines were planted in 1969 and this was due to the amazing soils and climate particularly in the Wilyabrup Region. Where you will find our vineyard and is the centre of the Cowaramup Harvest Trail.

Meet the Makers: Margaret River is home to an array of producers. On this trail you will get the delight of experiencing some of the finest sweets, treats and delicacies. Chocolate from Margaret River Chocolate Company, Whisky/Rum/Absinthe from The Grove Distillery, Olive Oil Products from Vasse Virgin , Honey products The Colony Concept and of course premium Nougat produced onsite at Bettenay’s Margaret River • Gracetown

Gracetown Beach: take a drive around the bend on Cowarmup Bay Road and you see why it is a highlight! Curved bay with perfectly calm shallow swimming waters in ‘The Bay’ and mighty swells out on the edges. North Point, South Point and a beginners wave at Huzzas. Take some time to park and go for a walk along parts of the cape to cape track. A simple a picturesque walk is from the South Point carpark up to the top of the lookout.

Keep scrolling to explore all the trails and what to expect.

1. The Gracetown to Cowarmup: Harvest & Vines Trail

Connect to the generosity of the earth, and those who are dedicated to her.

Almost like a golden triangle of winemaking, the humble area between Gracetown and Cowaramup, known as Wilyabrup, is where locals and visitors go to live like kings. The land is bountiful and giving. It’s the region’s powerhouse of vineyards, farming, working families and artisan production.

Once a land of milk (literally), there’s now honey and wine. The landscape is one of rolling fields, hay bales and lush vineyards bordered by virgin native bushland. Those who visit have no choice but to witness the seasons first-hand and are compelled to meet the makers, see the production and sample the fruits of land, labour and love. It’s like all roads lead to this special pilgrimage.

Old secrets of winemaking, brewing, distilling and tempering are whispered here. Of course, days end at the coast, and in this case, it’s Gracetown’s Cowaramup Bay, where the sun sets into the water.

Find detailed maps and guides online at Driveyourstory.com

2. The Margaret River: Surf and Source Trail

Feel the current of the Margaret River – the land’s life source.

Like the beginning and end of something much greater, the fresh waters of the Margaret River flow through land, forest and out to sea, sharing life and vitality to all who encounter it.

It is a magic felt in the earth and the people. The experiences are as varied and unique as the inhabitants. But that’s the common thread in Margaret River: a connection to place and a contribution to the culture, no matter your background. It’s an area of character and characters. Here, legacy wine producers rub shoulders with old salty surfers, tree changers, nature-lovers, enterprising families and artists.

Visitors come to grasp a slice of this life, but many stay to add their own thread to the intricate tapestry. Trickle, current, vine, forest, rivermouth, ocean.

Find detailed maps and guides online at Driveyourstory.com

3. Dunsborough to Yallingup: Graze & Bathe Trail

Let the coastline set the scene for you to savour, sip and indulge.

Welcome to the ‘Cape Naturaliste’ bubble – your own private island in the south west. This tiny corner of the world is flanked by the turquoise waters of secluded, lagoon-like bays on one side and dramatic, granite-lined surf-breaks on the other.

The canvas well and truly sets the scene for coast-to-coast indulgent living between Dunsborough and Yallingup. The daily schedule is unhurried. It looks like a surf or a swim, a hike on the Cape rewarded by a long lunch, an afternoon of sourcing gourmet produce, and finally, seeing out the day with a lazy glass in hand at your winery or brewery of choice.

You can experience the Cape region intimately, or join those who regularly return, calling it their own retreat – their home-away-from-home – albeit more spectacular.

Find detailed maps and guides online at Driveyourstory.com

4. Busselton: Bay and bounty trail

Stripped back and relaxed, classic family memories are made here.

Family holiday legacies are made here. The classic elements remain unchanged: the crystalline, protected waters of Geographe Bay. The foreshore lined with the iconic Norfolk Pines. The historic Busselton Jetty, cherished by generations of locals and visitors who have walked along it, jumped off it, snorkelled, dived, fished from it.

The nostalgia here is palpable, harking back to a simpler time – one of free time. Naturally, the bay is front and centre on this trail but scratch a bit deeper into the bountiful hinterland and you’ll find more experiences that hold onto Busselton’s essence and give back even more.

The calm of the coastline is paralleled by the adventures found inland, not to mention the quality beer being crafted locally. Expect genuine grassroots cellar doors, one of West Australia’s top produce and artisan markets, surprising adventures and unforgettable family holiday memories.

Find detailed maps and guides online at Driveyourstory.com

5. The August Caves and Coastlines Trail

Follow your adventurous spirit to the most southwestern point of Australia, where two oceans meet.

Augusta marks one of the rugged points of Australia; a final landmark before a vast southern unknown, and a Cape where two oceans collide. It’s a place to get lost, get wild and return to nature.

Old knowledge is everywhere. Whether it be in the sacred spaces of the First Nations Wadandi People; in the ancient caves, Boranup Forest, cliffs and coast; through to the intuition of the fishing fleets and abalone divers based in town.

It is present at the historic Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse that has shepherded many a passing maritime vessel; or with the generational farming families, some who are bringing old wisdom of livestock, permaculture and vine to a new audience.

The forest, the coast and the Blackwood River, all raw and alive, contributing to a renewed, pared back perspective.

Find detailed maps and guides online at Driveyourstory.com