Down the Coast to Margaret River

Before leaving Busselton, and on my good friend Ken’s advice, we checked out the unique Origins Market. It’s a bit like markets we have seen overseas (Dubai for instance) where a  community of local makers, artisans and produce sellers offer fresh produce, local artisan products, and gourmet foods by selling their wares under one roof.

Our first major stop for the day was at Cape Naturaliste – the northernmost point of the broad coastal peninsula that separates the relatively sheltered waters of Geographe Bay from the southern Indian Ocean. A 20 meter high lighthouse stands on a 100m bluff overlooking Geographe Bay. It was built in 1903 using limestone carted by bullock wagon from a quarry about 1.5 km away. The three original keepers’ quarters are still standing.

The lighthouse is now an automatic operation, with its white beam visible for 26 nautical miles (48km), flashing twice every 10 seconds

An important point about Cape Naturaliste is that this is the place on the south west coast of Australia where the Indian Ocean and Southern Ocean meet. I could see the difference in the water as I looked out to sea. The dark water on the right of the photo is the Indian Ocean and the colder lighter coloured water on the left is the Southern Oceam. (This colour difference is really caused by the reflection of the cloud cover but I’m never one to  let the truth get in the way of a good story).

As we saw yesterday, Arum Lillies are also growing across the landscape in this area. They form dense clumps along streams and in moist areas, displacing native vegetation. These lillies were originally introduced from South Africa for horticulture purposes.  They are a major threat to the conservation values of Banksia woodlands and the South-West land area.

Up near the tip of Cape Naturaliste, Bunker Bay is sheltered from most of the prevailing winds and offers a calm beach for fishing, snorkelling, and beach-umbrella days.

Our next stop was a liitle further south at Yallingup Beach. The coast here has big waves offshore as well as a sheltered lagoon perfect for safe family swimming. 

Even further down the coast we found Canal Rocks. Thousands of years of the Indian Ocean surging and crashing against this section of granite coastline has chiselled out a narrow channel where the sea surges through as  the waves break onto the rocks. A narrow timber walkway allows for easy access and great views of the rushing ocean beneath. 

On the way back to the main road, we found some large clumps of Grass Trees. These plants epitomise the Australian bush: they’re beautiful, ancient, hardy, thrive in nutrient-poor soils and respond to wildfires by flowering profusely.

Grass trees are iconic perennial, flowering plants. The smallest species grows to about 1 metre while others can reach 6 metres tall.

Our final beach deviation for the day was to Cowaramup Bay – a narrow 100 metre long strip of high tide sand located in the lee of Cowaramup Point. Intertidal rocks and boulders front the beach and shallow reefs extend out into the bay, resulting in low wave to calm conditions at the shore. Surfers use the beach to paddle out to Cowaramup’s South Point, a heavy lefthand point break.

Our stopping point for the next three days is at Margaret River. This is a world-renowned coastal wine region located in the far south-west corner of Western Australia. It’s located on a narrow stubby peninsula stretching between Cape Naturaliste in the north and Cape Leeuwin in the south, bordered by the Indian and Southern Oceans.

The climate here is a Mediterranean style climate with a strong maritime influence. Afternoon breezes cool the vines in summer and maintain high acidity. Because of this climate, the region is well known for exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon, refined Chardonnay, and crisp Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc (SSB) blends. The region is home to over 200 wineries and roughly 100 cellar doors, ranging from boutique family-run operations to iconic estates like Vasse Felix.

I don’t think that we can visit all the wineries but we have the next two days to look around and see what we can find.