Margaret River

The Margaret River region can claim to be one of the most popular destinations in Western Australia. The Margaret River region includes such towns as Augusta in the south and Dunsborough in the north, but its main center is the town of Margaret River, which is 280 km, or a 3 hour drive, south of Perth.

The river and its town were named after a Margaret Wyche, who was part of the Bussell family associated with the nearby Busselton and Geographe region. Growth was slow, with some farming and timber throughout the 19^th century, while the post-WWI migration scheme brought some newcomers to the area. This scheme was known as the Group Settlement Scheme and was an effort to increase the population of Western Australia, seen as dangerously vacant. They targeted British settlers who were then sent out to various localities in groups of 12-15 families, each were given a 160 acre block, £10, plus 10 shillings per day while they cleared the land. Despite this support many could not make the land profitable, particularly once the Depression began, and the scheme was abandoned by 1930.

Timber industry means forests, and forests mean bushfires. Karridale, a small town south of the Margaret River had to be rebuilt, at a slightly different location, after being destroyed by bushfires in 1961. Besides Karridale’s there were many timber mills in the Margaret River region, such as Kudardup, Boranup and Jarrahdene, and it has been estimated that in the early part of the 20^th century some 17 million railway sleepers were cut from the region.

Another town of the Margaret River region is Augusta, located at the mouth of the Blackwood River and only nine kilometres from where the Indian and Southern Oceans are calculated to meet. Augusta was named after one of the then British king’s daughters, Princess Augusta Sophia.

Dr Tom Cullity is credited with having planted the first vines in the Margaret River region, in 1967, at Vasse Felix. However, in the last 20 years the Margaret River region has seen the number of vine plantings greatly increase with wine producers now reaching some 120. This rapid increase began in the 1980s and 1990s.

With the Indian Ocean to the west of the Margaret River region and Geographe Bay nearby, the climate is distinctly maritime. However, the region also includes the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge, which runs for some 90 km between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin, the length of the whole region from north to south. Summer rainfall is low, necessitating some irrigation, and while frosts are rare, salt laden winds can be a problem and so a location that provides wind protection is important.

Cabernet Sauvignon was the first wine produced in the Margaret River region in any quantity, but since the early days such white varieties as Chardonnay and a Semillon Sauvignon Blanc blend have also proven successful. Other varieties doing well in the region are Verdelho, Riesling and Chenin Blanc.

Vasse Felix, in 1967, was the first vineyard and winery established in the Margaret River region. Vasse Felix was named for a French seaman - Thomas Vasse - who drowned off Wonnerup Beach. He was part of the Baudin expedition that explored the coast of this region in 1801. Vasse Felix has an underground cellar, a restaurant, and its own art gallery. All designed to successfully drawn large numbers of visitors.

A good example of what the Margaret River wine region has to offer is the Ashbrook Estate, established by the Devitt family in 1975. The Devitt's use barrel fermentation in French oak, in which the wine matures for two years before bottling and further maturing.

This patient approach has won them awards, including the Silver at the 2001 Sheraton Wine Awards for their 2001/2 Sauvignon Blanc and Gold in 2002.

A major natural feature of the Margaret River region are the several hundred caves that are located near the Margaret River itself, all can be found inside the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park. Four of these are open to the public and the most famous is the Mammoth Cave. This cave is 21 kilometres south of Margaret River and fossils over 35,000 years old have been found within it. The Mammoth Cave was discovered in 1850 and has been open to the public since 1904. The other three caves open to the public are Jewel Cave, Lake Cave and Moondyne Cave.

Close by Augusta is the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse; it is 108 years old and is located near where the Indian and Southern Oceans merge. When visiting the lighthouse you can also see an old water wheel first made during the construction of the lighthouse. Over the years it has turned to stone and into a popular tourist attraction. From here can also be seen Humpback and Southern Right whales during their migrations between June and September. Finally, the Augusta Historical Museum is excellent and includes many items retrieved from shipwrecks in the area.

It was Cabernet Sauvignon that first gave the Margaret River region its reputation and most wineries produce a Cabernet. Chardonnay was also a significant part of the Margaret River region’s growth as it still is today. Much Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon is produced in the Margaret River region, often blended with Chenin Blanc to create a specialty of the region called Classic Dry White.