Your Margaret River Region Magazine - Winter 2016

magazine 03 | WINTER 2016

Comfort eating WINTER FEASTS AND FOOD FOR THE SOUL margaretriver.com

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Visit Audi Centre Perth or audicentreperth.com.au to book a test drive.

337 Harborne Street, Osborne Park | Tel. 9231 5888 MD22023. MRB4146.

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Editor’s Letter

magazine Published by PREMIUM PUBLISHERS Freemasons Hall, 181 Roberts Road, Subiaco WA 6008 (08) 9273 8933 EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Gabi Mills gabi@premiumpublishers.com.au

Editor’s Letter D

ART DIRECTOR Cally Browning cally@barecreative.com.au DESIGNER Alyssa Karvinen alyssa@premiumpublishers.com.au

on’t worry - wintery weather is no reason not to love every minute of your time in the Margaret River region. Sure, the beaches are a big drawcard in summer but even when the skies are grey and - heaven forbid - it’s rainy, there’s plenty to do to make the most of your holiday.

SALES MANAGER Natalie du Preez (0426 752 352) natalie@premiumpublishers.com.au

In this issue of our magazine, you’ll find rainy day ideas and answers to the perennial question - what shall we do today? If eating well is on your wishlist, then we’ve collected the best winter feasting opportunities around, from innovative tapas dining to grabbing a home baked cake and perfectly brewed cup of coffee.

CONTRIBUTORS Dianne Bortoletto, Max Brearley, Norman Burns, Rob Geddes, Anna Hartley, Carmen Jenner, Mia Lacy, Beverly Ligman, Nicole Jameson, Matthew Mills, Janine Pittaway, Sarah Szabo, , Mark Wahlsten.

If you’d like to expand your mind as well as your waistlines while in the region, you’re in luck. The richest film-making prize in Australia is coming to the Margaret River region in August - CinefestOZ - and we’ve interviewed the patron, actor David Wenham.

Did you know that the Margaret River region is home to some of our nation’s endangered - and deeply cute - species? Meet the shy guys and learn more about the amazing fauna hiding out of sight.

And of course there’s wine – what could be better than a hearty glass of locally produced red to celebrate the change in seasons?

Gabi

PHOTOGRAPHIC Elements Margaret River elementsmargaretriver.com.au

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES sales@premiumpublishers.com.au EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES gabi@premiumpublishers.com.au

All rights reserved. No material published in this magazine may be reproduced in whole or part without prior written authority. Every endeavour is made to ensure information contained is correct at time of going to print. ©2016 YOUR MARGARET RIVER REGION MAGAZINE is published quarterly by Premium Publishers on behalf of the Margaret River Busselton Tourism Association.

Visit premiumpublishers.com.au

Share pics, videos and thoughts during your stay via our social media.

We’ll repost our favourites!

The Margaret River Region

@margaretriver

@MargaretRiver #margaretriver

Plan and book your holiday with Your Margaret River Region local experts.

Find us at the Busselton, Dunsborough, Margaret River and Augusta Visitor Centres, email welcome @margaretriver.com or call (08) 9780 5911, seven days a week!

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PREMIUM PUBLISHERS

Autumn

WHAT YOUR MARGARET RIVER REGION GOT UP TO IN

WIN GO TO PAGE 86 FOR COMP DETAILS.

! r.

Cowabunga Margaret Rive We just love

Listening to the bands at the South West Craft Beer Festival, such a cruisy day!

pools that We discovered some rock just north of we’ve never seen before Sugarloaf Rock.

Exploring Mammoth Cave – epic!

Handmade potato gnocchi with duck ragu by chef Rick Houston Selfie action at the Pro this year!

Co’s own Margaret River Ale e Kip’s smile Rockin’Pale Ale - lov

Not a bad start to the weekend Autumn Blonde vin tage ale

Images: @primolife_magazine; @margaretriver; @settlerstav; @jennitska; @elementsmargaretriver

When booking, mention

SPECIAL OFFER

that you saw our ad in the Your Margaret River Region Magazine and we will give you a $50 voucher to redeem at Margaret's Restaurant during your stay.

R E L A X , U N W I N D A N D E N J OY T H E I DY L L I C SU R R O U N D S O F T H E M A R G A R E T R I V E R R E G I O N 78 Wallcliffe Road, Margaret River, Western Australia p: (0)8 9757 2633 e: reservations@staymargaretriver.com.au

staymargaretriver.com.au

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Contents What shall we do

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today?

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an augusta icons pass

Eat & Drink 14 Seafood - and eat it - the region’s best fishy feasts 18 Winter warmers - where to fill up and warm up 22 Olive bounty - stock up on some top oils 26 Cake walk - time for a slice and a cuppa 30 Award winners - distilleries with class 32 Luxury lodge - Cape Lodge’s gorgeous new look 34 Fireside feasting - rug up and tuck in

Wine & Wineries 38 Raise a toast - new cellar doors to discover 40 Make mine a chardy - the resurgence of a classic 42 Post-script to Vintage - what happens next?

44 Rob Geddes picks his top wintery drops

Nature & Environment 46 Shy guys - discover the region’s secretive creatures 50 Whale of a time - all aboard to spot visiting giants

It's your l I S T Is hiking the

Cape to Cape Track on your bucket list?

Or is it finding the region’s top drops?

Maybe it’s learning to surf?

53 Behind the wheel - explore Augusta by road 54 Augusta bound - adventures a-plenty on the coast

Active & Adventure 58 Rainy day fun - our top tips when the weather’s bad 60 High flyers - seeing the coast from the air 62 Dark matters - join an adventurous cave tour 66 All the right moo-ves - are you ready to run?

68 Chill, dudes - winter surfing spots revealed 70 My down south getaway - Sian Redgrave, TV cook

Arts & Wellbeing 72 Winter wonderland - visit Christmas in Karridale 74 Star quality - get ready for CinefestOZ 2016 78 Stall for all - shop like the locals at farmers’ markets 82 Float on - dip your toe into alternative therapies 84 Pack perfectly - what to bring for a weekend away

MAP & DIRECTORY Places to stay, eat, drink and visit - our handy business directory Stay...................................................................................................................................................................................80 Food & Drink...................................................................................................................................................... 84 Activities & Art .............................................................................................................................................. 85 Wine & Beer........................................................................................................................................................ 87 Tours................................................................................................................................................................................ 89

For a comprehensive range of tours and things to do visit margaretriver.com/tours or call (08) 9780 5911 margaretriver.com

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To do list

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What shall we do today?

YOU’LL BE SPOILED for choice in the Margaret River region - here are our top tips to making the most of your holiday.

CAPE LEEUWIN LIGHTHOUSE Take a trip through maritime history and learn how this famous landmark was constructed from local limestone in 1895, and is still a vital working lighthouse for vessels navigating the treacherous cape. As the tallest lighthouse on mainland Australia, Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse is a must-see attraction during your time in the Margaret River region.

Bookings required.Tickets can also be purchased at the site, or at the Margaret River, Busselton, Dunsborough or Augusta visitor centres, or over the phone on 08 9757 7411.

SUNFLOWERS ANIMAL FARM AND FARM STAY Set on a 125 hectare cattle farm not far from Margaret River, Sunflowers Animal Farm and Farmstay is the perfect place to entertain little ones, rain or shine.

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Three of the best Choose from over 60 ice cream flavours made on the premises at Simmo’s while the kids go wild in the adventure playground.

Simmo’s, 161 Commonage Road, Dunsborough. Visit simmos.com.au or call 08 9755 3745.

Enjoy a hearty plate of homemade pasta at Barnyard 1978 - and watch the next batch being made right before your eyes at the viewing window.

Barnyard 1978, 12 Canal Rocks Road, Yallingup. Visit barnyard1978.com.au or call 08 9755 2548.

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With over 350 farm animals on display to pat, feed and interact with, the animals at Sunflowers love people and are among some of the friendliest beasts you will ever meet.

You can bottle-feed the orphan babies twice daily or buy a bucket of animal food. There are always lots of babies in the hands-on baby animal nursery and if furry critters are your thing, you can go into the rabbit and guinea pig cages and have a cuddle. If you fall in love with the experience why not stay a while? There are four fully self-contained, family-friendly units, the perfect place to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere at Sunflowers Animal Farm and Farmstay.

For more information please call (08) 9757 3343.

MAKE MINE A BUBBLES If you love sparkling wine, make sure you book a spot on a brand new wine tour - the Margaret River Bubbles Tour. They’re the first wine tour group to specialise in showcasing the fantastic sparkling wines and bubbles of the Margaret River region.

Featuring some fabulous and iconic family

Choose any three treatments of the Pullman Bunker Bay Resort’s Vie Spa 20-20-20 package ($145 for 60 minutes). How about a melting back and neck massage with warmed vanilla-infused oil to help your tension melt away, a winter bliss facial and a deeply relaxing scalp massage with exotic bergamot hair masque? We’re on our way...

Visit pullmanbunkerbayresort.com.au or call 08 9756 9160.

and boutique wineries on the tour, you’ll also enjoy top class gourmet food, the wonderful Gabriel Chocolate, and a whole lot more. If romance is on your mind, there’s a special couples tour that includes a stop at one of the region’s iconic breweries where requested, as well as the new distillery - Limeburners Margaret River Distilling Company - a very popular “last stop” for visitors.

Find out how the region’s bubbles are made and remember to bring along your camera; there will be plenty of opportunities to fill up your Instagram and Facebook feeds with beautiful scenic shots.

“Most of our locations will be geared up for winter,” says owner Mark McCabe, “so you can tickle your tastebuds before lunch with some fabulous bubbles and even some real champagne from France.You can also try some iconic Margaret River winter reds - all of our wineries serve a wide variety of wines.”

Mark and his team are happy to create a bespoke tour to suit each client as well as offering a private tour for any group of four or more - just let them know at time of booking that you want your tour to be private.

An added bonus is that there’s no extra charge for Busselton or Dunsborough pick-ups and for every reader of the Your Margaret River Region Magazine there’s a special offer - 10% off for customers who mention the magazine or the advertisement in the directory at the back of the publication.

Visit margaretriverbubblestour.com.au or call 0437 618 559.

HORSE SENSE Saddle up and enjoy a tranquil ride through the beautiful Margaret River region with the friendly team at The Horse Resort. With experienced guides who are happy to share their knowledge of the area as well as their love of the steeds you’ll be riding, seeing the area from the

Guest Suite for an unforgettable stay, furnished with fine antiques, plus fabrics and renowed local art works.

Margaret River Antiques, 43 Town View Terrace, Margaret River.Visit margaretriverantiques.com or call 08 9758 8004.

BUTTER UP If you’re curious to find out more about the region’s historic importance, why not visit the Busselton Museum, located in the Old Butter Factory? With 10 display rooms overflowing with photos, equipment and memorabilia connected to the region, you’ll take a trip back in time as this historic gem charts the region’s history, from agriculture to whaling. back of a horse adds a unique perspective to any visit to the region. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced rider, rain or shine, a standard trail ride will last around two hours through some of the most beautiful countryside in WA.

Busselton Museum, 76 Peel Terrace.

Visit busseltonmuseum.org.au or call 08 9754 2166.

Visit thehorseresort.com.au or call 08 9757 4444.

Children as young as five are able to accompany you on the ride as a led horse.

GOLDEN OLDIES Why not invest in a beautiful one-off piece of antique jewellery from an eclectic collection at Margaret River Antiques? The perfect reminder of your stay in the region, owners James and Katie will help you choose something from their array of treasures. And if you fall in love with the antiques vibe, why not check into the Studio

A warm reception is just the beginning..

Wyndham Resort & Spa Dunsborough Toll Free: 1800 200 007 dunsborough.reservations@wyn.com www.wyndhamAP.com Non-Club apartments subject to availibility

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| JUNE

Making waves

t’s been a tough year for musician Mat McHugh, who’s about to take his songs around Australia, performing a solo tour for the first time in a few years.

At the end of 2015, having written, recorded and released a new album called Waves, Mat had to cancel his Australian tour after only a few shows due to extensive neck and back injuries.

Rather than go through potentially voice-damaging or mobility-threatening surgery, Mat sought out specialists who have been stretching, manipulating and poking him with acupuncture needles five days a week for the past five months to get him back to the point where he could again pick up and play his guitar.

“I’m still on the road to recovery but I’m feeling a lot better than I was five months ago,” says Mat. “I’ve been working hard every single day and changed my lifestyle a lot so the whole experience has turned into a positive.”

Taking to the stage again will be in stripped-back mode, giving fans an up-close-and-personal show featuring songs from his albums Waves, Love Come Save Me and Separatista as well as one or two musical surprises from his back catalogue.

Mat McHugh, June 19 from 7.30pm, Clancy’s Fish Pub, 1710 Caves Road, Dunsborough. Visit clancysfishpub.com.au

| JUNE

Fungi fun IF YOU HEAR a muffled scuffle in the Manjimup region this June, it’s probably the hustle and bustle of fans heading to the sixth annual Truffle Kerfuffle.

A weekend-long celebration of the truffle season, the Truffle Kerfuffle fills duffles and duffles of bags with mounds of black truffles, snuffled out over weeks by expert truffle hunters.

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For three days at the festival, truffle kerfufflers can snuffle a truffle, even nibble a truffle, or perhaps take a tour with local ensemble Go In Style Truffle Tours.

Is that enuffle?

Truffle Kerfuffle, June 24 to 26. (Not in your calendar? Time to reshuffle - OK enough now, ED).Visit trufflekerfuffle.com.au

The best winter events in your Margaret River region FIND THE LATEST EVENT LISTINGS AT MARGARETRIVER.COM/EVENTS

| JUNE

Your time to shine Every Thursday the friendly folk at Settlers Tavern invite all talented and budding musicians, artists and comedians to take the stage at Open Mic Night, from 8.30pm. No guitar? No worries, house guitar supplied by the legendary Scott Wise.

Friday and Saturday nights feature touring bands bringing verve and excitement to the Margaret River main street (Energy & Groove) while on a Sunday Settlers Tavern hosts the original Sunday Session with “Blues & Roots on the Verandah” from 3 to 6pm with a variety of bluesy and soulful performances.

Every Monday Chef Rick Houston and team feature authentic international specials.

Every Tuesday there’s free pool and a charity meat raffle from 6.30pm in support of a local charity.

For more details visit settlerstavern.com

Colour and energy

Helen Norton A New Direction, from June 17 to July 17, Jahroc Gallery, 83 Bussell Highway, Margaret River. Call 08 9758 7200.

WELL-RECOGNISED FOR her narrative storytelling genre that has earned Helen Norton a prosperous international career for more than 27 years, the self-taught artist has moved into a new style that reflects her current ambition to ‘paint from the heart’ and not the ego with her latest exhibition at Jahroc Gallery.

Sensuously simple brightly-coloured abstracts and stripped-back landscapes are the result of this change in direction with many of the works painted while on an artistic sojourn in Margaret River. Helen’s latest body of work is the result of peeling back the layers and painting from a place of inner comfort.

"I suppose it may just be a stage of life, but I find myself more and more drawn to simple compositions of colour and form. My goal is to create works that just make one feel good, not unlike when you pat an animal. I believe artists should paint from the heart even if that means making a 180-degree turn on their former work at some point."

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mud-dling along

| JULY

Don't miss your chance to get down and dirty at this year’s South West Mudfest. Take your pick from two mucky courses - the 5km Mud Mayhem and the 12km Dirt Dozen, with the tracks of both littered with distinctly south west obstacles.

South West Mudfest, July 2.Visit swmudfest.com.au

| JULY

A legend returns WE CAN’T QUITE believe it ourselves, but it’s true. After nearly 15 years, Midnight Oil frontman Peter Garrett will launch songs from his first ever solo album A Version of Now at Margaret River’s iconic, award-winning live entertainment venue Settlers Tavern.

Offering audiences an extraordinary opportunity to embark on a candid remembrance trail, Peter’s tone is both stridently distinctive and unexpectedly tender. Enjoy watching one of the greatest frontmen in Australian rock live,

as he reflects on his motives, his losses and gains and finds his resolve — surprise — utterly unbowed.

This is Peter Garrett as you’ve never heard him. Songs of love, songs of home and sweet memories chafe against songs of relentless resistance with, as ever, a steely eye on a better future.

Tickets will sell out, so bag yours now.

f you grew up watching Basil and Sybil battle it out at the worst hotel in Torquay, then this is the night out for you. Faulty Towers The Dining Experience has sold out venues from Sydney Opera House to Raffles Singapore and London’s West End. It returns to Caves House Hotel in August – but be warned: early booking is essential.

When the audience become diners in the ‘Faulty Towers’ restaurant and are served by Basil, Sybil and Manuel, pretty much anything can happen – especially with two-thirds of the show

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PUT ON YOUR party hooves and head down to the udderly legendairy cow-themed country fair at Cowaramup, the home to a herd of fibreglass cows.

This year, visitors are encouraged to don a cow onesie and take part in the ‘cowlympics’, involving a host of hilarious fun and games. So start practising and you might come away with a gold medal for the cow pat discus! .

Deja Moo, Cowaramup Oval, July 9, 9am to 3pm.

Peter Garrett, July 22, 9pm, Settlers Tavern.

Visit settlerstavern.com

FAULTY TOWERS THE DINING EXPERIENCE

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udderly awesome

improvised.The fun starts as guests wait to be seated, then hurtles along in a tour de force of gags and belly-laughs. Expect shambolic service and a 70s-style three-course meal in ‘two riotous hours of food, wine and impeccable comic timing.’

Just don’t mention the war.

Faulty Towers The Dining Experience, Caves House Hotel, 18 Yallingup Beach Road, August 11, 7.30pm, $95 (tickets include a three-course meal and two-hour interactive show.) Visit functions@ychh.com.au for information.

| AUGUST

| JULY

When dinos roamed the earth READY TO DIG up the past? Lumbering mega-fauna once wandered the Margaret River region, and this July school holidays they are coming back. In fossil form, that is.

Kids and kids-at-heart will be stoked to hear that the paleontological-themed Megafauna Funshops will be back for the school holidays. Participants of all ages will have the opportunity to dig for real animal bones, go on a cave tour, and learn a heap about some of the many species of animals whose bones have been found in the region: there are 38 species in the Mammoth Cave alone.

The workshops run every Tuesday and Thursday of the holidays, beginning July 5.

Megafauna Funshops, July 5 to 14. Lake Cave Eco-Interpretive Centre. Bookings essential.

Visit margaretriver.com for details or call 08 9757 7411.

| SEPTEMBER

A LOTTA BOTTLE COULD THERE BE a more genius idea than combining a running event with wine tasting? We think not which is why the inaugural Maramoo marathon, taking place in the heart of Yallingup this September, will be a big hit with keen runners and oenophiles alike. Based on a successful French marathon/wine event in the Medoc region, the Maramoo will see participants running through some of the region’s most picturesque landscapes, incorporating an array of stops for food, drinks and entertainment and spectacular views for competitors and spectators alike.

Participants can choose to do the full 42km course, a half marathon distance, or a team event consisting of three legs, each of around 14km. Starting and finishing in

the heart of the Yallingup bush, the course is completely rural, passing through farms, wineries and sections of forest, some with spectacular views of the Indian Ocean.

Rivendell owner, the Gruenthal family, is providing the village space on a cricket pitch on the corner of Wildwood Road and Commonage Road.

“We wanted to include spectators and strong community involvement into the marathon model,” said event director Shelley Hatton, “making it a great day out no matter how you are involved.”

Maramoo, Yallingup, September 10.

Register your interest at maramoo.com.au.

Tempted to take part? Read our interview with Shelley on page 66.

TRUFFLEKERFUFFLE.COM.AU Fonty’s POOL, MANJIMUP JUNE 24 - 26 Unearth fresh truffles and a true taste of the Southern Forests this winter.

With gourmet dining, fireside cooking experiences, truffles, markets, music and more, it’s time to head to Fonty’s Pool.

Just 90 minutes drive from Margaret River, discover the Genuinely Southern Forests farmers, producers, wine makers and community that make the region a food lovers dream.

Special Guests include: Aaron Carr (Vasse Felix), Duncan Welgemoed (Africola), Rodney Dunn (The Agrarian Kitchen), James Viles (Biota Dining) and David Coomer (Fuyu).

Free entry for 15 and unders.

Proudly supported by

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Eat & Drink

FISHY TALESÂ

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For an area so rich in coastal produce it’s no surprise the Margaret River region has some of the best places around to enjoy a seafood feast. Diane Bortoletto chooses her fishy favourites.

W

inter seafood conjures images of hearty chowders, creamy risottos and chunky pies and there are plenty of places to get a seafood feast in the Margaret River region.

The region’s newest seafood establishment which opened the week before Easter is 34 Degrees Blue. What started as a wholesale business supplying restaurants in the region seven years ago has expanded to a retail store.

34 Degrees Blue business owner Brodie Craven says the business evolved because restaurants kept sending people to his processing factory because they wanted to buy the same fish that they’d just eaten.

“We decided it was time to make our seafood

available to the public and open up a shop,” Brodie says.

“The majority of our fish is local and linecaught. Augusta whiting, Bremer Bay pink snapper, Busselton Nannygai and more - we name where all our fish comes from because that’s what customers want to know.

“We’re proud to be supporting a local industry, the fishing industry, which many people don’t think of as an industry down here, but it’s very much alive. We’re very grateful for the support we’ve had from high-profile chefs like Dany Angove (Leeuwin Estate) and Tony Howell (Morries) who’ve been fantastic customers since day one of the wholesale business,” the 35-yearold Margaret River local says. margaretriver.com

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Eat & Drink | TREASURES OF THE SEA Below, there’s an amazing array of fresh fish to be found - both to cook and to eat - in the Margaret River region.

You’ll find Albany rock oysters, plump and delicious thanks to the nutrient-rich waterways of the region . . .

34 Degrees Blue supplies many restaurants in the region including Katch-Up Seafood Grill and Fishbone Wines.You can find Katch-Up Seafood Grill on the main street of Margaret River near the corner of Walcliffe Road.

The mouth-watering menu includes oysters, mussels, Donnybrook marron, baby squid, seafood chowder, house-made fettuccine marinara and hot and cold seafood platters.

One of Katch-Up’s all-time favourite dishes is the prized local marron.

The price point is at the upper end of the scale and what you can expect for your money at Katch-Up is a warm welcome, friendly professional service and quality food that’s beautifully presented, all set in pleasing surroundings, table candle included.

A winery making its mark on the seafood

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culinary map is a relatively new cellar door and restaurant, Fishbone Wines. The venue is on a mission is to strip back pretension and deliver quality food and wine.

Their food is very distinct; it’s the only winery that is also a specialist Japanese restaurant and sushi bar. Fishbone Wines assistant manager Robert Southgate says that the idea behind the Japaneseinspired offering is to bring something different to the region that complements their wines.

“It can be a light lunch over a few glasses of wine on the terrace, quick lunch or the sort of experience where you can stay and order more food as the afternoon goes on. We also offer takeaway.” Robert says.

Korean chef Julie Jang has expertise in sushi

and seafood and says the seafood comes from 34 Degrees Blue.

Another winery with a certain seafood speciality is Knotting Hill Estate Vineyard for a celebration of Western Australia’s indigenous ‘fresh water crayfish’, don’t miss their Marron Feast on the WA Day long weekend in early June.

Knotting Hill’s cellar door and al fresco balcony, which overlooks a huge picturesque lake that is also the marron’s home, is transformed into a marron lover’s dining hall for one weekend only.

Cooking the marron will be one of the owners of Knotting Hill Estate Vineyard, Michael Gould, who says while he’ s not a chef he is an enthusiastic cook.

“I plan to serve the marron three ways: marron pie, half marron steamed with garlic butter and a good old-fashioned ‘70s-style marron cocktail,” Michael says with a chuckle.

“It’s very popular. We serve the marron with wedges, salad and silver perch fish cakes

Chris's Sea to You Seafood Fancy cooking up a storm at home with some of the best local produce available? No worries. Friendly local fishmonger Chris has been serving up the very best locally-caught dhu fish, sweetlip sea bream, Rankin cod and Tasmanian salmon for years - and he’ll deliver to your door too. Head to his Busselton shop to pick up the most delicious fresh fish around, with a constantly changing selection depending on what the boats have brought in just hours before. You’ll also find him a couple of days a week manning his mobile seafood van in Dunsborough.

129 Bussell Highway, Busselton.

Call 0488 364 808.

– the perch comes from the lake too.” Michael and I peer over the balcony and sure enough there’s a small school of about eight silver perch swimming by.

“A few years ago we thought we’d cook up a marron feast to attract people here, and the rest is history,” Michael says.

A new kid on the block (in an existing venue though) is Rustico at Hay Shed Hill. You’ll find Albany rock oysters, plump and delicious thanks to the nutrient-rich waterways of the region. Take the menu’s advice and pair six of these little beauties with a glass of Kerrigan + Berry 2015 reserve riesling and you’ll wonder where they’ve been all your life.

There are Esperance scallops, served in the shell with chorizo, pear puree and candied jamon and salmon bresaola with dill aoili and piquant pickled ginger. The popular five-course degustation menu might be your best option if you can’t decide; the perfect way to try something from the sea, pasture and paddock.

MOUTHWATERING Above, plump scallops and fresh mussels are just some of the dishes on offer at Rustico at Hay Shed Hill. Top left, Chris Rice the fishmonger at Busselton’s Sea to You Seafood can supply you with the freshest fish to cook up a storm.

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Eat & Drink | SUMPTUOUS CHOICE The tasting board of puds from Rustico at Hay Shed Hill is a stunning feast for the eyes. Below, the award-winning Piari & Co. makes the most of local star ingredients like Manjimup truffles.

NO NEED TO FEAR THE COLD THERE’S PLENTY TO KEEP YOU WARM THANKS TO SOME DELICIOUS WINTER FEASTING MENUS, SAYS JANINE PITTAWAY.

Winter is coming WINTER IS CELEBRATED by the Margaret River region’s chefs, giving them a chance to use seasonal cuts of meat, winter vegetables and local produce. On your next visit, venture off the main streets and seek out the special events, winter offers and limited-time produce.

Here are some ideas to get you started.

PALMER WINES, DUNSBOROUGH

Head chef Coby Cockburn changes Palmer Wines’ menu every four to six weeks based on available produce. This restaurant is a locals’ favourite so bookings are recommended for their Friday and Saturday night dinners.

Coby’s winter menu will feature slow cooking and braising, and he’s really looking forward to introducing Shark Bay snow crab to the

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menu, which he’s bound to use creatively in his modern Asian cooking style.

1271 Caves Road, Dunsborough. Call 08 9756 7034. Open Monday,Thursday to Sunday, noon to 5pm.Visit palmerwines.com.au

PIARI & CO, DUNSBOROUGH Reading through a sample of winter menu offerings from Piari is enough to make your tummy rumble. Arkady lamb shoulder pithiviers, duck ragu orecchiette, and Butterfield beef eye fillet will be accompanied by Manjimup truffles and Jerusalem artichokes as soon as they come into season. Chef Blair Allen and his team make everything in-house - even the pithivier puff pastry - which may explain why this talented kitchen was recently voted one of the top 500 restaurants in the whole of Australia.

5/54 Dunn Bay Road, Dunsborough. Call 08 9756 7977. Open for dinner from Tuesday to Saturday.Visit piarioandco.com.au

OTHER SIDE OF THE MOON, PULLMAN BUNKER BAY RESORT New executive chef Damon Georgiou has created a threecourse set menu for winter for just $65 per person. Think pea and pandan panacotta, 57°C Harvey rump cap, Moroccan roast vegetable cous cous, and chocolate pavlova with fresh berries.

Dishes on the set menu will change regularly to match the availability of the region’s winter produce. A seasonal a la carté Winter menu will be available from mid-June.

Pullman Resort Bunker Bay, 42 Bunker Bay Road, Naturaliste. Call 08 9756 9100. Open seven days including public holidays.Visit pullmanbunkerbayresort.com.au

CAVES HOUSE HOTEL, YALLINGUP It’s hard to get a more heart-warming winter meal than a traditional roast dinner. Caves House Hotel in Yallingup has winter roast served on platters and designed for sharing among four people for just $99. Other winter menu treats include rack of lamb and curry specials, soups and an extended dessert menu. Enjoy their winter feasts by log fires in the refurbished Calthorpe and Yallingup Dining Rooms in the heart of the grand art deco hotel.

18 Yallingup Beach Road,Yallingup. Call 08 9750 1830. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week (lunch served from noon to 3pm, dinner from 5 to 9pm).Visit caveshousehotelyallingup.com.au

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OPEN EVERYDAY FOR EVERYONE 11am - 5pm ph:08 97553554 margaretriver.com

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eaglebaybrewing.com.au

Eat & Drink

MASTERCHEFS Your tastebuds will be seduced by so much delicious invention at Black Brewing Co.

BARNYARD1978, YALLINGUP As well as his delicious homemade pasta, Barnyard1978 chef Jamie Alexander is also passionate about sausages, and he’s making them now for the cool months ahead. Pair a bratwurst, pork, venison, smoked or blood pudding sausage with beer, crafted by Barnyard1978’s brewer Darryl Nicolls.

12 Canal Rocks Road,Yallingup. Call 08 9755 2548. Open seven days with jazzy lunch served from 11.30am to 3pm.Visit barnyard1978.com.au

RUSTICO AT HAY SHED HILL, WILYABRUP Thanks to its passionate new owners, Hay Shed Hill Cafe has been reborn as Rustico at Hay Shed Hill. Think shared tapas plates, boards heaving with extraordinary charcuterie and seafood delights. Try the six-course tapas degustation with matching premium Hay Shed Hill wines and you’ll realise why this is swiftly becoming a must-visit destination for any self-respecting foodie. Make sure you have enough room for Dardanup beef carpaccio, or free range Timber Hill pork belly - you’ll kick yourself if you don’t make the most of this innovative menu. And if fromage is your thing, rejoice. You’ll still be able to tuck into the largest selection of European cheeses in the south west.

511 Harmans Mill Road,Wilyabrup. Call 08 9755 6455.

Open seven days a week, 11am to 5pm.Visit hayshedhill.com.au

BLACK BREWING CO, WILYABRUP Black Brewing Co.’s share plate lunch menu hits the spot with its spicy Indo-inspired flavours and they have created a more intimate space for winter dining. Booking ahead for their Black Friday dinners is now a must - there are just 50 seats available for each session.

3517 Caves Road,Wilyabrup, Margaret River. Call 08 9755 6500.

Visit blackbrewingco.com.au

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WINTER WARMERS You’ll find plenty to tempt you in from the cold thanks to the talented chefs of the region.

Foodies welcome There are some great foodie events happening in winter to get you out of the house and eating some amazing food: Nothing could be cosier in winter than chocolate and stout. Eagle Bay Brewing Co is teaming up with renowned local chocolate makers Bahen & Co to create a Cacao Stout. It will be on tap from June 8. Learn about the ins and outs of the limited edition stout with head brewer Brewer Nick d’Espeissis on June 10 from 6pm to 8pm and enjoy some great eats from the kitchen. Just $35 per person.

During school holidays, Barnyard1978 will run pasta-making workshops for kids from July 7, focusing on creativity and amazing ingredients and flavours including Porcini mushroom, Manjimup truffle and squid ink.

Love curling up by the fire with a good book? Pullman Bunker Bay Resort and Wyndham Resort are hosting Books by the Bay lunch and dinner events headlined by Joan London, winner of the 2015 Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Fiction, and other notable authors on 22 and 23 July.

Also Arimia provide rugs and outoor heating for their winter lunches so you’ll be snug as a bug as you tuck into their imaginative menu.

Piari & Co has a regular series of wine dinners every two months. Check their website or Facebook page for June and August events.

MARGARET’S RESTAURANT, MARGARET RIVER Hearty fare cooked with passion and attention to detail is raison d’etre at Margaret’s Restaurant in the township’s popular accommodation venue, Quality Inn Margaret River. Think tasty cheese croquettes matched with a glass of Xanadu Chardonnay or caramelised pork belly with a punchy Solana Tempranillo - these guys know their stuff when it comes to dishing up memorable winter fare. Finish off your feast with a chocolate brownie and scoop of Simmo’s chocolate and nougat ice cream – if you have room.

78 Wallcliffe Road, Margaret River. Call 08 9757 2633.

Open from 7.30am to 10am seven days a week and dinner from 6pm to 9pm, Monday to Saturday.Visit staymargaretriver.com.au

Jazz by the Bay events from June 4 to 6 are taking place in several local restaurants and wineries including Barnyard1978, Clairault Streicker, Hoods Hideout, Caves House Hotel, Fermoy Estate, Wyndham Resort Howard Park, Studio Bistro, Clancy’s Fish Pub, Rivendell and Rustico at Hayshed Hill.

Cape Lodge hosts an Italian Food and Wine Weekend on June 4 and 5 with celebrity chefs, local producers, providores and wine makers sharing everything Italian. Cooking demonstrations, workshops, tastings, long lunches and a special guest chef dinner with Lucio Galletto. Chef Michael Elfwing’s popular cooking classes continue through Winter with themes including Manjimup Truffles, poultry dishes and the art of soufflé.

18 Yallingup Beach Rd, Yallingup Ph: 9750 1888 A/H: 9750 1830 caveshousehotelyallingup.com.au

R O M A N T I C W I N T E R G E TA W A Y S · G O O D T I M E S · W E D D I N G S · F U N C T I O N S CAVES HOUSE HOTEL is ideally situated in the heart of the famous Margaret River Wine Region, and within walking distance of the famous Yallingup Beach and Ngilgi Cave.

The traditional Aboriginal word Yallingup, literally translates to “A Place of Love” making it a perfect location for weddings, honeymoons or romantic getaways.

WITH COSY FIREPLACES IN OUR BAR, LOUNGE AND DINING AREAS, THERE IS PLENTY OF WARM LOCATIONS TO ENJOY margaretriver.com OUR SUCCULENT MEALS THIS WINTER.

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WHO’S WHO MARGARET RIVER REGION’S OLIVE OIL PRODUCERS 34 DEGREES SOUTH 195 Crozier Road, Rosa Brook 08 9575 4045 34degreesouth@iinet.net.au Visit 34degreessouth.com.au

EAGLE BAY OLIVES

521 Cape Naturaliste Road, Eagle Bay 08 9755 3188 Visit eaglebayolives.com.au

GOCCIA D’ORO & TREN CREEK CHALETS 2234 Bussell Highway, Capel 08 9727 1279 info@trencreekchalets.com.au Visit trencreekchatlets.com.au

OLIO BELLO

36 Armstrong Road, Cowaramup 08 9755 9771 Visit oliobello.com

PETRA OLIVE OIL

251 Sheoak Drive, Yallingup 0438 627 767 contact@petraoliveoil.com.au Visit petraoliveoil.com.au

VASSE VIRGIN

135 Puzey Road, Wilyabrup 08 9755 6111 Visit vassevirgin.com.au

WHIRLWIND OLIVES

12251 Bussell Highway, Karridale 0429 503 545 info@whirlwindolives.com.au Visit whirlwindolives.com.au

WULURA

1071 Wildwood Road, Yallingup 08 9755 2121 sales@wulura.com.au Visit wulura.com.au

PUKARA ESTATE

838 Metricup Road, Wilyabrup (at Fermoy Estate) 08 9755 6160 Visit pukaraestate.com.au

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DID YOU KNOW?

There are over 1,000 different varieties of olives in the world.

Like a virgin

O P E N 7 D AY S , 1 0 - 5 P M

(olive oil)

The Margaret River region is blessed with many things, not least a bountiful crop of olives each year. Dianne Bortoletto can’t wait to sample this year’s local harvest.

I

Down a dirt road, in the north of Margaret River is Arimia – exceptional offbeat wines; honest, imaginative food; unequaled tranquility.

t makes sense that what grows well in the Mediterranean – like olive oil – would also grow well in the Margaret River region, given the similarities in climate distinguished by hot, dry summers and wet, cool but not-too-cold winters. Generally speaking, Mediterraneanclimate regions are found between 31 and 40 degrees latitude north and south of the equator, and Margaret River sits bang in the middle at 34 degrees south.

There are nine olive oil producers in the Margaret River region, five with shops that offer tastings that are well worth adding to your itinerary.

Brett Roberts, general manager of the 130 hectare certified organic producer Olio Bello, says that quality olive oil comes from quality fruit and the process of extraction.

“We pick by hand, even though it’s a lot slower and more expensive, we think it’s gentler on the olives and results in less bruising,” Brett says.

“Then we press them as quick as we can. The quicker you get your olives through the press,

A R I M I A . C O M . AU

Tel. (08) 9755 2528 242 QUININUP ROAD, YALLINGUP continued over /

wine@arimia.com.au

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EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

Extra virgin olive (EVO) oil is the highest quality olive oil classification and is made by crushing olives and extracting the juice. It is the only cooking oil made without the use of chemicals and industrial refining. Like we needed any other excuse to only use EVO.

OLIVE OIL SOMMELIERS

In 2015, Vasse Virgin founders and managing directors Louis and Edwina Scherini, along with director Mark Bahen travelled to Italy where they completed a course to become Australia’s first olive oil Sommeliers.

HARVEST

Olive oil harvest in the Margaret River region is during May and June.

the less chance of the olives getting oxidised or starting to ferment “The earlier you pick, the more robust the flavour, which is a raw, bitter, peppery finish and a more floral nose. Delicate oil comes from olives that are riper, which produce a softer oil.

Just like wine, people have different preferences – I prefer the robust oil.”

After being hand-picked, the olives are washed, leaves blown off and then crushed straight away on the Olio Bello property.

Brett explains that ‘cold pressed’ refers to the water in the press.

As the paste of the crushed olive is being

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stirred, water is added to separate the oil, which has to be under 30 degrees to qualify as ‘cold pressed’.

“We operate our press at 27 degrees. The hotter the water, the greater the ability to extract more oil, but the quality of the oil degrades.

Different countries have different regulations – in Australia our regulations are very strict.

“The term ‘virgin’ refers to a mechanical extraction process rather than a chemical extraction process. Further, extra virgin olive oil requires the olives themselves to meet definite high quality standards. Whereas virgin olive oil is made from olives that may have been damaged

or contain levels of fatty acid that are too high.

“Second and third presses can be conducted elsewhere in the world – that’s where the pomace of the first press is pressed again, and again - but not in Australia for human consumption. Most olive oil produced in Australia is extra virgin.

“In other countries, and even other places in Australia, enzymes are added to help with the extraction of the oil. We don’t do that either.

“We believe in being as natural as you can.

We’d rather forego a bit of yield and make sure the quality of the product is as good as it can be.

“We take the waste from the press and put

Not just food Olive oil is made into soap, facial moisturiser, hand creams, body wash, hair treatments, massage oil, body scrubs, candles and more by some of the region’s olive oil producers.

In fact, Vasse Virgin started as a result of their three young children being diagnosed with eczema and dermatitis and doctors advised them to avoid using commercial soap or shampoo. Experimenting with a bucket and wooden spoon, the first batch of beneficial extra virgin olive oil soap was made, and the rest, as they say, is history. Vasse Virgin has an impressive range of beautiful hand made natural body care products as well as olive oil and food products. Take a deep breath as you walk in – the place smells divine.

it in what we call the pomace pit, and turn it over a couple of times per year and it becomes fertiliser for the trees.

“It’s a terrific fertiliser – we also use it in our veggie patch and the veggies love it.”

The harvest from the vegetable garden often ends up on the menu of Olio Bello’s excellent café – the fresh pasta and moist olive oil cake come highly recommended. Inside the farm shop, there’s plenty to taste and try too – from flavoured oils to chutney, sauces, mustard dressing, balsamic vinegar, creams, lotions, scrubs and more.

Check Olio Bello’s website for details of harvest events and behind the scenes access offered in June.

Eagle Bay Olives near Dunsborough take their olives to a mill in Boyanup for pressing. Proprietor Julie Lloyd says she has 1,200 trees that grow seven varieties of spray-free olives.

“Our oil is all single estate extra virgin olive oil which is regarded as premium because of consistency.

“Of the seven varieties of olives we grow, two are purely for table olives. We make about 10 different kinds of table olives that are only sold in our farm shop,” Julie says.

“The ‘fireball’ with chilli, garlic and herbs, and the marinated balsamic with fresh herbs are our most popular table olives.

“We also make jams, quince paste, quince jelly, tapenade, dukka, vinaigrette, pesto and other delicatessen delights – most of which is made from fruit grown on our farm.”

Eagle Bay Olives sells picnic boxes filled with their goodies as well as Yallingup wood-fired bread and local Venison Farm chorizo that can be enjoyed on the grounds (picnic rugs provided) or taken away for a light meal.

Besides Olio Bello and Eagle Bay Olives, you can call into a farm shop at 34 Degrees South, Petra Olives,Vasse Virgin, Wulura and Whirlwind where you can try before you buy.

ENJOY THE ULTIMATE OLIVE OIL EXPERIENCE

SOAPS | GOURMET FOOD | SKIN CARE | WORKSHOPS

WILYABRUP Soap Factory & Workshops Ph: (08) 9755 6111 135 Puzey Road, Wilyabrup WA

MARGARET RIVER Retail Outlet Ph: (08) 9757 2999 2 Rosa Brook Road, Margaret River WA

Open 7 Days

margaretriver.com | WINTER 2016 www.vassevirgin.com.au

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C A K E WA L K I’M A FIRM believer that your mind eats before your mouth. If it reads yummy, chances are I’ll order it. After conducting considerable field research around the Margaret River region for this story, I’ve added a codicil: “If it looks good….”

The standard of presentation was at the high end of the bar throughout, with some cafes nudging ahead into the superlative space. In no particular order, these were the ones which elicited the most ‘oohs and aahs’. Invariably, the coffee order arrived smartly and while the taste varied with the types of beans and methods of preparation, it was universally 4.5 stars and more.

High fives to the hard-working baristas of the Margaret River region.

CAFÉ BORANUP, CAVES ROAD

‘Decadent chocolate brownie served with icecream, ganache, berries and cream’. Seriously, how good would you expect this to look and taste? It’s the star dish that brings people in from miles around. Cradled in the gorgeous marri trees, Boranup Café serves up coffee to match:

how about a double shot coffee with ice cream, Nutella hazelnut and a biscuit? Guests also have to choose between gluten free (GF) carrot and almond cake, the quirkily named Lumberjack cake and a generous raspberry sherbet coconut slice. Best tip here: indulge and then walk it off at what must be one of Western Australia’s best art galleries next door at the Boranup Gallery.

Regular coffee $4.80

it arrived looked simply awesome. Its icing was topped with coconut threads and tasted better than my tastebuds dared hope for. The café also presents the Rawlicious Delights range of all raw ingredients balled up into winning confections (think mint, coconut, chocolate poppy seed).

Regular coffee $4

Also try Karridale Crossroads General Store, Lake Cave Tea Rooms

AUGUSTA CAFÉ BAKERY

BUNKERS BEACH CAFÉ

As well as the divine beachfront view, this café was full of very handsome men! Eventually, I did tear my eyes away and look at the menu.

Specialties include an awesome range of muffins: there are different ones each day but the blueberry-dark–chocolate-pear and whitechocolate-raspberry were tempting. So was the great-looking chocolate tart and the caramel slice, but I happily chose carrot cake which when

Also try Combi Coffee, Evviva Café

You can’t get closer to the source of a great treat then the bakery it’s made in, and the experienced operators at this café offer guests an $8 special on coffee and cake all day long. On one side of the premises there’s the café with terrific views of the Blackwood River, and on the other the actual bakery that has a separate entrance for retail and takeaway customers and was very busy the day we visited. The bakery makes its own famous biscotti, which were a generous deal at $7, and we took some to go before sitting down to a raspberry and white chocolate slice and a continued over /

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If you’re craving a little sweet treat and a proper cup of joe, Mia Lacy has done the hard yards and investigated where to find the best cuppa and cake in the Margaret River region.

www.squidlips.com.au

DUNSBOROUGH

Ph: (08) 9759 1799

Dunsborough Centrepoint Shopping Centre Shop 27A, 55 Dunn Bay Rd SO MUCH YUM Brownies, buns and cakes - it’s too hard to choose just the one so why try?

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MARGARET RIVER

Ph: (08) 9757 9960 Settlers Tavern Arcade 118 Bussell Hwy

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BEAN COUNTING Coffee is taken very seriously at Yahava Koffeeworks, this page and opposite - and the results make for a delicious cuppa.

caramel almond tart. There was also vanilla slice, carrot cake, and a wicked mud cake – all super fresh and beautifully presented.

Regular coffee $4.50 Also try Cape Leeuwin Café,The Deckchair Café

YAHAVA KOFFEEWORKS, MARGARET RIVER

This is a witty, whimsical place as evidenced by the bumper sticker ‘My blood type is koffee’. When we visited, it was early and the drive-thru, which sensibly opens at 6.30am weekdays and 8am on weekends, was doing a roaring trade. The goodlooking muffins – cherry ripe, apple crumble – were going well and the offering included GF almond brownies and a generous carrot cake.

There’s a selection of pastries (who doesn’t love snails) and the unique and very delicious cronut: a hybrid cross of a donut and a croissant that they will toast for you so the outside is caramelised and crispy – oh, oh, oh! Yahava KoffeeWorks is in a pleasant Margaret River precinct together the Vasse Virgin Margaret River store,Yoyos Retro Diner and Temper Temper Chocolate. They do regular coffee roastings (listen for the cow bell) and coffee tastings and, if you’re into tea, go for a Yahava Bitterboy: iced tea served over ice.

Regular coffee $4 Also try Berry Farm Cottage Café, Sidekick Café

SENSATIONS CAFÉ, BUSSELTON

It felt like we’d saved the best for last when our order arrived. Just a wee drive north of Busselton’s famous jetty in the canals overlooking the ocean is this gem of a café.

Everything is made on the premises, and if time had permitted I probably would have tried it all. From GF mango pineapple cake and orange

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syrup cake to a massive Snickers chocolate layer cake (the most inventive cake I encountered) and chocolate nut brownies that looked ab fab, it was all I could do to choose the lemon meringue cake which came with cream served on the side. Like many of the region’s cafes, they cater for children nicely with a kids menu, colouring-in books and games. Seniors also are welcomed with a $13.50 menu specially for them with what looked like a really good array of choices.

Regular coffee $4.90 Also try Blue Ginger Fine Foods & Café,The White Elephant Beach Café 24 Freycinet Drive, Busselton. Open 9am to 4pm. Call 08 9754 7868.

Honourable Mentions THE GOOSE BEACH BAR + KITCHEN, BUSSELTON

MINE’S A LATTE The colourful murals at Sidekick Café are more than matched by the friendly staff’s smiles.

It’s been around for yonks and is named in honour of ex-owner Rhys Passmore - his nickname at school was Goose. The menu at the Goose reflects the new owner’s eclectic palate, and diners are treated not only to a sumptuous collection of menu options but also to a proper waterfront location in Busso. Well known for properly grown up dishes like pork belly bathed in a stunning master stock broth and served with on-trend Korean condiment - kimichi - bean sprouts and jasmine rice, it’s also the perfect place to grab a coffee and a slice of something delicious, watching the sun go down on another amazing sunset.

SIDEKICK CAFÉ, MARGARET RIVER We love Sidekick Cafe - especially because of its bagels. Packed full of delicious things like smoked salmon and rustic pickles, it also serves Dukes coffee. They bake all their wholesome treats in-house and thanks to the colourful decor, we can’t think of a better place to watch the world go by, whether we’ve got a sidekick in tow or not.

STREATER GALLERY IS A MUST SEE

Phone 08 9755 1211 105 Blythe Road, Yallingup Siding streatergallery@bigpond.com www.streaterfinefurniture.com John Streater has been a pioneer in the West Australian art industry for over thirty years. His bespoke furniture is showcased alongside other internationally recognised artists at his gallery in Yallingup Siding.

Open: 10am to 4pm. Closed Fridays Winter Trading hours may vary.

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THE NEW GOLD RUSH

Distilleries in the Margaret River region are reaping the rewards of some out-of-the-box thinking, great product and the emergence of Western Australia as a player on the world spirits scene, as Norman Burns reports.

Images: COURTESY SCOTT ROBINSON/JACK IN THE BOX, LIMEBURNERS

T

o paraphrase that memorable line from the classic movie Jaws - they’re gonna need a bigger trophy cabinet.

“They” are the Limeburners Distillery and at the recent Australian Distilled Spirits Awards the West Australian company walked away with no fewer than three major awards, an incredible achievement.

Limeburners, which began in Albany and opened a second distillery in Margaret River last year, took the gongs for Champion Australian Distiller; Champion Australian Small Batch Spirit and Champion Whisky.

The awards are another accolade for Limeburners and its founder Cameron Syme, who can trace his passion for distilling - whisky in particular - back to his Scottish roots.

“I’m ecstatic that we won three of the major

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awards at the Australian Distilled Spirits Awards, but it’s humbling too because I know the quality of other spirit producers. It’s the second time in a row we’ve won the Australian Champion Whisky and it’s testament to our ethos of pursuit of excellence,” says Cameron.

And the superb quality of south west grain, and other produce, that goes into making Limeburners’ spirits (which include whisky, gin, calvados and other bespoke drinks) is a major component of their success, says Cameron.

It is a sweet feeling, too, for Cameron that Limeburners’ whisky is now exported to the drink’s spiritual home - Scotland.

“My grandparents were fine upstanding members of their community back in Scotland but, like many others, they operated a small and illegal still. This got me thinking ‘why can’t we

distill whisky in Western Australia?’,’’ he says.

So the accountant/lawyer, shored up by a fierce determination to battle through all the red tape to get the project off the ground, set out to find the technical expertise and financial backing to launch Limeburners, which has proved a spectacular success since it opened in Albany in 2005.

“With our Albany operation we are at an iconic location, right on the Princess Royal Harbour and so too are we in Margaret River.

And many people have said we have brought a touch of the ‘Old’ Margaret River back; we are a south west farming family and bringing those kind of values to the business,” he says.

Over at The Grove Experience in Wilyabrup, chief distiller James Reed is still pinching himself after his Caribbean

Spiced Rum not only won Double Gold at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition but also took out Best in Show for Best Flavoured Rum too, putting his creation at the top of the world’s spiced rums.

The awards are one of the most prestigious, and competitive, in the liquor industry, this year attracting 1,899 entries from all over the world of which just 201 won Double Gold, as selected by a 39-person panel of international judges.

Says competition director Anthony Dias Blue: “The San Francisco World Spirits Competition is the most influential in the industry and winning a medal here is very meaningful.”

So how did an Alaskan native, who spent a lot of time in Florida, and later the Caribbean and who now calls the Margaret River region home,

get into distilling in the first place?

“I started young - really young, around 12,” says James.

“Living on a homestead on 160 acres the neighbours used to make wine out of blueberries and raspberries; I found out through Encyclopedia Britannica how you could distill it into brandy.”

By the time he was in his 20s, and at a legal drinking age, James spent a year in the US Virgin Islands where he picked up a lot about rummaking techniques.

Spiced rum is made - you guessed it - by adding spices and botanicals to rum but, like his competitors, James’ own world-award winning recipe is a closely guarded secret.

But he will say The Grove Experience’s

Caribbean Spiced rum, which is 40% alcohol by volume, has great notes of vanilla and some hotter spice to give it “a little pizzazz”.

And winning has brought customers in - and then some.

“We get people walking in and saying ‘I want two bottles’ without even tasting it.

“To be able to say I’ve made the best spiced rum in the world is amazing, it still hasn’t sunk in yet.”

West Winds Gin, another local high achiever, snared the Chairman’s Trophy for best gin at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge in New York for The Cutlass.

The craft gin edged out some international heavyweights, a result that has West Winds director Jeremy Spencer, and his West Winds partners Paul White, James Clarke and Jason “Jackie” Chan, over the moon.

The distillery is also going to release limited run (around 640 bottles each) Barrel Expedition gins, working with wine makers to produce some unique flavours, such as Sweet Vermouth.

Limeburners Margaret River Distilling Company, Carters Rd & Maxwell Road, Margaret River, (08) 9757 9351 or visit distillery.com.au. The Grove Experience, 213 Carter Road. (08) 9755 7458 or visit thegroveexperience.com.au. West Winds Gin visit thewestwindsgin.com

RE ST, R E L A X , R ECO NNECT Romantic, secluded, self contained chalets with candlelit sky-view spas, Kingsize

double beds and tranquil forest outlooks, on 240 acres of natural beauty.

231 Yelverton Road, Yelverton Margaret River Wine Region Phone (08) 9755 7110 or email reception@forestrise.com.au

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CAPE LUXURY

Cape Lodge was already extraordinary; now thanks to a gorgeous refurbishment, one of the jewels in the Margaret River region’s crown is even more sumptuous.

By CARMEN JENNER

I

’ll never forget the first time I stayed at Cape Lodge. I was a newly-wed and, as rose petals were flung with abandon and our clothes were unpacked for us into sweet smelling wardrobes it felt like our wedding night again.

In fact, I remember wondering why we went all the way to Thailand for our honeymoon when bliss was just a picturesque three-hour drive from Perth.

That was many years ago and numerous other hotels have wowed and impressed but there are few which have stayed with me like Cape Lodge.

I believe it’s the lay of the land which sets it apart from other luxurious hotels. Since its opening in 1993 when it was likened to

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a country lodge, it’s a sophisticated blend of manicured grounds against the juxtaposition of natural woodlands.

The three hectare private vineyard produces shiraz and sauvignon blanc exclusively for the hotel and as general manager Drew Bernhardt encapsulates, “Cape Lodge sits within a beautiful tranquil parkland which provides a haven for those seeking some time out from the increasing frenzied pace of everyday life.

“We describe ourselves as the country house hotel with a focus on the simple pleasures of life found in the pristine surrounds of the south west’s natural environment; coastal walks, long vineyard lunches, fresh regional produce-driven

ELEGANT SURROUNDS Cape Lodge’s beautiful parkland is just part of the reason people love staying in this tranquil spot.

Vintage special

For the mind

Join a twilight didgeridoo cave tour with Koomal Dreaming ($55 per adult, $25 per child, private tours from $250) and explore magical Ngilgi Cave where the good spirit Ngilgi lives.

For the body

A Beneficial Botanical Facial & Body Treatment ($150), excellent for reviving mature or sun-damaged skins. The gorgeous botanical gel masks containing cornsilk, calendula and alfalfa act to soothe and replenish.

For the soul

Join a cooking class with executive chef Michael Elfwing. Choose from truffle clases, the art of souffle or mastering spring lamb. Cooking demo and long table lunch with wines are $145 per person, from 1 to 2.30pm.

menus, superb wines and above all, great service from the wonderful Cape Lodge staff.”

In 2015, the restaurant was redecorated with a fresh new conservatory feel reminiscent of the original Cape Lodge Garden Conservatory space.

All the Lake View Suites were completely redecorated bringing in the surrounding colours and textures using natural fabrics, locally handcrafted furniture and artworks as well as locally produced natural in-room amenities.

The bathrooms are all done up with white marble and freestanding baths. From my balcony, the turquoise lake sparkles with diamond droplets and, as the night descends, a magical blanket of stars embraces the night; I feel like a super star.

Built in the Cape Dutch style to reflect the original owner’s Rhodesian background and the similarities between the South African and Western Australian landscape, it’s of no wonder Cape Lodge was included in Gourmet Traveller’s Top 50 Australian Hotels, is a member of Luxury Lodges of Australia and is a 2016 Grand Award Winner in Andrew Harper’s Hideaway awards; an accolade so prestigious the reviews are performed incognito.

Deemed as one of the finest in the country, if not globally, Cape Lodge’s restaurant was voted one of the Top 10 in the world in Condé Naste Traveller’s Gold List. I barely do Chef Michael Elfwing’s degustation justice, although the everchanging menu will have been brought into line with the new season by now.

The meal was a kaleidoscope of smoked trout literally smoking in a jar, juicy venison and a honeysuckle bread and butter pudding with a Botrytis riesling from Frankland River, to name but a few.

The following day I set out on one of their popular tours of the Margaret River region.

Named as one of the Great Walks of Australia, Walk into Luxury covers a portion of the 135km Cape to Cape Trek. Guided walks cover two, four and eight days with the two-day walk staying at Cape Lodge and perfect for a weekend-getaway.

As owner of Walk into Luxury Nikki King says, “The all-round offerings at Cape Lodge are second to none with beautiful guest rooms, an award-winning lakeside restaurant and picturesque grounds in the heart of the Margaret River region.

“It’s the service and attention to detail that really sets Cape Lodge apart. The staff make our guests feel so at home and we know they’ll be well taken care of.”

After a trek either above ground, or below in the nearby caves, or surfing at some of the best spots in the state, you’ll be totally justified in a degustation or a platter delivered to your suite laden down with Rangers Valley beef, cheese, salmon, cured meats, chocolate and wine.

The only thing more decadent is a horizontal indulgence at the onsite day spa, a truffle cooking class or a long table lunch with guest chef Lucio Galletto from Lucio’s Restaurant in Sydney. It might drive you to considering a soothing cup of tea which Cape Lodge also have covered with their Tea Program.

In the meantime, there’s a very deep bath with my name on it.

Visit capelodge.com.au margaretriver.com

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Baby, it’s cold outside Even if it’s nippier than a feistyJack Russell outside, Dianne Bortoletto and Gabi Mills have rounded up the best places to warm up – and fill up – too.

Images by ELEMENTS OF MARGARET RIVER.

THE COMMON In Gnarabup situated in the Margarets Beach Resort complex, The Common is a familyfriendly casual bar and bistro with a real wood fireplace. It’s got a cool yet casual vibe and in the bar area there are leather sofas, coffee tables, bar tables and stools, a big screen, pool table and, on certain nights, events and live music. Battle of the Breweries and Wine of the Month are popular events with locals and visitors.

The Common specialises in craft beer and serves bistro-style food, proper delicious filling food fit for a gastro pub. The sharing main meals designed for two are warm and hearty – the 24-hour slow cooked beef rib comes highly recommended. Happy hour or rather ‘crafty

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hour’ and kids meals feature daily between 5pm and 6pm.

The Common, 1 Resort Place, Gnarabup.

Call 08 9757 1586. Open Monday to Friday from 4pm, Saturday and Sunday from 12pm.

Visit thecommonbistro.com.au

CAVES HOUSE Caves House in Yallingup is famous for its Sunday Sessions and lashings of historic beauty.

Originally built in 1903, this scenic hotel with stone and timber accents has four fireplaces where you can warm your cockles this winter. In the large Yallingup Room, the gas fireplace is along the back wall and this room

forms part of the main dining area – it has an almost stately ballroom feel about it with sky-high ceilings and thick drapes across the French doors. The Drawing Room is another dining area that has a gas fireplace, which creates a warming ambience. In the Lounge Room, enjoy a drink with bar snacks on a sofa in front of the gas fire. There’s a real wood fireplace in the main bar that’s popular with locals and visitors and always feels lively. With several wall-mounted televisions screens you won’t miss a second of sporting action.

Caves House, 18 Yallingup Beach Rd,Yallingup.

Call 08 9750 1888. Open daily 8am to10pm.

Visit caveshousehotelyallingup.com.au

THE WHITE ELEPHANT

RUG UP Fireplaces make meals all the more romantic. Above, Paperbarks, Bunker Bay, one of Private Properties’ luxury holiday homes, has an outdoor fireplace.

STAY IN, CUDDLE UP

There’s no longer a need to avoid a beachside breakfast, brunch or lunch when it’s blowing a gale outside. Since renovations were completed last September, the much-loved White Elephant Beach Café in Gnarabup will now remain open all winter, moving the action indoors to a new 80sqm room. The ordering counter and coffee station have moved inside too. The real wood fire creates a welcoming toasty wintery sanctuary that’ll have you wishing it were your own lounge room. Tan leather sofas, coffee tables, rugs, polished concrete and long wooden tables feel so inviting. The glass bi-fold doors keep the weather out while you take in the views of Gnarabup Beach. Great coffee, casual café food, healthy as well as hearty choices and winter specials – soups, braises, gnocchi - are all on offer. A bonus is free Wi-Fi. The venue is available for intimate weddings and special functions – imagine a beachside wedding with the fire warming the room and Margaret River red wine and locally sourced cheese platters warming your insides. Winter bliss.

White Elephant Beach Café, Gnarabup Rd, Gnarabup. Call 08 9757 1990. Open daily from 7.30am to 3pm.Visit whiteelephantcafe.com.au

BLACK BREWING CO The impressive entry into Black Brewing Co includes a jarrah boardwalk over water with floating waterlilies, leading to Camelot-style big double doors that King Arthur would’ve loved.

Once inside you’ll spot the big imposing stone fireplace that goes right through the sky-high

You’ve probably drooled at some of the boutique accommodation during your time in the region - the good news is that you can act like a local for a few days at least by booking a stay in one of these gorgeous properties. The region’s visitor centres have some of the most enviable holiday accommodation in the south west on their books - here’s our pick of the most friendly winter-friendly homes.

PAPERBARKS, BUNKER BAY

Let’s not kid ourselves - winter in the south west isn’t exactly the Antarctic, so there’s a good chance you’ll be blessed with crisp blue sky days and starlit nights during your stay. So why not eat outdoors round Private Properties’ Paperbarks’ gorgeous outdoor stone fireplace in the beautiful al fresco area, surrounded by the home’s eponymous trees. Sleeping six, you’ll fall in love with this welcoming residence.

INN THE TUARTS GUEST LODGE, BUSSELTON

This boutique B&B (pictured above) is set off the beaten track deep in the Ludlow Tuart Forest, the last remaining tuart forest in the world. The Lodge is geared up for the perfect adult winter retreat with an indoor pool, heated jacuzzi, sauna and guest lounge with cosy log fire. It’s also just five minutes from the centre of Busselton with its restaurants, cafes and attractions.

BUSHY LAKE CHALETS

Located between the township of Margaret River and the beach, the spacious chalets have been designed with relaxation in mind.

There are two person studio spa or three bedroom lakeside spa and rural spa chalets to choose from, all of which have wood heating and are comfortably furnished.

To book your holiday accommodation, visit margaretriver.com or call 08 9780 5911.

continued over / margaretriver.com

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ceiling. Actually, it’s two fireplaces, one that faces the cellar door and one that faces the main bar. Plush leather armchairs, coffee tables and plenty of dining seating fill the floor space, but the room is so big, it doesn’t feel cluttered. Tall glass windows and bi-fold doors open out onto a terrace with more water views, this time of a pretty lake complete with sprouting fountain.

The architecturally designed structure is worthy of a visit alone. Add water views, easy drinking craft beer and a South East Asian-inspired menu and it’s easy to see myself settling in and spending an afternoon at Black Brewing Co in front of that roaring fire.

NO NEED TO CHILL Top, the Black Brewing Co. has one of the most impressive fireplaces in the region.

HOOD’S HIDEOUT

and kitchen in Busselton. So you know that you’re going to be well fed at the very least.

You’ll also be extremely cosy thanks to the combined warmth of an open fire, a roaring barrel-shaped wood-fired oven and a charcoalpowered chargrill. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the owner/chefs’ days off but you can still drop in for a coffee and delicious cake around the fire. The eclectic menu changes weekly with takeaway pizza proving a big hit with locals and visitors alike.

The bar is fully stocked with local brews and the venue is gaining a reputation as the go-to place in Dunsborough if you’ve got a group to feed. Recent menu highlights includes a robust sticky and spicy pork trotter, rolled over the coals, fried broccoli, smoky bacon with burnt orange and mayo and off the grill, tandoori chicken with coconut rice, lamb neck, cooked slowly with apricot, almonds and ras el hanout.

We’re almost tempted to keep this place to ourselves but it would be a crime not to share the Hood’s Hideout with the rest of you. The Hideout boys - Toby and Kirk (Hood) - grew up and honed their cooking craft right here in the south west, with apprenticeships at Newton House under Steven Regan and The Vasse bar

Hood’s Hideout, Shop 9, 34 Dunn Bay Road, Dunsborough. Call 08 9750 5580. Open Monday 9am to 9pm,Tuesday and Wednesday 9am to 1pm (coffee and cakes only),Thursday and Friday from 9am to 9pm, Saturday and Sunday 11.30am to 9/10pm.

Visit hoodshideout.com.au

Black Brewing Co., 3517 Caves Road,Wilyabrup.

Call 08 9755 6500. Open daily from 11am to 9pm.

Visit blackbrewingco.com.au

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HOT TODDY The Pourhouse in Dunsborough has a warm welcome for all.

THE POURHOUSE Whoever came up with the #meattraysundays concept at Dunsborough’s The Pourhouse deserves a medal. Grab a pitcher of beer and order a heap of meat (two of your choice, dirty rice, slaw and hushpuppies for $25), and we pretty much guarantee your winter blues will be put firmly to rest. The fireplace helps too of course, as does the comprehensive range of 12 rotating craft beers and over 100 others from around the world.

The Pourhouse, 26 Dunn Bay Road, Dunsborough.

Call 08 9759 1720.Visit pourhouse.com.au

DISCOV E R AN ANCI E N T WONDE RLAND

CAVES Your Margaret River Region is as spectacular underground as it is on top. Venture below to discover the caves of the region, each uniquely decorated with natural crystal formations.

The more you cave, the more you save!

Discounted multi-cave packages are available.

Visit margaretriver.com or call (08) 9780 5911 to plan and book your trip.

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Raise a toast Head over to these new cellar doors this winter - you’ll find a warm welcome and a delicious drop or two.

By CARMEN JENNER.

FRASER GALLOP ESTATE

AMELIA PARK WINES

When Nigel Gallop was looking for a winery plot in 1999 there’s little wonder why he selected the site he did for Fraser Gallop Estate. Apart from the gorgeous verdant undulations, the high perspective over Wilyabrup valley provides high air movement; one of the key elements to combatting disease and frost.

With easy water access and no irrigation, the dry grown roots may have got off to a slow start but the low yielding vines have consistently produced outstanding results. Alongside chief winemaker Clive Otto, Nigel’s meticulous care has paid off, particularly for cabernet, chardonnay and James Halliday favourite 2013 Parterre semillon sauvignon blanc which scored 97 points. In fact, the entire estate has been awarded five red stars in James Halliday’s 2016 edition of the Wine Companion.

Newly released and rare estate wines can now be enjoyed seven days a week from 11am to 4pm.

After joining in the fun of Gourmet Escape with a lunch and soiree, keep an eye out for more events including exclusive dinners in Nigel’s magnificent home holding pride of place over his postcard perfect estate.

In the meantime, get a giddy up just in case popularity drinks them dry.

Amelia Park is another Wilyabrup gem to join the James Halliday ranks in his 2016 Wine Companion with a score of five red stars; there must be something in gravelly loam soil.

Partners Peter Walsh and husband and wife team Jeremy and Daniela Gordon might also argue their mantra of ‘tradition. craft. quality,” also plays a significant part in the winery’s success, along with winemaker Jeremy’s handcrafted wine using traditional techniques with minimal intervention.

Their three fruit-driven ranges Reserve, Amelia Park and Trellis, appeal to all palates and pockets. Setting aside the very best parcels of fruit and maturing them in French oak for 18 months before carefully blending, their Reserve cabernet sauvignon 2012 and Reserve shiraz 2012 are international, Ray Jordan and James Halliday favourites.

In the Amelia Park range, shiraz is sourced from Franklin River and rosé from 30+ year old estate Grenache vines producing elegant semillon sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and cabernet merlot varietals. The Trellis Cabernet Merlot 2012 and 2013, and the Trellis Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2016 are enjoyed daily.

After the purchase of the Wilybrup property in 2014 and named after local pioneering settler and farmer Amelia Curtis, their dedication to the land continues as Daniela shares:

Fraser Gallop Estate, 493 Metricup Road,Wilyabrup.

Call 08 9755 7553. Open seven days a week, 11am to 4pm.Visit frasergallopestate.com.au

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“From vineyard to winery to bottle we have a hands-on approach to every step of the process and consistency is absolutely key to our success.”

Amelia Park, 3857 Caves Road,Wilyabrup.

Call 08 9755 6747. Cellar door open daily from 10am to 4.30pm.Visit ameliaparkwines.com.au

FISHBONE WINES Never one for half measures, Fishbone opened both their cellar door and Japanese restaurant in December 2015. Owned by the Calabrian Sorgiovanni family, it’s probably safe to say they were up to the challenge. But what is an Italian family with a successful juice company and two wineries doing opening a Japanese restaurant?

“It may come as a surprise to most,” says

Joe Sorgiovanni, “but Japanese food pairs really well with our wines. We wanted to offer an unexpected experience of pairing Japanese food and wine together in a chic and stylish setting.”

Some of their favourite pairings include a fiery katsu chicken sushi with Fishbone chardonnay and a gyudon beef hot bowl with a Fishbone Black Label cabernet merlot.

And the meaning behind the name?

“The Fishbone symbol represents our philosophy of winemaking, stripped bare of all pretention to produce wines of quality and style. It’s rather fitting the family slogan is, ‘Strip bare, dive in, live wildly’.

Fishbones Wines, Cnr Harmans Mill Road and Tom Cullity Drive, Wilyabrup. Cellar door open seven days a week from 10am to 5pm.

Call 08 9755 6726. Visit fishbonewines.com.au

TASTING BAR • WINE LOUNGE • RESTAURANT • ART GALLERY • TOURS Open Daily 10AM - 5PM Caves Road (Cnr Tom Cullity Drive), Cowaramup WA 6284 Phone 9756 5000 Restaurant Reservations 9756 5050

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Make mine a chardy Forget ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) says Dianne Bortoletto. It’s time to embrace the new breed of golden glassfuls from the Margaret River region.

G

STOP PRESS: Fraser Gallop Estate’s Parterre Chardonnay 2013 has just won the top award at the Sommelier Wine Awards in the UK in the New World Chardonnay category. Congrats!

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one are the days when our chardonnay was described as big, bold, buttery and heavy on the oak.

It’ s one of the region’ s prized varietals and these days, chardonnay is refined. There’s no reason to be scared of it anymore. After all, chardonnay aficionados are considered to be ‘wine lovers in the know’ .

Chardy is making a comeback. Chardy lovers disagree and believe it’s been back for while.

The modern-day chardonnay, particularly that which hails from Margaret River, is elegant, sophisticated and layered.

Wine expert Dr Ben Thomas says that chardonnay is the wine-lovers’ wine. Ben is one of the youngest and coolest doctors I know, completing his doctorate on Wine Tourism and the cellar door experience.

He is also the founder of the beautiful online site Vine Collective that specialises in boutique WA wines and wine tourism information.

“When it comes to drinking chardonnay, those in the know, know,” Ben says with a nod.

“Chardonnay is elegant, it’s a top shelf varietal. Some burgundys are a thousand dollars a bottle – who wouldn’t want to try that?

“There’ s so much you can do to chardonnay from a winemakers perspective.You can throw chardonnay around a bit, and do all sorts of cool stuff to it and have a different end product - it’s a versatile varietal, definitely one of the big ones when it comes to wine.

“Once you have a solid appreciation of wine and the process that goes into making it, I think chardonnay is one of the best exponents of

wine-making techniques.

“I’m a white wine drinker and I love how the chardonnays in the Margaret River region differ from vineyard to vineyard – in the Wilyabrup sub-region, chardonnays tend to have melon notes and are fruitier, some even have characteristics of mushroom – and I hate to sound cliché, but forest-floor qualities.

“Whereas a bit further south around Karridale, the chardonnays tend to be nuttier and have qualities typically found in cool climate examples. Further south again around the Great Southern, the chardonnays have candied nuts and nougat qualities, which is what I really like.”

Wine hipster and self-proclaimed winenerd from Vinomofo, Karel Chaloupka, is the senior wine buyer for the online wine club, says that chardonnay is one of the world’s great white wines.

“It’s the grape behind the world’s most expensive white burgundy and capable of so many expressions,” says Karel.

“Whether you’ re after something lean and keen for simple seafood lunch or something rich and round to go with lobster thermidor (and a broken credit card), think chardonnay.

“Margaret River is simply an awesome region for chardonnay. With so many site influences contributing to the distinctive character of each wine, there are many different options and styles available to suit all palates.

“Whether it’s a delicate, minerally modern style, or a more vibrant, rich and oaky style, you’ll find something to tickle your fancy.

Whatever your flavour, there’ s a fruit purity

THERE’ S SO MUCH YOU CAN DO TO CHARDONNAY FROM A WINE MAKERS’ PERSPECTIVE. DR BEN THOMAS

in Margs chardy that’ll have you coming back for more.

“Some whites are made for a bit of fun in the sun. Some whites are more serious and designed to go with food. And some whites are crafted to cellar and get better with age. But the only white that aces all of the above, and makes you feel like you’re sitting in your favourite comfy chair, is chardonnay.”

It used to be the butt of jokes among the ABC crowd (Anything But Chardonnay), but chardy is on the up, and these days real winos know that the acronym really means Always Buy Chardonnay.

Transwa

”When it comes to white wine, I’m not the only one who always buys chardonnay. So how much should you spend on a bottle of chardonnay? Ben Thomas says there’ s good chardonnay available for $20 per bottle, but unless you know what you are buying, it’s worth forking out a little more.

“I think a good minimum spend for a quality chardonnay is $30 to $35. There are some outstanding Margaret River region chardys in this price range,” says Ben. Voyager Estate wine room manager Adam Elton says that chardonnay has developed over the past 10 years.

“It’s just being made better. Nowadays, chardonnay can be attributed as being fresh, fruitfocussed, mineral, savoury, delicate and elegant.

You can drink them when they are young, fresh and full of vibrant stone fruit, grapefruit and citrus characters, or a bit later as they become softer, rounder and integrate with the oak a little more,”Adam says.

“It’s such an interesting variety that’ s grown right around the globe. Come try it!”

Sounds like a great idea to me.

Visit vinecollective.com.au and vinomofo.com Visit voyagerestate.com for more information

Bringing regional WA closer Transwa connects over 240 destinations within regional WA, including the south west towns of Busselton, Dunsborough, Yallingup, Margaret River and Augusta.

Consider one of our new luxury road coaches for your next trip, or connect with the Australind train from Bunbury.

We offer a 50% discount on fares to Seniors nationally, WA Pensioners and Health Care card holders, WA full-time Students and children under 16 years.

For bookings and enquiries: 1300 662 205 | transwa.wa.gov.au margaretriver.com

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labour of love

By MAX BREARLEY. Portrait by SARAH HEWER.

AS THE WINERIES OF THE MARGARET RIVER REGION WAIT ANXIOUSLY FOR THE RESULTS OF ALL THEIR TOIL AFTER INTENSE ACTIVITY DURING VINTAGE, THE WINELOVING WORLD WAITS TO SEE WHAT THE FRUITS OF THAT LABOUR WILL REVEAL. 42

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AS THE SUN sets, smoke drifts across the vines at Vasse Felix.

It’s an ethereal scene yet as chief winemaker Virginia Willcock explains it has a more practical significance. Burning off isn’t allowed prior to the all-clear from wineries that the last grapes are safely off the vine.

Any sooner and smoke taint could ruin a season’s work. For some, the smell of burning in the night air is a sign that vintage is over for another year, while for others it’s an indication that the work is far from done.

A few days later and Virginia is in the red barrel hall, beanie on, glasses perched on her head; she’s upbeat and ready to talk vintage.

A contrast to most winemakers weeks before.

Then their eyes would be on the clouds, in a vintage characterised by rain and fears of botrytis.

As the figurehead at one of the wineries looked to as a benchmark of Margaret River excellence,

Image by XANDU WINES

she has a weight on her shoulders.

“Coming into vintage, not knowing what the seasons going to be like, it’s the most nervewracking time of year.” She tells me. “But I need to be nervous to perform.”

It seems that as the years pass and vintages are notched up there’s no escape from previntage tension.

“Every year I get butterflies, like it was my first vintage ever. How’s the fruit behaving? Is it different to other years we’ve seen? And how is it different? And how should I react to that?

Should I leave it on the vine longer, pick it a bit earlier? What’s happening with the acids, the sugars, the flavours?

“Everything’s changing and it’s different every year. Kind of like coming into a new experience every single year and that is petrifying.”

Something tells me that Virginia isn’t quite as petrified as she may say; as a winemaker

Every year I get butterflies, like it was my first vintage ever.

VIRGINIA WILLCOCK, VASSE FELIX WINES

renowned for her work, consistently innovating and raising standards, there’s a steady hand at play.

Over at Xanadu, winemaker Brendan Carr points to the two halves of the winemaking operation – the vineyard and the winery - and the need for them to think about what each is doing in vintage.

“If you’re from the vineyard and you’ve just finished your last harvest it’s that final dot point on vintage, before post-vintage jobs start and then getting busy again with pruning.Vintage for the vineyard crew is really through the growing season, running at a million miles an hour, keeping an eye on the weather, lifting wires when they need to,” says Brendan.

While bound by what happens in the vineyard, Brendan is focused on the winery.

He’s well aware of this and makes sure that the different crews understand that they’re essentially working to a common goal.

“We watch the weather in the winery but the vineyard and the winery march to a different drumbeat in those respects,” he says.

“We try to ensure that the people in the winery understand the vineyard and that there’s an appreciation of what it took for the fruit to get there in the first place, the years-long worth of work to get it onto a vine and then into a bucket, and hopefully teach the vineyard guys that once it’s in the bucket it’s only half way through the process.”

Once that vineyard work is done Virginia says that this is essentially “relief number one” as the grapes are off the vine. “I’m like oh I don’t have to eat grapes for another year”.

But then starts the second wave. She explains, “this is probably the most stressful time I’m going through, trying to get the reds off skins at the right time and bedded down into the right barrels.”

Inevitably there has to be some release for those caught up in vintage. Brendan talks about the annual inter-winery surf competition, as a moment to stop and relax, take stock and celebrate a completed harvest.

“It’s not scored as seriously as at the Pro,” he laughs. “There’s a few extra points for bad wipeouts and ill-fitting wetsuits. I see it as a good excuse to get together and have a beer and a wave together. To see how vintage has gone, what went well, what didn’t and have a bit of a chin wag.”

While Brendan doesn’t feel the need to be too competitive he says there’s “a few hot surfers in the field who always get good scores, but the general scoring is as a team. So essentially the score is averaged out across all the team members.”

It begs the question as to whether Xanadu is in contention each year.

“Howard Park and Voyager seem to do very well,” he says with no hint of envy. “Xanadu has a proud tradition of last place. We see it as a feather in our cap. We always win best team on the beach though.

“We’ll strap the Barbie onto the back of the ute and cook up some bacon and egg burgers and treat it as a nice day down the beach. It’s all about team camaraderie.”

For a full list of cellar doors and to plan your next trip, visit margaretriver.com margaretriver.com

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1. LEEUWIN ESTATE ART SERIES 2015 RIESLING Drink by 2022, $22 93/100

winter warmer

2. 3 OCEANS THE ESTATES 2015 SAUVIGNON BLANC SEMILLON Drink by 2018, $22.99 92/100

Wine expert Rob Geddes embraces the changing seasons with his top 10 locally-produced wines designed to put some roses in your cheeks.

A

s autumn moves to winter we seek richer reds and more complex whites with flavours to match the richer, brothy and umami (think yummy) rich warm dishes of winter.

The Margaret River region can deliver via the oak-aged complexity of mature semillon sauvignon blanc blends or via cabernet sauvignon and blends across an astounding range of prices.

In this month’s selection we offer something for everyone from the word-class wines of the region at sensible Australian prices. The changing season marks the return of a significant player in affordable quality – Franklin Tate Estate wines have two entries under the label Miles From Nowhere and Tate labels. Cabernet is king and shiraz a mere princeling here with rounded palate delivering blackberry cloaked in silky tannins which are very individual to the region. Enjoy.

ROB GEDDES is a professional wine reviewer, author and app creator.

His Australian Wine Vintages book is also an app from iTunes.

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Who said Margaret River can’t make riesling. This old vine vineyard certainly leads the way. Very varietal fruit aromas showing talc and nectar-filled blossom, sits on top of subtle green apple, lemon juice and zest in this very exact varietal nose. The dry palate is concentrated, dense, light bodied, long and lithe showing appealing, drink-young, middle-palate fullness, and the chalky texture to the long finish with lingering floral talc, lime citrus and fresh flowers indicating it can age. Serve well chilled to focus the acidity.

Tangy citrus lemon and grapefruits, maybe a whiff of after-tennis T-shirt as well if you are susceptible. The joy is the drinking as this shapely wine drives deep into your mouth, excellent texture makes it sippable, the long flavours make it food friendly and the juicy fruits chewing gum into yellow wine gummy fruits gives it style and appeal.

3. STELLA BELLA WINES SUCKFIZZLE 2012 SAUVIGNON BLANC SEMILLON Drink by 2020, $45

91/100

Seriously oaky aromas of vanilla peanut brittle fine-grained French oak, lemon and citrus, lees aging, youthful aromas as a four-year-old release. The youthful lean lemon citrus fruits made bright by topical sauvignon blanc and long from the semillon and oak with a touch of garden herbs on the finish. The extended is very complex lingering pears, yellow wine gums and lychee with time for more aging. This is a time capsule, interesting with ideal balance to come with more time.

4. L.A.S VINO 2015 CHARDONNAY Drink by 2018, $65 95/100

From a 16-year-old vineyard in Willyabrup, hand harvest and whole bunch pressed with natural ferment in 30% new French oak. This has a modern savoury aroma with struck match, grapefruit, lees stirring yoghurt and funky wild yeast aromas. The fruit fullness in the mouth shows powerful richness, a lot of concentration, but it’s not at all heavy with freshness, grapefruit and pear that can carry the savoury winemaking techniques with up the front fruits holding the oak and winemaking savoury finish with spice complexity to be a complete and tidy unit.

5. SANDALFORD ESTATE RESERVE 2015 CHARDONNAY Drink by 2018, $35 92/100

The focus on the fruit here also shows youthful restraint, needing time to fill out. Black berry, black plum and raspberry fruit aromas with spicy sausagemeat smoked meats and gentle low key oak. This is a mouth filling medium full bodied bright and fresh fruited ripe red and black berry fruited flavours with a savoury finish and toned tannins to tidy and dry the finish.

6. FERNGROVE THE STIRLINGS 2012 CABERNET SAUVIGNON SHIRAZ Drink by 2022, $70 92/100

Plenty of richness here from oak and very ripe fruit with jam and fruit purees appearing. In the mouth, a middle palate paradise of fruit flavours with ripeness with a fruits of forest spectrum of flavours. The oak balance is well handled and there is savoury element to the flavours with its southern bright fruit freshness.

7. MILES FROM NOWHERE BEST BLOCKS 2014 SHIRAZ Drink by 2017, $21 92/100

Spicy-edged sulphides give a sweaty, grapefruity edge to the dark fruits, edges of butter malo aromas add dimension to the quality fruit. the tannins are soft, the raspberry middle palate is fresh and generous medium body and lingering red cherry jam fruits. Some sulphidic notes close down the fruit flavours, fabulous flavours.

8. EVANS AND TATEÂ Â REDBROOK 2012 SHIRAZ Drink by 2018, $49

95/100

Fruit complexity with black berry, red cherry and black olive fruit aromas and well integrated oak that sets up a spicy edge to add class, charm and complexity. The palate has fine-grained soft tannins that finesse the tip of tongue. Flavour flickering through red fruits spices, five spice and cinnamon, smoked meats make an appearance yet the dark fruit core is ever present with white pepper spice to close. This is a really well made and crafted wine with the quality tannins adding to the red fruit flavours on the finish.

9. FRANKLIN TATE ESTATES 2013 CABERNET SAUVIGNON Drink by 2019, $24 94/100

Opulent, complex pretty fruits with roasted black berry and toasted oak.

The palate has length and strength with quality expressed as evenness of texture with finesse, fine-grained tannins fresh fruits with flavours in ripe raspberry wed to silky tannins and the middle palate fruits showing plenty of flavour with the oak and grape tannins drawing it all to a close.

10. RINGBOLT 21 BARRIQUES 2012 CABERNET SAUVIGNON Drink by 2028, $38 95/100

The aromas here are framed by a quality fruit and oak balance with delicacy that respects Margaret River fruit showing dark berry, mulberry, black currant and mint. The palate is youthful with tannins that are firm and slightly drying with the joy coming from the very full flavours in the middle palate showing complex black fruit, black currant, dark wine gums on the finish This is very good value for money which has made it a very popular choice both here and in Canada.

margaretriver.com

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Nature & Environment MEET THE LOCALS Brothers Michael and Ryan White of South West Eco Discoveries offer a Meet the Woylies tour.

Did you Know?

UNLIKE MANY OTHER frog species, white-bellied and orange-bellied frog tadpoles don’t swim around in water. They’re laid into small depressions in damp soil under leaf litter, and will complete the cycle from egg to frog in the jelly-like material that the egg is surrounded by.

WOYLIES ARE KNOWN as eco system engineers, turning over up to five tonnes of soil a year which aerates the soil allowing water penetration. They also transport native seeds around. They are very valuable to the eco system.

THE WESTERN RINGTAIL possum is very shy and rarely seen on the ground unlike the brushtail. They are arboreal and particularly partial to the canopy of peppermint woodland and eucalypt forests. BIG4 Peppermint Park and Glenbrook Estate can arrange for you to meet these delightful possums.

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Shy guys The Margaret River region is home to some of the world’s most adorable creatures, but in many cases, they’re also hard to spot in the wild.

Sarah Szabo goes in search of some secretive cuties.

T

he Western ringtail possum is definitely reclusive and the woylie can get a little raucous under the cover of night.

Meanwhile the white-bellied frog likes to do its growing up in sealed privacy.

For fans of these beautiful but shy creatures, it’s a sad fact that seeing them in the wild is unusual not just because of their temperament or habits but also because they are endangered.

WA’s south west is one of Australia’s - and the planet’s - richest hotspots for biodiversity but also one of the most threatened. Currently, Perth Zoo is working closely with Department of Parks and Wildlife to aid in the recovery of five threatened species that are only naturally found in this region.

The dibbler, numbat, western swamp tortoise, white-bellied frog and orange-bellied frog are all bred at the zoo for release to the wild in an effort to boost numbers and establish new populations.

“Almost 2,500 of these animals have been produced by the zoo and released to the wild which will hopefully help secure their future,” says Cathy Lambert, Perth Zoo’s supervisor of the native species breeding program.

The frog program is the latest one to join the program. The critically endangered whitebellied frog (geocrinia alba) and the vulnerable orange-bellied frog (geocrinia vitellina) are continued over / margaretriver.com

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both found in the Margaret River region, and are subject to a number of threatening processes such as fire, disease, pollutants, the impact of feral species such as pigs and illegal activities in the forests.

Looking into the future, however, Cathy says one of the most challenging issues is the impact of a drying climate.

“These frogs need creek systems and swampy areas that stay wet all year round, but some of the habitat has begun to dry out and areas where they once lived are no longer suitable,” sahe say.

Parks and Wildlife staff spend a lot of time searching for wetter areas within their natural range and these are the areas that frogs from the zoo program are released into.

Between these two frog species, almost 800 juvenile frogs have been released into three new locations and to supplement two other population sites in the Witchcliffe/Blackwood River National Park area where natural numbers were dwindling.

Says Cathy: “The first of these new populations is showing really promising results, with a reasonably stable population of over 50 calling males being heard here over the last few years.

“In 2014 we had some really exciting news, with the first clutches of eggs being found, indicating that breeding is also occurring,” Similarly at Yelverton Brook Eco Spa Retreat

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and Conservation Sanctuary another population has been brought back from the brink.

Brothers Michael and Ryan White from South West Eco Discoveries deliver a range of sustainable nature-based tours through their company including a Meet the Woylies tour that takes visitors to the flourishing colony at Yelverton. Part proceeds of the tour go back to the sanctuary.

Michael was just four years old in 1986 when his community came together to save over 100 false killer whales who had beached themselves in Augusta.

The desperate three-day mission was a formative moment for the town and for Michael, one of his earliest and most vivid memories.

Nearly 30 years later these third generation locals are still trying to help vulnerable animals.

The tour has been given exclusive access to the population of woylies.

“We were interested in the woylie because even though we have lived in the area all our lives we had never seen one,” says Ryan.

“They were once widespread but are now critically endangered. As they are nocturnal they’re not easy to come across at the best of times.”

“They have very sharp claws on their front feet and you can see their little diggings all through

the bush where we do the tour. They are quite energetic - I call them the Kung Fu Panda of mini kangaroos.They run around and fight a bit.”

Michael agrees. “They have quite a feisty personality when they get going. We have a 300 metre walk to get to the viewing area and when we arrive, you can hear them rustling around in the bush and they will pop out on the track and often follow us like little puppies,” he says.

The tour includes billy tea and bickies under the stars as up to 24 woylies party on in the viewing area. Brushtail possums will often crawl down and have a dash through while a reticent quenda or two will skirt around the outside.

“It’s pretty special,” says Ryan.

The shy ones often are.

Visit southwestecodiscoveries.com.au

SAVING ESTATE AND RESTAURANT

SPECIES

...ONE FROG AT A TIME THE DEDICATED TEAM of experts from Perth Zoo are regularly working on site in the Margaret River region to make sure the area’s rich wildlife mix continues for generations to come.

Tammy Goad, one of the zoo’s young keepers, is particularly involved with important work to save WA’s creatures from extinction. She’s been working for the past six years on a breeding program with two little critters you may never have heard of - the white-bellied frog and its cousin, the orangebellied frog.

“White-bellied frogs are almost extinct, with numbers declining by about 30 per cent over the past 10 years,” says Gemma. “They live in Margaret River and many creek lines in the area have fallen silent, with only one or two males left calling for a mate.”

The orange-bellied frogs aren’t doing much better, with such a narrow area of habitat that a single fire event could wipe the entire population out all together.

It’s clear these frogs needed a helping hand to restock their numbers, which is where Gemma and her team at Perth Zoo stepped in.

“Every October and November we go down to the Margaret River region to collect egg clutches which we bring back to the zoo

to raise until the following September when we then release frogs back into the wild,” Gemma explains.

Last year the program produced 113 white-bellied frogs and 116 orange-bellied frogs which Gemma will be releasing back into their habitats down south in September.

Since 2010, the program has seen the collection and release program gradually bringing the call of those male frogs back into the wild.

“Last year was the first time we found egg clutches in the wild, which was so rewarding,” Gemma says. “I love working in the field, seeing the frogs in their natural habitat and hearing the calls by the males.”

These little frogs are by no means in the clear. They’re under threat from natural predators, industrial pollution which affects the creeks they call home, and livestock and feral pigs running through their waterways.

“With the Department of Environment and Conservation, we try to educate local landowners too to protect their habitat as much as we can by keeping fences in good condition and stock out of creeks,” says Gemma.

“I’ll be back down there in October, to find the boys who dig a little hole to bury the eggs, and collect more for next year’s release.”

FAMILY FRIENDLY, PET FRIENDLY

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Nature & Environment |

ALL

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THE ULTIMATE

Majestic, awe-inspiring, unforgettable – words don’t seem to do justice to the first time you witness a whale breaching the surface of the ocean.

Our advice? Just go with the flow and see them up close and personal with one of the region’s whale watching businesses.

By CARMEN JENNER.

I

t’s almost hard to believe WA’s pristine coastline was once a horrific scene of blubber and blood. It’s also difficult to comprehend that whaling was one of the first industries in WA and only ended in 1978.

Today, we’re a far cry from our gory past and instead of hunting whales we’ve developed an industry dedicated to cherishing these majestic beasts.

WA’s southwest has Australia’s longest whalewatching season, which starts at Augusta from June to August and continues at Geographe Bay from September to early December. Many would claim ours is the best location to observe humpbacks, southern right whales, rare blue whales, pygmy whales and their calves.

In fact, Geographe Bay is so favourable it becomes a whale nursery, as Chandra Salgado Kent from the collaborative research program SouWEST (Southwest Whale Ecology Study) notes:“The waters of Geographe Bay provide a relatively sheltered environment for southern right whales during their breeding and calving season, and for humpback whales and blue whales migrating south along the Australian coastline towards Antarctic feeding grounds.

Sometimes mother-calf pairs are seen resting in Geographe Bay while the mother suckles her calf,” she says.

The study is a long-term collaboration between Western Whale Research, Curtin University and Dunsborough Coast and Land Care, with support from Naturaliste Volunteer Sea Rescue and generous volunteers. Their aim is to collect information on the behaviour and population of the whales using Geographe Bay and how changes in the environment affect their numbers and behaviours.

There of course continue to be many threats to whales which include pollution, disease and climate change.

As long as these impacts are managed, recovery to their population is possible. Whalewatching itself has to obey strict rules to ensure it doesn’t add to the problem.

It’s imperative to join an accredited tour company which is mindful of noise pollution, controls the number of daily tours and number of passengers while abiding by the distance ruling. There are several reputable and respectful tour operators: Legend Charters, Naturaliste Charters,All Sea Charters, Geographe Maritime Charters and Whale Watch Western Australia.

Curious by nature, whales will naturally approach as they are just as interested in us as we are in them. And, as owner and skipper of Legend Charters (legendcharters.net.au) Dean Jensen says: “They’re so inquisitive they will often swim and play alongside the boat and even brush up against the boat, but they never charge.

It’s not in their gentle nature. If they lose interest they will disappear but we never interfere with their patterns.”

It almost makes you wonder if they’re collecting information about us too.

Naturaliste Charters (whales-australia. com.au) owner Paul Cross has the longest established whale-watching company, which he founded in 1993. Using highly researched marine science skippers on a purpose-built vessel Paul recommends you keep watching the ocean.

“Take your eye off the camera and enjoy the experience. It’s all about the beautiful remote location you can’t get anywhere else,” he says.

He also suggests taking sea-sickness

WHALE

WATCHING E C O

T O U R S

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medication, particularly in Flinders Bay in Augusta where there can be a bit of a swell – and most definitely for Bremer Bay which is a new market and about 100km east of Albany, where data collecting of killer and sperm whales is all part of the tour.

All operators offer food on board and Paul Szczypior from All Sea Charters (whalewatchingcharters.com.au) is very excited to announce he serves freshly barbequed abalone during their morning tours and local cheeses in the afternoon for intimate tour groups of just 12 people.

Like many of the tour operators, he also has a 99% success rate and guarantees another tour for free in the rare instance where there isn’t a sighting.

Courting and mating rituals are in full swing in Flinders Bay as the males sing underwater to attract the females; many witness the wondrous whale song themselves.

They’re generally more playful in the sheltered Geographe Bay with their calves where the weather is usually milder.

Humpbacks and southern right whales frolic in Augusta’s Flinders Bay from May to late August.

The best time to visit Geographe Bay is from September to December, for southern right whales and their calves.

Humpbacks continue north to their breeding ground in warmer water, before popping into the Geographe Bay on their way back to Antarctica with their calves.

November is the ideal time to see blue whales, and, although there are no guarantees, any number of wildlife like sea birds, New Zealand fur seals and dolphins, may also partake in a spot of human watching.

Book your whale watching tour via your nearest visitor centre or at margaretriver.com

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Whale of a time

WHERE TO SEE WHALES FROM THE SHORE (IF YOU’RE LUCKY) Cape Leeuwin & Flinders Bay, Augusta.

Numerous vantage points are along Leeuwin Road and enjoy fantastic views from the top of the lighthouse.

Shelley Cove, part of Bunker Bay 13km frovm Dunsborough walk from the car park to the viewing platform above the limestone cliffs.

Cape Naturaliste Lookout Platform and Lighthouse 13km from Dunsborough take the 1.3km returnwalk from the lighthouse car park.

Canal Rocks Rotary Lookout 4km south of Yallingup take the 400m walk from the car park.

Hamelin Bay 18km north of Augusta, south of the boat ramp, follow the boardwalk up to the limestone headland.

margaret river witchcliffe mammoth cave lake cave

boranup forest

Karridale

hamelin bay foul bay cosy corner

jewel cave

Behind the wheel

augusta flinders bay

cape leeuwin

By JANINE PITTAWAY

Take a drive to Augusta and you'’ll find so much to enjoy, says JANINE PITTAWAY.

T

his is the best time of year to grab a map, crank the driving tunes and hit the road.

Most holidaymakers travel between Busselton, Dunsborough,Yallingup and Margaret River, but not as many head south to Cape Leeuwin – the southernmost tip of Western Australia - and the charming town of Augusta.

You can drive between Margaret River and Augusta in a loop – going one way via Caves Road and returning on the Bussell Highway to maximise sightseeing opportunities. Allow four to five hours to have time to enjoy a few stops along the way.

From Margaret River, head west to Caves Road and take a left towards Boranup Forest.

This has to be one of the country’s most stunning driving stretches, cruising through the forest’s giant Karri trees with dappled sunlight filtering onto lush green undergrowth. There’s a small carpark to stop for photos or a stroll along the forest floor.

This section of Caves Road is the most prolific for cave visiting, with a choice of Mammoth and Lake caves, or hold out until just before Augusta where you can visit the stunning Jewel Cave, the largest show cave in WA.

Driving with kids? Let them loose in the Boranup Maze, made from native and exotic shrubs, just a short distance from the Boranup Gallery and Café off Caves Road.

For beach and nature lovers, Hamelin Bay nestled in the Leeuwin Naturaliste National Park, is worth a quick detour. Hamelin Bay has long been a favourite holiday haunt where kids run free, fishing is the pastime of choice, and stingrays are the stars of the show when fisherman are around with a feed. Hamelin Bay’s waters are now classed as a Stingray Sanctuary.

To explore more beautiful beaches and coastline, take a turn just a little further south to Cosy Corner and Foul Bay (which is actually rather stunning and protected, despite its name).

Next stop is the Augusta township. Stop in town now for a wander or drive straight through to Cape Leeuwin and the Lighthouse – the tallest on Australia’s mainland.

Take a guided tour of the 1895 icon, Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse. The grounds are open from 8.45am to 5pm daily and audio guides provide an interesting self-guided history of shipwrecks, lighthouse operations, whale watching and lighthouse life. Prices start at $8 per adult for an self-guided walk.

Rug up and earn yourself a break in the Cape Leeuwin Café in the original lighthouse keeper’s cottage at the end of your visit.

They have a lovely range of soups, light lunches, cakes and snacks.

The historic water wheel on the road from the lighthouse provides some context to what life was like living and working on the lighthouse.

It was built to take water from a natural spring to the lighthouse and is now calcified and weather-beaten.

There are plenty of prime vantage points along this stretch of coastline for whale watching from June to August.

On the way back into town, take a turn right and drive along the Flinders Bay coastline and through the historic township to see charming beach cottages and dream about owning your own piece of prime oceanfront paradise.

Feeling hungy? A warming meal or pint in the Augusta Hotel is a treat. They serve good quality pub grub, provide friendly service and have a good range of beer and Margaret River wines. Best of all, there’s a toasty log fire.

Once you’ve had your fill, head to the Bussell Highway and it’s just a 42km drive back to Margaret River via Karridale and Witchcliffe. margaretriver.com

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Augusta bound Carry on driving after Margaret River, and you’ll end up in the lovely little seaside town of Augusta - the perfect spot, Matthew Mills discovers, to have an oldfashioned family break.

Images by ELEMENTS MARGARET RIVER.

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F

orget smartphones and laptops, it turns out that all kids actually need to have a good time is a decent-sized piece of cardboard and a steep, grassy slope.

That heart-warming fact is one of the many things I learned when I headed to Augusta earlier this year for an end-of-thesummer-holidays break with my 12-year-old daughter Daisy, her BFF Alex and my sevenyear-old son Oli. What awaited us was three wonderful days of simplicity and hospitality in this lovely part of the Margaret River region.

The secret to how said cardboard can provide hours of fun was also ahead of us, but before we get there, let’s rewind to the beginning of our adventure.

Augusta sits on the edge of the Margaret River Region, down the Bussell Highway past the town that has given the region its name.

It’s a gorgeous drive, full of things to spot and talk about.

Oli, Alex and Daisy were much more animated on this stretch than on the boring bit from our home in Perth to Bunbury, all three giving a running commentary on the many things to see – and whooping excitedly as they counted plastic cows as we cruised through Cowaramup. I meanwhile found myself counting wineries – every few miles was a grower responsible for some of my favourite drops.

The going, however, is never as good as the getting there and as we drove into Augusta we all knew we were in for a treat.

For a town whose neighbour’s name is known across the world, Augusta is obviously very happy in its own skin. We arrived, bursting out of the tunnel-like trees that flank the Bussell Highway, into a perfect little coastal resort.

Clean, tidy and inviting, shops and eateries line the main street as you head down the hill towards what is very much the centre of the this hidden gem – The Augusta Hotel. It was from this wonderfully traditional country watering

hole that we picked up the keys to our home for the next three days – the Seine Bay Apartments.

It was apparent even now that a big part of Augusta’s charm is its old-world vibe, the feeling of stepping back into simpler times, but among it all is this group of very modern, very chic apartments.

A mixture of holiday lets and privately-owned homes, we realised quickly that we had lucked upon the perfect place to base our adventure.

Our two-storey, three-bedroom, three-bathroom apartment was that rare mix of chic modernity working hand-in-hand with family-friendliness – I was as excited by the stylish interior furnishing and finish as the kids were with the acres of space to run around in an excited fashion.

Downstairs, you are met with polished hardwood floors, an immaculate kitchen area with top-range fittings and a lounge that is both easy on the eye and oh so comfortable. Lovely contemporary art lines the walls, crowning a room that is as inviting as it is stylish.

Outside there is a patio where, from our apartments, you can relax and enjoy the gorgeous views of the Blackwood River opening up into Flinders Bay. Bedroom one, its ensuite and the laundry room – the latter a must, I reckon, when away with kids – are at the other end of the first storey.

The other two bedrooms are upstairs, and all three are immensely comfortable with plenty of cupboard space.

The first floor also boasts two more bathrooms a second lounge, which the girls commandeered as theirs, and a balcony off the master bedroom, again with stunning views.

We knew, then, that we had struck gold accommodation-wise and, after allocating rooms, Oli and I headed out to the IGA – a handy fiveminute walk from the apartments – while the girls unpacked.

Supplies bought, we regrouped and headed out to explore, tramping down to the foreshore to see what we could find. It was a lovely walk, a choppy breeze making the wide river even more dramatic. There was plenty to see as we navigated the foreshore path so the walk lasted longer than we planned – long enough to build up big appetites.

We decided then on a slap-up feed in the DeckChair Cafe and feasted on fish and chips before heading home for a few rounds of Uno before bedtime.

The next morning, after a fry-up breakfast in the apartment, we piled back into the car to head off to Jewel Cave – one of the must-see attractions if you’re in Augusta.

There are four caves within striking distance of the town, but Jewel is the closest, 15 minutes from Augusta – always a consideration when there are youngsters in tow – and the biggest, despite one of the others being called Mammoth.

whale WAT C H I N G

FREE

ABALONE TASTINGS

whalewatchingcharters.com.au

DON’T MISS YOUR CHANCE to spot the 30,000 Humpback whales that will be passing through Flinders Bay. We depart Augusta boat harbour twice daily, with abalone tasting on the morning tour and local cheese tastings on the afternoon tour.

Call Paul on 0417 794 008.

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SAFE HARBOUR Augusta is the perfect base to explore some of the region’s most beautiful and historic sites.

The third is Ngilgi, the fourth is Lake, and if you’ve got more time than we had and want to visit all four, there are tickets available that will get you into them all.

Jewel though was our goal. It’s a calm, relaxing site to turn up at – all the action takes place underground, after all – and we enjoyed soaking up the bush atmosphere as we waited for our guide. She arrived and we were off, following behind her as she treated us to a witty, informative commentary.

Wooden gangways and steep stairs took us deep underground into this remarkable piece of natural architecture. Three massive chambers, stalactites and stalacmites everywhere, crystal formations that would grace any fairytale – no wonder the cave has picked up gold awards at the WA Tourism Awards.

We learned of the poor Tasmanian Tiger who plummeted into the cave thousands of years ago, becoming individually extinct well before his species did, and heard tales of early explorers lowering themselves into the inky blackness with just a rope and crossed-fingers for protection.

We even got to experience that inky blackness ourselves – deep into the tour our guide cut all the lights and we saw true dark. “You eyes will never grow accustomed to this darkness,” our guide told us. “Down here, you will never be able to see even the faintest outline.”

It was a wonderfully dramatic end to an unforgettable tour.

After lunch, we headed out to A Maze’n Margaret River, a quirky attraction that was set to have the kids amused for hours.

What we found was a wonderful half-acre of

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adventure that boasts a three-metre high Giant Hedge Maze as its centerpiece.

Other attractions included 18-hole mini golf, giant chess and draught sets and nearly a kilometre and a half of pathways snaking around beautiful botanical gardens.

That evening it was to Blue Oceans Fish & Chips for our tea – can you see a pattern forming here? – before heading back to the apartment as the sun set for an evening of Monopoly, chips and charades.

Our goal for our last full day was going to be a tall order – literally. We were off to Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse.

Ironically, in light of the very different direction visitors head, the lighthouse is run by the same people who run the caves and we had bought our tickets the day before, tying them in with our Jewel Cave jaunt earning us a discount.

We had our lunch at the visitor centre’s café, where, Daisy maintains, they served the best

TOWERING ACHIEVEMENT Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse has kept watch over the choppy waters around Augusta for decades.

nachos in WA, so the meal was a success.

Our final treat was to head to the beach at Hamelin Bay for the afternoon. I’d been told by a friend that there were stingrays there, so had expected some kind of tourist trap affair going on - $15 to feed the rays, $25 to pet them, that kind of thing.

But no! The beauty of our great state is that so much of it is unspoiled and natural. Hamelin Bay is simply another beautiful WA beach that just happens to have some very happy, very tame stingrays who hang around in the shallows. No keepers, no guides, no signs, no entry fees. Just turn up and join the other astonished tourists splashing around among a half dozen languid beasts of the deep.

To make the most of our final evening in Augusta, we decided dinner at the Augusta Hotel was the go. Bustling, happy, vibrant, full of good cheer, laughter and good company, we felt like long-time locals from the moment we walked in.

Like kids do, soon they were all a big mass of friends, tourists and locals alike, the only difference being that the locals were the ones that explained just how those big bits of cardboard I mentioned earlier could be put to good use.

And that was how I came to be finishing a lovely break in Augusta sitting on the grass with a midi in my hand watching my kids sledge down the steep green hill behind the Augusta Hotel on crudely-but-effectively customised pieces of cardboard, over and over again.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better way to spend a long weekend anywhere across our big, beautiful country.

* Seine Bay Apartments, 3 Manning Street, Augusta. Tel: 08 9758 0761. The Augusta Hotel Motel, 56 Blackwood Avenue, Augusta.

Tel: (08) 9758 1944. Jewel Cave, Jewel Caves Road, Deepdene. Tel 08 9757 7411.

A Maze’n Margaret River, 9978 Bussell Highway, Margaret River. Tel: 08 9758 7439.

Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, Leeuwin Road, Augusta. Tel: 08 9757 7411. margaretriver.com

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Rain ’ doesn t stop play As the saying goes don’t let it rain on your parade so with these fabulous activities for the kids in the Margaret River region, everyone will stay happy.

BELLVIEW SHELL COLLECTION, WITCHCLIFFE If your little ones love to find shells on the beach, they’ll adore one of the largest collections of shells and coral in the world right here in WA. Discover more than 30,000 different shells and corals on display at this unique, family run collection.

Open 9am to 5pm Friday to Wednesday.

10291 Bussell Highway,Witchcliffe.

Call 08 9757 6342.

By NICOLE JAMESON

ORANA CINEMAS, BUSSELTON

NGILGI CAVE, YALLINGUP

YALLINGUP MAZE, YALLINGUP

Who cares what the weather’s doing when you can escape grey skies at Orana Cinemas? Grab your popcorn and choc-bomb, sit back and enjoy one of the latest blockbusters on the big screen.

A nature-based activity for the whole family, Ngilgi Cave is perfect for rainy days and summer heat as it’s a pleasant 20 degrees all year round.

Explore at your own pace or join a semi-guided cave tour. For the more adventurous, turn to our story about an underground adventure at Ngilgi on page 60.

With an indoor free-to-play café full of puzzles, games and amazing hot chocolates, Yallingup Maze is perfect for those days when umbrellas are required. Shake off the blues, don a raincoat and explore the ever-changing maze outside. There are family board games, free to play all day, as well as a huge outdoor natureplay space.

27 Albert Street, Busselton.

Call 08 9752 3655.

Open 9am-5pm daily.

76 Yallingup Caves Road,Yallingup.

Call 08 9757 7411.

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Open 9:30am to 4:30pm daily.

3059 Caves Road,Yallingup.

Call 08 9756 6500.

CANDY COW, COWARAMUP

THE RAINBOW STUDIO, MARGARET RIVER

MARGARET RIVER CHOCOLATE COMPANY, METRICUP

Who doesn’t like to watch candy being made?

At Candy Cow you’ll find old-fashioned lollies, chocolates, fudge and their famous honey crunch being created right before your eyes. Watch it being poured at 11am (weekends and holidays) and try to resist buying the results by the bucketload. Definitely a must-taste experience.

Got a bunch of creative kids? Get them to an ART JAM and unleash their inner artist.

The perfect rainy day activity for the whole family, with the end results providing the ideal holiday memento for your budding Picasso to stick on the fridge back home.

Don’t miss a visit to the Margaret River Chocolate Company. Watch the professional chocolatiers hand craft award-winning chocolates through the viewing window, or just enjoy a coffee in the Chocolate Cafe, taking your pick from the range of delicious homemade cakes.

7 Burton Road, Margaret River.

Call 0418 444 785.

415 Harmans Mill Road, Metricup.

Open 9am to 5pm, every day except Christmas Day. Cafe open 9am to 4.30pm. Call 08 9755 6555.

Visit chocolatefactory.com.au

NATURALISTE REPTILE PARK, CARBUNUP

MARGARET RIVER SURF SCHOOL, MARGARET RIVER

CHRISTMAS IN KARRIDALE, KARRIDALE

With enclosures inside so you can stay dry, the Naturaliste Reptile Park is a great learning and wet weather day experience for kids and big kids-at-heart. Get up close to all things slithery and learn all about these incredible creatures first hand.

Well, you’re wet anyway you might as well get drenched (in a wet suit at least). Whether you’re a complete beginner or have surfed before, the friendly team at Margaret River Surf School will look after you.

Do your little ones love Christmas? It’s Christmas ALL YEAR here. Choose from Europe’s latest handcrafted Christmas decorations and ornaments from all around the world. Ho ho ho!

Redgate Beach, Margaret River.

Call 0401 616 200.

Open 10am-4pm All days (except Tuesday and Wednesday).

30 Brockman Highway, Karridale.

Call 08 9758 5007.

Open 10am to 5pm Daily.

3 Bottrill Street, Cowaramup.

Call 08 9755 9155.

Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am-4pm.

10 Wildwood Road, Carbunup.

Call 08 9755 1771.

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Chocks away Fast fact

The Moth can fly at a maximum speed of 95 knots (or 175km per hour) and climb at 635 feet per minute.

By GABI MILLS.

Y

ou’ve probably seen them all over your Instagram and Facebook feed.

Awe-inspiring images of the Margaret River region’s coastline captured by enterprising drone photographers. It gives a totally different birds eye view of some of the most familiar and iconic wave-crashed landscapes in the area.

Check out the work of @saltywings - an aerial project by @justjampal and @micgoetze - the road to Meelup with the beautiful combination of lush vegetation tapering down to an azure sea captured from above, the unbelievable purity of the seas around the south west’s coastline a reminder that we are very lucky indeed to find ourselves in this sweet spot.

If all this beauty inspires you to see it from above yourself, there are options available to fly high, drink in the views and tick an experience off your bucket list.

TIGER MOTH ADVENTURE FLIGHTS Indulge your inner Biggles with a flight in a bright yellow authentic A17-130 De Havilland Tiger Moth. The ex-RAAF vintage aeroplane,

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piloted by Steven Millington has over 7,500 flying hours under his belt, many of which have been racked up by flying at a low level. That means you’ll be able to experience the excitement of open cockpit flying, and spot your friends on the ground below. The mustard-yellow plane will whisk you into the air in a flight back in time, as the wind whistles through the rigging wires of the wings. There are a number of diffferent flight packages available including a 20-minute reconnaissance trip over Busselton Jetty and Geographe Bay, a Busselton to Cape Naturaliste flight taking in Eagle Bay, Bunker Bay and Dunsborough’s pristine seascapes and, for the really plucky, a 30-minute aerobatic adventure.

You’ll loop the loop, experience steep turns and rolls and fly upsdide down - if you dare. Steven will arrange a video record of your trip if you like, the perfect opportunity to watch over and over again your world turning upside down.

Tiger Moth Adventure Flights take off from Busselton Airport. Call 0488 574 544 of visit tigermothadventureflights.com.au

IT’S ONE THING ENJOYING THE EXTRAORDINARY MARGARET RIVER REGION’S COASTLINE ON TERRA FIRMA, BUT THANKS TO SOME ADVENTUROUS OPPORTUNITIES, IT’S POSSIBLE TO MAKE LIKE A BIRD AND SEE ALL THE NOOKS AND CRANNIES FROM THE AIR.

SKYDIVE GERONIMO Some might say it’s the ultimate adrenaline rush - combine that with the chance to see some of the most beautiful beaches in Australia rush up towards you as you plummet to earth and you’ve got a winning package. Local skydiving experts, Skydive Geronimo, offer tandem skydives over the region, landing on the beaches of the famous Busselton Foreshore.

Feel your heartbeat go up a notch as you enjoy a 20-minute scenic flight until you get ready to jump from up to 15,000 feet.You’ll then free-fall at 200km/h for up to 66 seconds - but what a 66 seconds. Then relax and enjoy the breath-taking view as your instructor flies you back to earth, where you will land on the sand of the famous Busselton foreshore.

ARRIVE AT SKYDIVE GERONIMO Dropzone at the Busselton Regional Airport at your booked time. Free parking is available.

After completing your paperwork, get harnessed up and receive your safety briefing, then head on out to the plane to begin your exhilarating adventure!

Take in the incredible scenery from the plane as it climbs to your chosen altitude. Then it’s time for the door to open, and ready… set… GO! Now for the biggest rush....secured to your Instructor and feel the adrenalin pumping as you spread your wings at 200km/hour. There is no other sensation like it!

Once you reach 5000-feet your instructor will deploy your parachute, allowing you to sit-back and catch your breath, taking in the incredible views of WA’s majestic coastline including Geographe Bay, Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse, the Margaret River wine region and Busselton Jetty before landing on the white sands of the Busselton foreshore.

Your friends and family will be given directions to the landing area, where they will be able to watch you land on the beach near the Busselton jetty.

INCLUSIONS: • Scenic flight to altitude • 30-66 seconds heart-pumping freefall • 4-5 minute parachute ride • Complimentary drink at The Equinox • Local transfers (Bunbury, Busselton, Dunsborough, Margaret River) • Experienced, professional, friendly Tandem Master • Full safety briefing • All necessary equipment EXCLUSIONS: Video and photo packages can be added to your skydive.

DEPARTURE TIME: On the hour from 9am - 5pm, subject to availability. Exact time will be confirmed to you upon confirmation of booking VOUCHER DETAILS: Local supplier telephone number: +61439979897 Please inform at the time of booking if pick up/drop off is required Please reconfirm the morning of your jump by calling 1300 449 669.

Skydiving is weather dependent.

Comfortable closed in shoes are required Subject to skydive terms & conditions and the completion of disclaimer.

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Dark Images by ELEMENTS OF MARGARET RIVER.

N

gilgi Cave is a fantasy fiction writer’s dream location. In its depths, my imagination was overwhelmed with ice kingdoms, flowing robes, sparkling jewels, deepsea creatures and secret hideaways.

Located on Caves Road between Dunsborough and Yallingup, Ngilgi is the northernmost of the popular caves inspiring the picturesque road’s name.

Ngilgi Cave is rich in history. Like its structure, it has layers of stories to reveal. From its creation a million years ago to the Indigenous legend of the spirit Ngilgi, and its discovery by local farmer Edward Dawson in 1899, which lead to it opening as one of the region’s first tourism attractions, you can’t help but think it still has more to unveil.

The local Wardandi people gave the cave its name, deriving from a battle between a good spirit of the ocean (Ngilgi) who summoned the spirits of storms, thunder, lightening, wind and rain to create a storm to fight to evil spirit who once lived in the cave (Wolgine).

Seeing the evidence of enormous rockfalls thousands of years ago, you can only imagine the tremendous noise and reverberation it created above ground, bringing to mind the dreamtime battle story that saw Ngilgi eventually win and drive Wolgoine from the cave forever.

I had previously visited Ngilgi Cave on a self-guided tour, giving me just a taste of what it offers.

This time around I had a guide – the fantastically passionate Dominique – who has revealed Ngilgi’s mysteries to visitors for almost 10 years and shows no signs of stopping.

Throughout our three-hour Crystal Crawl Adventure Tour, her love and responsibility for the cave was apparent. While our energy levels were waning towards the end of the tour hers

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were only just firing up.

The Crystal Crawl Adventure tour ($110), along with the two-hour Ancient Riverbed Adventure Tour ($60), 2.5-hour Explorer Adventure Tour ($88), and the four-hour Ultimate Ngilgi Adventure Tour ($158) are the best ways to really do Ngilgi justice.

As well as the expected stalactites and stalagmites, of which there’s plenty of stunning examples, Ngilgi reveals a feast of formations, or speleothems, from sparkling crystals to hollow glass-like straws, shawls of varying sizes and shades, lava-like flowstone, and pillars and columns of creamy coloured, sparkling calcite crystal, made from limestone and rainwater. The only scientifically dated formation in the cave has been estimated at an astonishing 386,000 years old.

The tour commenced with a lesson on helmets, lights and gloves and how to negotiate the trickier parts of the cave before passing into the unassuming cave entry, down a number of stairs and into the beautifully lit public crystalencased chamber and amphitheatre where Dame

ANCIENT ADVENTURES Take the three hour Crystal Crawl Adventure Tour at Ngilgi Cave and you’ll enjoy an unforgettable experience.

matters JANINE PITTAWAY LETS HER IMAGINATION RUN AWAY WITH HER AS SHE EXPLORES THE MAGICAL UNDERGROUND WORLD OF NGILGI CAVE.

Nelly Melba once performed.

As we ventured further into the cave and away from all natural light, the walkways used for self-guided and semi-guided tours eventually disappeared and it was time to test out our training.

We were now 40 metres underground where the air was more dense and headlamps a necessity.

Dominique led us towards an extremely narrow gap in the limestone where we were to carefully edge our way through. She expertly showed us where to position our hands and feet to negotiate our way through the ‘pinchgut’.

After some stretching, pirouetting, ducking and crawling we reached a magical cavern where Stalagmites were actually being formed in real time. The slow drips from above were the only sound in the peaceful quiet of the cave. As part of

the tour, the group spends several minutes sitting in silence then letting eyes and imagination wander in the darkness. It’s a perfect place to meditate with no distractions, complete darkness and silence.

This part of Ngilgi is so worth the effort.

Actually, the effort to reach this part of the cave is the adventure of the tour and is as much fun as actually taking in the magical caverns, making you feel like a true pioneer. Three hours passed by before we knew it.

You can only imagine what an adventure this must have been for visitors in the 1900s negotiating the cave while wearing petticoats, impractical frocks, suits, heeled shoes and carrying lit candles.

Despite hosting more than a century of visitors, Ngilgi holds up extremely well and the Adventure Tours allow you to enjoy some unspoilt beauty. It really is quite breathtaking in parts, where a 360-degree view sees you surrounded by what feels like an underground ice palace. continued over / margaretriver.com

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...a 360-degree view sees you surrounded by what feels like an underground ice palace.

UNDERGROUND SIGHTS Enjoy the mysteries of Ngilgi Cave with one of the highly informative guided tours on offer.

There are often special events in Ngilgi Cave and many ways to enjoy its mysteries. On June 4 Noah Shilkin will be making some swell jazz sounds from 11am to 1pm as part of the 2016 Jazz by the Bay festival. With tour guides Koomal Dreaming you can learn the ancient Dreamtime stories told to the sounds of the Didgeridoo using the amazing acoustics of the cave.

Ngilgi is one of more than 150 known caves beneath the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge, and one of four with self-guided and guided tours run

by Your Margaret River Region. It’s open every day except Christmas Day from 9am to 5pm.

Visit margaretriver.com for details.

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It’s everything you need to explore the region!

The most comprehensive list of things to do in the region Build your holiday itinerary

Find what’s near you

Book tours & accommodation

Interactive map

Visit www.margaretriver.com/app for full details Download the Your Margaret River Region app at

Available online and offline

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ALL THE RIGHT MOO-VES You’ve heard of Groovin’ the Moo – how about the Maramoo, the Margaret River region’s latest sporting event with a twist? Gabi Mills asks founder Shelley Hatton for the full SP.

YMRR: Tell us about the new event – how will it work and what do you have to do to enter?

SHELLEY HATTON: The Maramoo is a full marathon, consisting of three legs. People can do the whole lot themselves, or as a team of three, where each runner completes one of the three legs. Runners also have the opportunity to do the half marathon, which is almost the same as one of the legs – it’s about 5km longer.

The start/finish line is at the cricket pitch on the corner of Wildwood and Commonage roads and on the Rivendell property. There will be a race ‘village’ at the cricket pitch, with local food and beverage suppliers, including wineries.

They will be able to showcase their products at the village and, hopefully, make some sales. There is also a best dressed component and this year’s theme is moo-cows, because that area used to be mainly dairy. There is a big prize for best dressed.

There is also a big prize for the biggest fund-raiser. We hope people will raise money for one of our two charities – Royal Flying Doctor Service WA and The Smith Family.

It always seems to be that the same people seem to win in these types of events, so we will

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have lots of spot prizes that will be drawn at the presentation ceremony. That gives everyone the chance to win a prize.

YMRR: Do you need any special running experience required to take part?

SH: As with all marathons, runners should have done enough training to complete their chosen course. We have training tips on the website. We also have a health warning from the AMA, which also recommends that participants do adequate training. Having said that, runners don’t have to have done a marathon, but they do need to train properly. If they can’t get their head around a whole marathon, they could do a team of three this year, graduate to a half next year and do the whole thing the year after.

YMRR: Explain how the marathon works and what makes it special?

SH: There are two factors that make this marathon special – the cricket pitch and the opportunity to sample products during the event.

Starting from the cricket pitch, in between each leg of the course, runners will complete a lap of the pitch. This gives spectators an opportunity to cheer for runners for most of the

GET READY, SET, GO Why not enjoy the best of both worlds - a run in gorgeous surroundings and the chance to sample local wines?

day as they are sampling the local produce at the specially created village.

The spectators are an integral part of the event. We would like to make it an all-day destination for them: wave off their runner in the morning, have breakfast at the Rivendell marquee, cheer runners as they do a lap of the cricket pitch and sample all of the local products, and purchase some of them.

The cricket pitch has an interesting history and it is ideal for this type of event – it is very big and can easily fit all of the runners and their supporters and their cars.

Runners will be able to sample some local products for each leg of the course. One of the wineries that they will be running through is Happs and runners will be able to sample wine there. Other samples that are on offer are chocolate, cheese and biscuits and Bindi Nutrition Sports Hydration drinks, which will be available on each leg of the course.

YMRR: Where did you draw inspiration from for the concept – have you run one yourself?

SH: I have never run a marathon and now I probably couldn’t even run around the block!

I did run the City to Surf two or three times about 15 years ago. I am a marathon swimmer, rather than a marathon runner.

Inspiration came from a swimming friend, who also does lots of marathons. One day after swimming she was talking about the marathon in the wine-growing region of Bordeaux, France, called Le Medoc. She has done this one a few times. In that marathon participants run a big loop of a lot of wineries. Each winery serves tasting glasses of their wine and some serve food as well. There is also

entertainment along the route. It has become a destination event. This made me think that we, too, have a wine-growing district so why don’t we have a marathon around some of our wineries and farmlands and make it a destination event as well?

YMRR: What highlights can people expect when they take part?

SH: Some highlights include spectacular views, which means hills, a couple of bush trails with very pretty trees and blackboy bushes, running through a couple of wineries, sampling local products along the course, spotting people dressed in strange costumes and doing a lap of the cricket pitch will all of the spectators cheering them on.

YMRR: Do you hope that it’ll become a regular feature on the Margs calendar – what support have you received from local businesses so far?

SH: Yes, we are aiming for it to become a regular event on the calendar.

YMRR: Do you need to be fit to take part – or is it more of a wine tasting experience with a bit of a run slotted in between each stop?

SH: It won’t be a wine tasting experience with a bit of a run slotted in between each stop, but more of a tasting experience with a bit of a running slotted in. At the moment, Happs and one other winery will be providing wine and this is because we will be running through their properties. We prefer to keep the tasting located at the actual wineries rather than ‘on the road’.

YMRR: Which venues are taking part?

SH: The Maramoo will be based on the Rivendell property. So far the wineries that are involved are Howling Wolves, Happs and Cape Grace. Every runner over the age of 18 will receive a bottle of wine and some samples, like soap from Vasse Virgin, and discount vouchers to all of the prize givers In addition to the prizes that the above wineries are giving we have prizes from The Running Centre, Cape Lodge, Pullman Bunker Bay Resort, Wyndham Resort, Knee Deep Wines, Surf and Dirt Tours and Vasse Virgin.

Maramoo,Yallingup, September 10.To enter you can go to the website’s (maramoo.com.au) registration page for full details. margaretriver.com

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CHILL, DUDES.

By DIANNE BORTOLETTO. Images by DRIFTWOOD.

SURFING IN WINTER TAKES A SPECIAL KIND OF PASSION AND IF YOU’VE BEEN BITTEN BY THE BUG, YOU COULDN’T BE IN A BETTER PLACE TO PRACTICE ON SOME GNARLY WAVES. THERE ARE AN incredible amount of surfers living in the Margaret River region, and for good reason. The 135-km coastline from Busselton to Augusta has no fewer than 75 surf breaks that produce extraordinary waves.

Waves so good that the world’s best come to surf them every year as the region hosts the third stop on the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), the Drug Aware Margaret River Pro at Surfers Point.

It is the only event on the CT that has three competition locations: Main Break (also Southside), The Box and North Point which was introduced but not used in 2016.

During the cooler months, long after the WSL travelling surfing fraternity has gone,

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there are still plenty of places to check out great surf action.

Researching where the best places to surf are in winter is like trying to crack a secret code.

Surfers like to keep their favourite spots all to themselves. After all, it’s not much fun surfing a crowded wave.

After tireless hours stalking professionals, schmoozing event organisers, chatting with surfing chefs, making friends with locals, sharing secret stories with surfing journalists and even asking blonde-haired wide-eyed groms, I’ve put together a list of the top winter surf spots in the Margaret River region. Simply sit and watch in awe or paddle out and get amongst it, after zipping up your 3mm steamer.

TAJ BURROW: 19 YEARS ON THE WSL CT, 11 EVENT WINS, 735 HEATS

Last winter everyone went to the north of the region, when it was so good down south. It’s different every year, I like the big wild conditions around here Taj Burrow, referring to the breaks not far from Surfers Point.

Western Australia’s favourite and most successful surfer of all time, Taj Burrow, loves surfing his home breaks. The Yallingup local said the last few winters were good in the region’s south, around Main Break.

suitable for experienced surfers. It can also be dangerous (which is half the thrill) and is where six-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore broke her leg during a free-surf session that saw her retire from title contention in the WSL world championship last year. It’s easy to find, head to Gracetown and you’ll see it. The view of North Point from land is spectacular.

SOUTH POINT Nowhere near as powerful or intimidating as North Point across the bay, South Point is a slow-ish left-hander and best when the swell is moderate to large and it’s protected from the southerly wind making it a good choice in winter if the thought of North Point is just too scary.

Head to Gracetown for South Point and Huzzas.

HUZZAS (HUZZAWUIEE) SURFERS POINT MAIN BREAK At Surfers Point, Main Break is the world’s most consistent big wave locations. In winter, you have to pick your days when the wind is favourable otherwise it’s a cold, wet washing machine. It’s a great spot for spectators with a lovely grassy hill, public toilets, a boardwalk and fantastic views of Main Break, Southside and The Box. It’s a great place for watching sunsets too - on those winter days when the wind isn’t churning the ocean like a laundry applicance.

NORTH POINT By far the most popular break in the region when it’s firing. In swells of two to three metres, this is the best place to watch surfers carving it up. It’s a big heavy right-hander wave that is only

Great little wave for beginners and kids with easy access, fun easy waves producing rights and lefts over a sand covered reef. Drive to Gracetown for Huzzas and also South Point.

INJIDUP – CAR PARKS This rolling left-hander goes like a train in winter when the swell’s up. And the swell has to be up for Inji to get going. When the wind is southerly and the swell is two to three metres, it’s clean and protected but can get crowded, which might suit spectators but unlikely to suit those wanting to paddle out. It’s south of Yallingup and Smith’s Beach. Pea Break is adjacent to it.

THE FARM (BUNKER BAY) The Farm is a right-hander in winter with a light, off-shore wind, which is on-shore at other places along the Cape, making it a good winter

surf break. It starts off on a reef and breaks over a sand bar. It’s crystal clear water and a relatively easy wave to surf.You have to catch it mid-week to beat the crowds and some prefer it when it’s smaller. It’s also popular with longboarders. The Farm is between Bunker Bay and Eagle Bay.

ROCKY POINT For chilled out surf in the middle of winter when everything else is blown out with strong southwesterly winds, head to Rocky Point on the other side of the Cape. It’s a good 15 to 20 minute walk to the break from the car park at Eagle Bay. According to surfing chef Russell Blaikie,“it’s great especially in three to four metre swell and the most beautiful pre and post surf walk I can recommend to anyone.You’re walking through beautiful peppermint trees, groves, native bush and the granite rocks.” Rocky Point is just north of Eagle Bay.

MEELUP This picturesque bay gets a mention more for perfect postcard qualities than quality waves for hardcore surfers. It’s protected, which means the swell has to be huge for the waves to break inside the bay and they tend to be mostly weak left handers. Long boarders love hanging ten at Meelup in winter, and being such a pretty spot, spectators are sure to enjoy watching them.

Meelup Beach is between Dunsborough and Eagle Bay. Learn to surf There are several surf schools and surf coaches in the region offering lessons as well as board and wet suit hire.Visit margaretriver.com and search ‘surf lessons’ for details. margaretriver.com

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MY DOWN SOUTH GETAWAY Sian Redgrave, Perth girl and winner of the first ever Great Australian Bake Off, wishes she was back down south now that her new life in the spotlight has taken her all over the world.

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T

he words ‘down south’ are something that must be imbedded in all of us Perth dwellers.

Those long lazy days of packing the car and heading to our beloved holiday getaway are treasured memories. Having recently moved across the country to Sydney to pursue a new life of cooking, food styling and writing, days away along the western coast are something I wish I could do at the drop of a hat.

My real love for travelling south of Perth began in my teenage years when my mother would drive me down to Busselton for the three-day music festival Southbound.

The poor woman always gave up her time to take four teenage girls to the music concert every January until we were old enough to drive ourselves (I’m hopeful that by taking her to Italy this year it’ll make up for the torture).

Scorching hot days, setting up tents and all the sunburn was worth it to see some of the world’s best musicians just hours from home.

Since my teenage years I have made the most of the Margaret River region’s

incredible produce and food on offer. Over the years the area has become like a second home to me as my best friend’s family have a farm called Boy on the Hill.

I’ve spent many cold winter nights making homemade pasta and collecting vegetables from the garden. They produce beautiful beef and olive oil which we turn into warming, flavoursome ragus.

But my most favourite of places is Augusta.

SIAN'S TOP TIPS

1.

Visit Yallingup Woodfired Bread - hand crafted, traditional woodfired bread is baked fresh every afternoon, made from locally biodynamically grown grain, stoneground to the finest flour.

Bring your own butter if you can’t wait to make the most of that just out of the oven deliciousness. Find the bakery on the corner of Biddle Road and Sheoak Drive, Yallingup.

Open Monday from 4pm to 6pm, Tuesday to Saturday from 7am to 6pm and Sunday from 8am to 1pm.

The furthest point south west in Australia, Augusta is the meeting point of the Southern and Indian oceans making for some epic marine landscapes and windswept photo opportunities.

The little town itself is peaceful and pristine and offers the perfect place to unwind and relax.

Augusta is a little quieter than the other visited towns so I find the best thing to busy myself with is eating and swimming.

On my way back to Augusta, I always make my way to the Yallingup Woodfired Bread. The bread is baked on hot stones and has the most wonderful texture and fermented flavour.

Be sure to be there around 3pm, when the loaves are straight from the oven. I once brought my own butter with me so I was able to devour a loaf as soon as I could.

Margaret River Farmers’ Markets are also a must see. From food and farm products to wine there will be plenty for you to get your hands (and teeth) on.

After gathering up enough goodies for lunch, a relaxing picnic on the beach is my idea of happiness. Flinders Bay is a must-see, perfect for

2.

3.

Have fish and chips at Augusta’s Colourpatch Café (98 Albany Terrace, Augusta) - the whiting is stiff fresh and the perfect accompaniment to watch sunset in this charming town.

Try SUPping (that’s standup paddleboarding) in Flinders Bay. Just don’t forget to pack the wetsuit #chilly

families and quiet enough to have a stretch of beach all to yourself.

The bay is quite often lovely and still so if stand-up paddleboarding takes your fancy, it’s a great place to learn. Although summer days in the bay are stunning, winter in this area is so beautiful.

For the perfect afternoon activity, head down to the local pub, The Augusta Hotel. The view from the back is breathtaking, giving you the perfect place to enjoy a drink and swoon over the Blackwood river.

Finish the evening off with dinner at Colourpatch Café. Making honest old-fashioned fish and chips, this place won’t disappoint, especially if whiting is frying that night.

Hopefully my next Augusta adventure isn’t too far away - Western Australia really does have the best beaches (sorry Sydney).

Sian is a columnist with PRIMOLife magazine and has recently worked as a stylist on her first cookbook.

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Arts & Wellbeing

WINTER

WON

DER

LAND Christmas in Karridale, 30 Brockman Highway, Karridale, 9758 5007, atelier.susi@bigpond.com or visit margaretriver.com/members/christmas-in-karridale

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Planning a Christmas in July celebration? Head over to Christmas in Karridale and discover a neverending world of seasonal joy says Carmen Jenner.

W

hat kid doesn’t want it to be Christmas every day? There are even a few adults too, like Susi Demelt-Karlstreu who has turned such a fantasy into a reality. Her enchanting shop Christmas in Karridale, crafted from stone, timber and stained glass, even resembles a gingerbread house.

Located 150 metres from the Brockman and Bussell Highway junction, about 20 minutes south from Margaret River and 10 minutes north of Augusta, Christmas grinches should just keep driving.

Luckily Susi didn’t when she arrived from Austria in 1986 as the forested landscape reminded her of home.

A talented jeweller by trade she says:“I was intent on opening a jewellery gallery and needed a place to live which had passing traffic.”

She achieved her goal with the purchase of the stunning property which also includes a chocolate-box house. As well as selling her jewellery line Atelier Susi, she also included art, trinkets and clothes into her stock.

Each Christmas became an event as Susi would decorate her shop and home so lavishly, people began to enquire about where they could buy the decorations. One year she sourced some Christmas ornaments from Europe and sold out immediately. An idea was hatched.

Many years later Christmas in Karridale is far cry from the orderly environment of a jewellery shop. Instead it’s a kaleidoscope of red, green and gold festivity.

A magical wonderland of toys, angels, tea light holders, animated figurines, Christmas trees, hand -blown glass baubles from Poland, costume jewellery from Israel, decorations from Russia,

Finland, Czechoslovakia and Germany, which is one of the main destinations Susi visits for her annual buying trips. Even her bespoke Atelier Jewellery range featuring bright gems, diamonds and pearls and has a celebratory theme.

The long list of items ends with Susi declaring: “My favourite pieces are timberturned hand-painted angels which have been made by the same German company for the past 100 years. Even during wars and recessions they continued to create beauty.”

Interestingly, the most popular items are the kangaroo and koala ornaments which are a huge hit with overseas tourists.

Susi’s other passion are her real life kangaroos which are usually delivered with injuries or in need of assistance by carers and locals. They range from two to 16 years of age and some of them will be released back into the wild or returned to their carers after she has nursed them back to health. She has eight “children” who she has individually named and as she lists them – “Annalisa, Lizzie, Frederica…” – I half expect to hear a list of Santa’s reindeers instead. They sleep on dog beds with pillows and it’s safe to say her pampered family of marsupials have the run of the place. Timid by nature, the girls are skittish but her boys Robert and Edward love cuddles, kisses, gardening and eating flowers. However, only a select few visitors are formally introduced to the gentle creatures.

Christmas in Karridale opens year round from Thursday to Sunday, but Susi will

open by appointment and understands how disappointing it is to make the journey only to discover the shop is closed. She opens daily from November to January to meet demand, but regardless of the day, Christmas carols play year round.

While in the area, wineries are just a few minutes away such as Hamelin Bay Wines. The Karridale Tavern serves delicious counter meals and the nearby Boranup Gallery exhibits fine art, furniture and gifts.

The quaint Café Boranup teems with native birdlife and serves hearty breakfasts, gourmet burgers and fresh lunches with the odd crocodile or venison on the menu. Of course there is the towering Boranup Forest which was a major drawcard for Susi in the first place, not to mention the rest of the region it would take an eternity to explore.

In among such glorious surroundings it almost belies the difficulties Susi must have faced relocating to a foreign country on the opposite side of the world from a place she once called home.

Through passion and hard work she has created an extraordinary destination. “I just love Christmas,” she declares, not that there was ever any doubt about her fondness for the tradition.

Unfortunately, issues with bureaucracy have prevented official signage along the Bussell Highway, but the inflated Santas inviting you in save the day. I guess it makes it all the more enchanting when you discover it is always Christmas in Karridale. margaretriver.com

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STAR QUALITY Who will you spot at this year’s CinefestOZ Film Festival in August? The best of the best in the film industry will be out in force, lured by the unbeatable locations and the richest film prize in the country - $100,000 for the festival’s best movie.

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By MIA LACY.

designs in nature

A

little context for my excitement at the forthcoming CinefestOZ Film Festival.

You know that old question ‘what famous person would you most like to have as your dinner guest?’ Well, for a couple of decades my Big Six Wish List has included the extremely versatile and charismatic Aussie actor/producer David Wenham.

I ran into him – literally – in the street outside Busselton’s Weld Theatre last year. He’d been rehearsing the opening event of Australia’s premier destination film festival, and very graciously acquiesced to my stammering request for a photo.

As the festival’s patron (and all round great bloke, I can attest) he’s a charming and extremely eloquent ambassador.

He was there to lend some starry presence to the festival of which he’s patron - CinefestOz. Last year, Australia’s greatest film prize of $100,000 at the CinefestOZ Film Festival, held in the Margaret River region, was awarded to an Indigenous cinematic feature documentary.

As the 2015 Film Prize jury chair, David and jury members Wayne Blair, Annie MurtaghMonks, Sarah Snook and Liz Kearney (who produced Paper Planes) chose Putuparri and the Rainmakers from a field of eye-wateringly good films and, by their choice, made a clear statement about the quality of our Indigenous cinema.

The film was directed and produced by Nicole Ma and John Moore, and beat out

finalists Now Add Honey, Backtrack, Pawno and The Daughter to the title.

Set against the backdrop of a long fight to reclaim traditional lands, Putuparri And The Rainmakers is a story of love, hope and the survival of Aboriginal law and culture against all odds.

David said he and his colleagues on the jury were enormously impressed by the quality and calibre of all five of the Film Prize finalists, but that there was a clear winner.

“Putuparri and the Rainmakers had a story and characters that were so compelling and emotionally engaging,” he said. “It was told in such a way that reinforced the power of cinema to entertain, touch us deeply and stay with us forever.”

One of the best things about CinefestOZ is the festival and its films embrace so many excellent locations and towns throughout the Margaret River region.

It’s a massive undertaking that relies on an incredible volunteer army called The Movie Crew who cheerfully and unflaggingly make it happen every year.

The catchy name, CinefestOZ, reflects the French connection enshrined by the festival’s founders: all films shown have either an Australian or French link either by way of the filmmaker, production and direction involvement or scriptwriting.

And, with that purse of $100,000 for the

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Arts & Wellbeing |

GO WEST - CINEFESTOZ 2016

One of the best things about CinefestOZ is the festival and its films embrace so many excellent locations and towns throughout the Margaret River region. winning film chosen every year, CinefestOZ attracts the best.

Australia’s richest film prize is supported by the Western Australian State Government through Tourism WA’s Regional Events Program, which is funded by Royalties for Regions.

At the time of writing this story, the state government had just announced a $16 million Western Australian regional film fund.

It’s been hailed as excellent news for the West’s film industry and a certainty for more regional productions whose current crop includes Breath (Denmark) Jasper Jones (Pemberton) and Red Dog: True Blue (Pilbara).

Putuparri’s John Moore said the Film Prize was a great boost for the people of Fitzroy Crossing who appeared in the film.

“I hope it will encourage all Australians to value and better understand the culture of our first peoples,” he said.

Getting great Indigenous stories to a wider audience is a key reason Rio Tinto is stepping up again this year as a Premium Partner of the festival, including support of the Cinesnaps Schools Program and IndigifestOZ which showcases quality Indigenous film works and engages film-goers through a combination of features and shorts screening throughout the region.

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SET IN THE seaside centres of Busselton, Bunbury, Dunsborough and communities throughout the Margaret River region, CinefestOZ premieres feature films and events in cinemas, wineries, small bars and galleries, making it both a feast for the senses and an unforgettable five-day getaway.

The festival acknowledges its strong partnership with ScreenWest, Western Australia’s screen funding and development agency.

Previous CinefestOZ film festivals have attracted film luminaries including David Wenham, Bryan Brown, Hugo Weaving, Jack Thompson, Joel Edgerton, Bruce Beresford and Margaret Pomeranz.

The submission process for the $100,000 CinefestOZ Film Prize closed in June, with the finalists’ films and attending guests announced in July. Following a star-studded line-up in 2015, festival guests can expect another stellar array of film stars and guests to be heading to the South West for this year’s event.

CinefestOZ patron David Wenham became involved due to his strong affinity for CinefestOZ ’s vision to support the development of the Australian film industry.

“I met these people who had a love for film, a love for the region, but also had an ambition and a foresight to establish CinefestOZ as a significant event in South West WA and more broadly Australia,” he said.

Wenham believes a great achievement that CinefestOZ has pulled off in a very small amount of time is the fact that the festival has had a direct or indirect influence in films being made and specifically films being made in WA. “Film festivals are the only occasions where film professionals and practitioners actually get the opportunity to mingle and meet each other. We get together, we talk and it is an opportunity to talk about collaborating. I’ve been involved in two Australian films in WA; the adaption of Tim Winton’s The Turning, and Paper Planes. Both of those films were helped along the way in no small part to connections made at CinefestOZ. The cultural significance is important, but CinefestOZ is genuinely helping the film industry at the moment.”

He says the success of the film festival is underpinned by the incredible support it has received.

“I have no doubt CinefestOZ will continue to grow because of that support and that in years to come the Margaret River region will cement its place on the world stage as a premiere film festival destination.”

Rio Tinto community engagement manager Shannara Sewell said the 2015 program had fantastic outcomes for the whole community.

“IndigifestOZ helped greatly to increase the profile of Indigenous film with the spectacular documentary Putuparri and the Rainmakers taking out the 2015 Film Prize. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of our Colours of Our Country Aboriginal art exhibition based in Perth, Rio Tinto coordinated the Colours: From Country to Coast Indigenous art exhibition,” said Shannara.

“This unique event formed part of the

inaugural IndigifestOZ programme and exhibited artworks from the Pilbara in the South West community. It attracted more than 900 visitors over the two-week period, engaging new audiences and sharing stories through art.”

Impressive films and memorable events in beautiful places are the signature of CinefestOZ. The full CinefestOZ 2016 (August 24 to 28) film and event program and ticket sales go live July 29. Early bird ticket sales available at cinefestoz.com To become involved as a Movie Crew member or to find out what’s showing this year, visit cinefestoz.com

SILVER SCREEN Stars from the movie world will head to Margaret River for CinefestOz 2016 in August. Left, David Wenham with fangirl, Mia Lacy.

INDIGIFESTOZ 2016 IndigifestOZ showcases quality Indigenous film works and engages film-goers through a combination of feature films in general screenings, short films in festival Side Bars and community screenings, school incursions and excursions.

By promoting excellent Aboriginal film works, new audiences develop, as does an increased awareness and understanding of Aboriginal culture.

This year, as previously, award-winning established and emerging Aboriginal filmmakers will all contribute their work to the IndigifestOZ program.

THE 2016 PROGRAM INCLUDES:

IndigifestOZ Cultural Day – August 26. A day of films and film guests, art, bush foods and interactive Indigenous activities.

Indigenous Short Films – August 26 to 28 – incorporated into the Side Bar screenings and free community screenings in Bunbury, Busselton, Dunsborough, Yallingup, Margaret River and Augusta.

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THE MARGARET RIVER REGION’S FARMERS MARKETS ARE SOME OF THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY. JUST TAKE YOUR PICK FROM THE HUGE VARIETY OF FRESH AND ARTISAN PRODUCE AVAILABLE ON ANY GIVEN WEEKEND.

BY SARAH SZABO.

F

or a slow food movement it’s been happening pretty rapidly in the Margaret River region. There are so many reasons to support farmers’ markets and artisan producers, but the best reason of all is a personal one; a desire to try a little bit of everything. So make sure you get down there before the chocolatecovered raspberries run out.

If it’s the weekend and you are in the south west, there’s a market that’s bound to appeal with its range of seasonal, fresh and unique produce, just for you.

peaches on fruit toast served with herbed ricotta drizzled with honey from the kitchen, while listening to the jaunty stylings of the Busselton Ukulele Club?

Top Pick: Check out the old - Cheryl’s Date cake has been a favourite at the Vasse markets for 15 years. And new: Forest Grange Beef raise their own cattle in a low-stress environment without the use of hormones or antibiotics. The meat is chemical and pesticide free and the cows are 100 per cent grass fed.

VASSE MARKETS

MARGARET RIVER FARMERS MARKET

Where: 8 Kaloorup Rd,Vasse.

Inside Vasse Hall and surrounds.

When: first, third and fifth Saturday of the month.

7.30 am to 12.00pm.

Where: Margaret River Education Campus, Lot 272 Bussell Highway, Margaret River When: every Saturday, 8am to 12pm (April to Nov) 7.30am - 11.30am (Dec to March).

The Vasse markets are the oldest markets in the the south west. Just ask the wonderful Thelma (aka the cake lady) who’s in her eighties, and has been baking and selling her traditional cakes from the circa 1930s Vasse Hall for a number of decades.

Manager Ross describes the market as an eclectic mix of craft and produce with both an olde world feel and some very modern flavours. Regulars like Thelma and Phil, with his collection of beautiful old glass bottles, sit alongside a smorgasbord of fresh local seasonal fare from local farmers.

Managing to be both homespun and hip, where else could you feast on smashed avocado on sourdough with toasted pecans, or grilled

Started by the Margaret River Regional Producers Association (MRRPA) in 2002 to give local farmers and food producers, many of whom don’t have the scale to go through supermarkets, a means to sell directly to consumers, this is a must-visit market for foodies visiting the area.

Market manager Kat Lombardo says it is one of the only true farmers markets in the state with strict rules around reselling.

“We make sure our stall holders are the people who have made or grown the produce and any value added goods (such as jams or pickles) are seasonal and locally sourced,” she says.

Kat says the markets are a community hub and tourist attraction in their own right, showcasing the region’s beautiful produce.

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Best of the rest

TOUCH, TASTE, SMELL, feel and listen – a visit to the town markets is a sensory experience and a great way to meet the locals. You’ll find everything from farm fresh produce to handcrafted wares on offer.

FRESH FARE The region’s farmers markets have such a wide range of produce on offer.

BUSSELTON ROTARY MARKETS, second and fourth Saturday of the month, Busselton Foreshore.

SATURDAY MORNING SHED SALES, every Saturday, 8am – 11am Lions Shed, Queen Elizabeth Avenue, Busselton.

ART GEO MARKETS, summertime only, check our event calendar for the latest listings. 21 Queen Street, Busselton.

VASSE MARKET, first, third and fifth Saturday of the month, 7:30am – noon. 8 Kaloorup Road, Vasse.

DUNSBOROUGH MARKETS, second and fourth Saturday of the month, 7:00am – 12:00pm. Lions Park, Dunsborough.

LIONS MARKET DUNSBOROUGH, one Saturday per month (dates change each month), 9.00am – 1pm Lions Park, Dunsborough.

MARGARET RIVER TOWN SQUARE MARKETS, most Sundays, 9am – 12:30pm, call0414 672 372 for the latest information. 137 Bussell Highway, Margaret River.

MARGARET RIVER LIONS CLUB GARAGE SALE, two different Saturdays every month (dates change each month), 8.30am – 12.30pm. Lions Shed, 12 Burton Road, Margaret River.

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SHELL OUT Ken Townsend supplies fresh eggs from his hens to the Busselton Community Gardens Markets.

“I love it that customers can come in and have a chat with the farmers and producers and find out anything they want to know about the produce. There’s a real connection that the locals form with the growers and they come back week after week. We think knowing where you food has come from is a really good thing,” she says.

Not to mention that the selling price is also a win-win for the customer and the farmer.

“The farmer hasn’t had to sell their produce at a ridiculously low price to a reseller who then turns around and sells it at a very high price to the customer,” Kat explains.

Stallholder Lara McCall who, with husband Jamie runs Burnside Organic Farm producing avocados, wine, capers and honey, agrees. “It is great for us and great for consumers. As a really small producer we rely on the farmers market. It is important that we can sell most of our produce locally so we are not transporting, packaging or involving a middle man,” she said.

TOP PICK: Check out the small batch production wines, chocolate-covered raspberries and latest gourmet must-have - bone broth (made with locally sourced beef bones, chickens and vegetables, of course).

THE BUSSELTON COMMUNITY GARDENS MARKETS

Where: cnr Strelly Street and Roe Terrace, Busselton When: every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month.

The Busselton Community Gardens market sells excess produce harvested from the 100-plot strong organic community gardens. All funds raised go back into this important not-for-profit community amenity.

Volunteer Shirley makes jams, chutneys and relishes from the surplus produce and husband Rod makes up seedlings for sale. Herbs, vegetable seedlings, native plants and ornamental plants are also available. A small but passionate group of volunteers run three or four stalls selling produce and independent and generally low mileage growers from the area round out the markets.

Says Shirley: “Our eggs are great. We have a volunteer, Ken Townsend, who is 91 and rides his bike out 365 days a year to look after the chickens. He is there every morning at seven.

We have about 20 chickens and then the cafe lady has about half a dozen in her little patch out the back.”

TOP PICKS: Get in quick for Ken’s Hens Eggs and Shirley’s fig jam direct from the fig tree in the chook pen. There is also an independently run cafe which is open Tuesday to Saturday from 8am until 2pm.

BUSSELTON FORESHORE MARKETS Where: Signal Park, Busselton When: first, third and fifth Sunday of every month.

7am to12pm.

Market manager and hobby farmer Robert Otway says with between 80 to 100 stalls the Foreshore markets are probably the biggest markets in the south west.

“We have a little bit of everything and we try not to have too much of one thing,” he says, “although when it comes to cheap goods from

Bali, we try not to have any at all.”

Robert says the stars of the show are the great locally grown fruit and vegies including cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage from Manjimup and stonefruit from Donnybrook. Or perhaps it’s the local honey you’re after. Then there’s the Biltong guy who always has a queue of people waiting to be served. And don’t forget the patisserie from Jean Marie the French baker, or the Karri tables from local woodworkers or the Pecan Man. In short, if you can’t find something to delight your tastebuds or senses here then you are just not looking hard enough.

MARGARET RIVER LIONS CLUB GARAGE SALE

Where: Lions Shed, 12 Burton Road, Margaret River When: fortnightly.

“We raise a lot of money for the community and the community supports us in giving great donations to resell back. It is a great recycling service,” says Lions Club president Kaye Exell.

Around 15 to 20 volunteers prepare the goods for sale during the week and open the doors of the Lions Club massive shed every fortnight.

Margaret River’s longest running garage sale (ten years and counting) has a mix of household goods, bric-a-brac, bedding, bikes and even an antique section. We pretty much sell everything, says Kaye, even electrical goods because we have the facilities to check and tag them.

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Arts & Wellbeing |

T FLOAT ON There’s a new wellness therapy in Margaret River that has the promise of ultimate relaxation.

Dianne Bortoletto took the plunge to find out more.

Floating Euphoria Unit 60 / 1 Resort Place, Gnarabup (in the Margarets Beach Resort complex). Phone: 08 9757 1022 or visit floatingeuphoria.com.au Images By FLOATING EUPHORIA

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he thought of spending an hour in a floatation tank was exciting and a little daunting.

I’d heard of floatation therapy but knew very little about it – except that it involved the obvious, floating. I made my appointment for late the following day, 6pm.

I was told by the friendly and informative manager not to eat or drink coffee four hours before. And avoid shaving the day of the float.

“There’ s five hundred kilos of Epsom salts in the water – think of it as one hundred times saltier than the ocean,” manager Jansie Gooda said.

When I arrived, the pod looked like a giant egg that opened like a clam. Inside the still water was lit by a blue light, which slowly changed colours – yellow, green, orange, pink, purple and white.

“Relax and trust the water to hold you,” she said as she stepped outside my room.

Once undressed, I switched off the light and slowly and gently stepped into the pod to minimise water disturbance. Set at 35.5 degrees, the water temperature is the same as the human body, making it only possible to detect if you move.

I closed the lid and turned off the internal

COWARAMUP

light - the whole idea of flotation therapy is to void all sensory stimulation. Soft soothing spa music played for the first ten minutes before fading out to silence.

My body was totally suspended by the magnesium-enriched water. I practised deep breathing, much like I do the end of a yoga class and during (failed) attempts to meditate.

The aim: to calm the mind and rest the body. Floating in my dark, secure, enclosed Dream Pod was likened to laying on warm thick paint.

The water when I moved, felt like regular water, but as I practised stillness, it felt dense, like silky pouring custard.

Breathing, visualising and just being for an hour was luxurious. I allowed my body to get heavy and a couple of times I felt as if I was gently

falling, drifting into sleep yet still conscious.

An involuntary jolt from my body and I was back in the present.

I’ve since learned that the falling sensation the first state of dreaming where theta brain waves are created.

Perhaps that’s why we say ‘falling asleep’ ? As unlikely as it sounds, I can’t actually be sure if I fell asleep or not.

I was surprised to feel some crustiness on my skin where the water had dried, leaving a salty residue. A low beeping noise signalled the end of the hour and I slowly moved my fingers and toes, and opened the capsule.

Emerging, I was surprised at how alert and awake I felt. I expected to feel a bit zonked, like I do after a massage. Instead I felt good, healthy, kind of serenely happy.

The blissful feeling continued in the lounge where I sipped on local Seven Seas organic lemongrass and ginger tea, which was a perfect post-flotation tonic.

Floating Euphoria has two floatation Dream Pods at the Gnarabup centre that also offers other spa treatments by Chanecia Beauty.

TM

GOURMET FOODS

WINE TASTING

BODY & BATH

GIFTS & GALLERY

Bliss out If you’re stressed to the max and have always toyed with the idea of indulging in some proper me time (that doesn’t involve me and a bottle or two of wine), then Kate Christensen’s Grace Orchard may just be your perfect destination.

As a qualified yoga teacher and passionate south west resident, this is a retreat package that combines Kate’s two loves - yoga and the Margaret River region.

Combining the charms of a traditional B & B stay with a yoga retreat, Kate has put together a nourishing stay for visitors keen to replenish their depleted reserves.

“It’s a retreat on your own terms,” says Kate. “No need to share with strangers or agree to a regimented schedule of activities, this experience is fully customisable

CANDY & FUDGE

according to you and your party’s interests, needs and budget.”

You stay for two nights at the secluded Willowood Barn (10 minutes from Margaret River township in a rural bush setting) and throughout the retreat you’ll enjoy two 75-minute morning yoga sessions, a half-hour yoga empowerment session and a couple of gourmet brunch hampers to feed the body as well as the soul.

There are some lovely add-ons too, like dinner packs from the Larder or a private fivecourse dinner for groups of four or more. Just ask Kate and she will provide nourishment on all levels.

SAVOUR THE FLAVOUR OF THE SOUTHWEST

Visit graceorchard.com.au for details.

CORNER OF BOTTRILL STREET & margaretriver.com | WINTER 2016 83 BUSSELL HIGHWAY, COWARAMUP

Arts & Wellbeing |

THE

PERFECT PACK

2.

Love your long weekends Down South but not quite sure what to pack? Bev & Nic from popular fashion and lifestyle blog The Style Trust have the answers.

W

1.

1. The perfect long weekend tee. Available from www.basebyben.com 2. Mexicana boots available from Stellar & The Chief, Margaret River 3. A Tigerlily Black Maxi Dress works from day to night. Available at Country Waves, Dunsborough.

8. Samantha Wills statement necklaces – find similar at Fusion Blue.

4. Ziggy Denim jeans, available at Boutique Eco, Margaret River.

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5. A denim jacket is a weekend essential. Find this one at Just Jeans, Busselton.

6. Zephyr kimonos from Fusion Blue, Dunsborough.

7. I Love Mr Mittens cardi loveliness available from Milc, Dunsborough

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e love our long weekends, especially the extra long ones, and as Down South girls we’ll take any chance we can get to pack up the car, turn up the tunes and head on down the Freeway.

But like most girls we tend to pack to extremes; we’ll either take our whole wardrobe or just one pair of knickers and a hat…an interesting look!

We blame it on our ‘travel-amnesia’. We forget that down south is often 10 degrees colder at night and that we do, in fact, wear pyjamas.

Nic also blames her kids, who always seem to have everything they need when she has to throw her bag together at the last minute.

Bev blames the fact that she’s an eternal optimist who thinks everything takes ‘about 10 minutes’…it doesn’t.

So for all our women friends everywhere, we actually sat down and THOUGHT about the perfect pack. Seriously thought about it.

Using an actual strategy.

When you’re packing for a long weekend think about how every piece will work in more than one way and can be repurposed for multiple outfits. Then add pops of colour and interest with jewellery and accessories to make an outfit look different as they don’t take up much space.

And most of all… think about layering and the weather.

FRIDAY TRAVEL You can’t go wrong with the classic travel pairing of trendy sneakers (we love our Cons), jeans, T and a scarf. Tally ho.

SATURDAY MORNING CAFÉ Who doesn’t love a lazy Saturday brekkie when you have nowhere important to be? We love Artezen in Dunsborough or if we have a big cook-up at home, a coffee from Hot Chocolatté is a Down South institution. If there’s local markets on, go and grab yourself a fresh pastry from Fre-Jac. delish.

Saturday’s are made for a pair of jeans, a camisole, some ankle boots, and a Zephyr kimono from our fave store Fusion Blue.

WEEKEND AFTERNOON WINERY Winery lunches. The. Absolute. Best.

We love Aravina Estate and Wills Domain but we also love a good session at Eagle Bay Brewery and Evans & Tate.

For relaxed cool, throw on a kaftan with a fur vest and some jeans. We love a kaftan at TST because it can go from winery to bar and everywhere in between. The ultimate versatile piece and a perfect long-weekend pack item.

SATURDAY NIGHT BAR LIFE A maxi dress, a denim jacket and boots are the perfect long weekend essential as it flows easily from day (add a panama and some sunnies) to night (add a statement necklace . . . and BOOM!).

4.

8.

3.

6.

5.

TST's top packing tips

7.

Pop all your shirts, dresses and easy-crease items on drycleaner hangers and in the drycleaner plastic bags then fold in half before you pack. This keeps most things ready-to-wear. Plus, if you have a beauty bag leakage, it’s not a clothing disaster.

Get travel-sized beauty products and refill them from your main products. We also keep a travel bath bag with smaller versions ready to go. It saves so much room and makes packing it all up a breeze.

LAZY SUNDAY MORNING Laying about is our FAVOURITE thing to do… and there are so many fabulous WA designers making cosy jumpers and cardies these days that you are totally spoilt for choice. One of our two faves, Littlespoon Love, is taking a break, but luckily we have I Love Mr Mittens too. Perfect for winter snuggles weather with your fave jeans, sneakers, a T and a scarf.

Check if your accommodation has a hairdryer . . . it’ll save space. Or just plan on relaxed hairstyles and top knots to really be a packing ninja.

MONDAY. HOME JAMES. Boo… last day. We like to grab a late coffee, throw on some jeans, a cardi, cami and some flats and then hit the road back to the big bad City.

‘Til next time, douth …

You can follow Bev & Nic’s adventures at thestyletrust.net

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Just a two-minute walk todecking the pristine waters of the bay,contained), the bar, resort accommodation styles. Superb new spa everyone, apartments, from (mostly fully self contained), cosy cottages & chalets or andgroups. executive style villas ensure there ischildren’s an accommodation style to suit couples, families, corporate travellers playground and FREE complement the apartments, resort’s unique location. provides a range of in-room accommodation styles, from spa fully self-contained), cosy families stylethere villas ensure theremovies, is an accommodation style to (mostly suit everyone, from couples, style villas ensure is an accommodation style to suit everyone, from couples, families, corporate travellers or groups.

An exquisite day spa, heated indoor pool, pool spa and style outdoor decking area, sauna, restaurant, bar, and executive to ensure there is an accommodation style to suit barbeques, everyone.

An day spa, heated indoor pool, pool spa and outdoor decking area, saun An exquisitecottages/chalets day exquisite spa, heated indoor pool, poolvillas spa and outdoor decking area, sauna, restaurant, bar, barbeques, us now 138 258 or visit www.bayvil.com children’s playground and FREE in-room movies, complement the resort’s unique location.

An exquisite spa, heatedCall indoor pool and1300 pool spa, sauna, restaurant, bar, barbeques, children’s children’s playground andday FREE in-room movies, complement resort’s unique location. children’s playground and FREE in-roomthe movies, complement the resort’s unique location playground, FREE in-room movies and FREE WIFI, complement the resort’s unique location. Conditions

us 138 now 258 1300 or 138visit 258 or visit www.bayvil.com Call us now Call 1300 www.bayvil.com Call us now 1300 138 258 or visit w

apply, offer valid to 22nd September 2016. BOOK NOW 1300 138 258 or visit www.bayvil.com

View our SPECIALS www.bayvil.com

View our SPECIALS www.bayvil.com View our SPECIALS View our www.bayvil.com SPECIALS

Online RESERVATIONS www.bayvil.com Online Online RESERVATIONS margaretriver.com | WINTER 2016 85 Online RESERVATIONS www.bayvil.com RESERVATIONS

www.bayvil.com

Arts & Wellbeing |

WIN

AN AUGUSTA ICONS PASS Share your winter images via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #YMRRWinter before 31 August, to win an Augusta Icons pass for two people.

AUGUSTA ICONS PASS

Your prize will take you to two spectacular attractions in the south of Your Margaret River Region.

The largest show cave in Western Australia, entering Jewel Cave is like finding yourself inside a lofty natural cathedral. As your guide leads you through the cave’s three vast caverns, you will see tremendous stalagmites, flowstones and shawls towering above you.

Then you’ll have the chance to climb to the top of Australia’s tallest mainland lighthouse at Cape Leeuwin, which is situated at the most south westerly tip of Australia where the Indian and Southern Oceans meet.

And when you’ve taken your photos, enjoy a night for two people at Augusta’s Seine Bay Apartments.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS: The closing date of the photographic competition is August 31 2016. Any images received after this date will not be considered for the prize.

The prize is non-transferable and no cash alternative will be given.

Any image supplied may be published by Your Margaret River Region magazine, or used for publicity purposes by margaretriver.com The prize must be taken by March 2017 and the accommodation is for two people. Your stay cannot be booked during school holidays or during public holidays.

Escape to the heart of Margaret River.

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AUTUMN 2016

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Phone: 1800 807 667 Email: relax@darbypark.com.au

margaretriver.com

www.darbypark.com.au

BOOK A STUDIO ROOM & RECEIVE A FREE UPGRADE TO A ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT.

This offer is valid through until 31 August 2016. This offer may only be booked via telephone. Conditions apply.

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DRIVE TIMES

margaretriver.com/app

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you’re here? Grab our

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NEED INFO ON THE GO? or tablet.

from your smartphone

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Stay

DIRECTORY

ABBEY BEACH RESORT LUXURY HOTEL AND APARTMENT ACCOMMODATION IN A RESORT SETTING, LOCATED ON THE BEACH IN BUSSELTON Enjoy fully serviced, self contained apartments and studios, each with a private double spa and balcony.

Abbey Beach Resort is a 4.5 star leisure resort with countless facilities and amenities. The Resort has an atrium restaurant, pool side café, several bars, a 25 metre indoor heated swimming pool, 2

outdoor pools, tennis and squash courts, spa, gym and sauna for your enjoyment.

Stroll to the beach, tour wineries, art galleries and many other local attractions.

For a holiday or short break you are assured of comfort and style at Abbey Beach Resort

595 Bussell Highway, Busselton WA Freecall 1800 017 097 • Ph 61 8 9755 4600 • info@abbeybeach.com.au www.abbeybeach.com.au

AUGUSTA HOTEL & HAMELIN BAY HOLIDAY PARK ENJOY ACCOMMODATION SET ON THE BLACKWOOD RIVER, OR ON THE BEACH IN HAMELIN BAY

Set on the Blackwood River, The Augusta Hotel offers accommodation including 4 star self-contained apartments, rooms, cottages and backpacker facilities. The Hotel offers spectacular views of the Blackwood River and Southern Ocean and features a fully licensed restaurant, featuring fresh produce and TAB facilities.

Hamelin Bay Holiday Park offers unique beachside accommodation in a National Park and beachside setting. Set on a beautiful bay and taking in the picturesque South West coastline between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin, the Holiday Park is 15kms north of Augusta and 30kms south of Margaret River. Choose from well appointed camp sites, caravan sites, cottages and cabins.

Ph 08 9758 1944 info@augustahotel.com.au www.augustahotel.com.au

Ph 08 9758 5540 bookings@hamelinbayholidaypark.com.au www.hamelinbayholidaypark.com.au

BIG 4 PEPPERMINT PARK

MULTI AWARD WINNING FAMILY HOLIDAY PARK Centrally located between Busselton, Dunsborough and Margaret River. Set amongst 8 hectares of natural bushland it’s only a short stroll away from the pristine beach of Geographe Bay. Close to the Wineries, Restaurants, Art Galleries, Fishing, Golf and lots more…. Self-contained one and two bedroom cabins, Studio apartments and budget family accommodation, Wheelchair friendly camping and 1 bedroom cabin, Ensuites sites and Big rig friendly sites, Powered and un-powered sites, Spacious fully-equipped modern Campers Kitchen, New Entertainment Hub – Kids club and special group gatherings.

97 Caves Rd, Abbey WA 6280 ph 08 9755 4241 • pepipark@iinet.net.au www.peppermintpark.com.au

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margaretriver.com

Don’t miss out next time Contact Natalie by August 10 2016 P: (08) 9273 8933 or E: sales@premiumpublishers.com.au to book your space in the winter issue of Your Margaret River Magazine.

ASK a LOCAl! Drop in to one of our four accredited visitor centres in Busselton, Dunsborough, Margaret River and Augusta for friendly, expert advice.

DUNSBOROUGH INN BACKPACKERS

SUPERIOR BUDGET ACCOMMODATION SITUATED RIGHT IN THE HUB OF TOWN For those on a budget, the self-catering aspect of the complex and it’s proximity to the supermarket can be a great money saver. Dunsborough Inn Backpackers provides a variety of accommodation ranging from self-contained units to our non dormitory hostel style rooms. Our large communal kitchen/dining room and spacious recreation areas provide an environment for guests to relax and exchange experiences of the day or just to meet new people.

50 Dunn Bay Road, Dunsborough WA Ph 08 9756 7277 • bookings@dunsboroughinn.com.au www.dunsboroughinn.com.au

DUNSBOROUGH CENTRAL MOTEL

GRANGE ON FARRELLY

DUNSBOROUGH CENTRAL MOTEL IS NESTLED IN A TRANQUIL GARDEN SETTING IN THE HEART OF TOWN

AFFORDABLE, TOWN CENTRE, QUIET LOCATION

Dunsborough Central Motel is ideally located on the doorstep of world renowned beaches, dive sites, premium wineries, art galleries, wildflowers, caves and the incredible coastal scenery of Cape Naturaliste. Just a 600 metre stroll to the beach or a short drive to surf beaches, the Dunsborough Central Motel is adjacent to restaurants & cafes, wine bars, supermarket shopping centre, beauticians, banks and a very well informed Visitor Centre. Simply relax in style by our outdoor pool and

BBQ area, indulge in the Bali Style Gazebo Spa, or just kick back with a good book and a glass of wine in the privacy of your well appointed room.

Winter Special: 2 nights in a superior motel room for $159 including a bottle of wine on arrival. Valid until the end of September and excludes all long weekends. To qualify, simply phone us direct and mention this special.

50 Dunn Bay Road, Dunsborough WA Ph 08 9756 7711 • reservations@dunsboroughmotel.com.au www.dunsboroughmotel.com.au

Air conditioned accommodation. Four minutes walk to the main street, and walking distance to all town centre facilities.

Half-size tennis court, outdoor pool, BBQ facilities, native gardens. Licensed restaurant on site for breakfast and dinner.

Our clean, comfortable, affordable rooms are the perfect base from which to explore the region.

Book now, then relax and enjoy your holiday.

Grange

18 Farrelly Street, Margaret River Ph 08 9757 3177 grange@highway1.com.au www.grangeonfarrelly.com.au

The

On Farrelly

MARGARET RIVER MOTEL

DUNSBOROUGH BEACH COTTAGES

JACARANDA GUESTHOUSE

ABSOLUTE BEACHFRONT ON THE SHORES OF GEOGRAPHE BAY

JETTY, SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS, ALL AT YOUR FINGERTIPS!

Dunsborough Beach Cottages is situated on the pristine waters of Geographe Bay just 2.5 hours south of Perth. We offer beautifully appointed self-contained 2 & 3 bedroom resort style cottages, including our adults only beachfront cottages.

From here you can walk to the Dunsborough town centre or within a short distance you can experience a range of award winning wineries, galleries and restaurants, making

Ph 08 9756 8885 or freecall 1800 816 885 e dbcottages@netserv.net.au • www.dunsborough-beach.com.au

DIRECTORY

Stay

Dunsborough Beach Cottages the ideal choice for families, couples or anyone looking to enjoy a beachfront escape in the Margaret River region.

Be sure to visit our website for the latest offers and rates.

Fantastically located, is nestled amongst beautiful English style gardens where you can just relax or enjoy a bbq.

Busselton’s famous jetty, beach, shops, cafe and restaurants are all within a 5 minute walk away. Has 7 guestrooms, all with own ensuite, r/c airconditioning and free wi-fi.

Continental breakfast is included in the price.

30 West Street, Busselton, WA Ph 08 9751 5973 • jacarandaguesthouse1@westnet.com.au www.jacarandaguesthouse.com

margaretriver.com

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WINTER 2016

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Stay

DIRECTORY

Winter @ Cape View

Enjoy a winter getaway package available online!

Located on the shores of Geographe Bay in the Margaret River Region, Forte Cape View offers the best of both worlds with beautifully appointed, fully self contained accommodation, some with spa.

Ask about our ocean views accommodation.

• Four star beach front destination • Two & three bedroom, two bathroom accommodation • Childrens playground and BBQ area • Outdoor pool, indoor pool, gym and sauna

12 Little Colin Street, Busselton bookings@capeviewapartments.com.au

MARGARETS FOREST

STAY IN THE HEART OF THE ICONIC MARGARET RIVER TOWN CENTRE Margarets Forest is situated where the towering forest meets the gourmet town of Margaret river. These four-star fully-equipped apartments are walking distance to the river, bushwalking trails and the cafe strip.

Features include: Twin spas | Private barbecues | Fully equipped laundry and kitchen | Private balcony & courtyard | Free onsite parking | Air conditioning 96 Bussell Highway, Margaret River, WA Ph 08 9758 7188 stay@margaretsforest.com.au www.margaretsforest.com.au

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Call us on 08 9755 4388 www.capeviewapartments.com.au

caves Discover an ancient wonderland at Ngilgi, Mammoth, Lake and Jewel Cave.

To book drop into your nearest visitor centre or call: (08) 9757 7411

Stay

DIRECTORY

Directory REGENCY BEACH CLUB DUNSBOROUGH

REGENCY BEACH CLUB PROVIDES THE FINEST IN SELF CONTAINED, LUXURY BEACHFRONT ACCOMMODATION, IN DUNSBOROUGH.

ver Region

Guide 2015

Enjoy the added benefits of resort style facilities including a heated swimming pool, fully equipped gym, tennis court & free WIFI. Our holiday houses all offer superb decor, air conditioning, some with gas log fires, luxury kitchens, laundry facilities, private outdoor dining BBQ areas and balconies.

The spacious living areas are equipped

with TV’s, DVD players and docking/stereo systems along with 7 foxtel channels.

We accommodate from 1 bedroom/1 bathroom up to 5 bedroom/5 bathroom holiday houses, many with Spa Baths and ocean views.

Prices start from $350 per night. We also offer a night free during Winter & Midweek.

REPEAT ADVERT

IS77EGifford MERoad, NTDunsborough, WA Ph 08 9759 1117

* conditions apply.

enquiry@regencybeachclub.com

ertisement from either the 2014 AMRTA visitor guide or adapted from the 2013 GBTAwww.regencybeachclub.com visitor guide.

SEINE BAY APARTMENTS

Seine Bay Apartments

SUNFLOWERS ANIMAL FARM & FARMSTAY

Spacious & Comfortable Cabins + Caravan Sites

SUPERB ACCOMMODATION PRISTINE AUGUSTA

Superb Accommodation in pristine Augusta

• AAA AAArated rated&&excellent excellentTripAdvisor TripAdvisorreviews reviews bedroom - 2bathroom bathroom && 33 bedroom-3 bedroom - 3bathroom bathroom • 22bedroom-2 Spacious,self-contained, self-contained, stunning stunning design • Spacious, design Allapartments apartments with • All withmagnificent magnificentbay bayviews views RCAir AirConditioning, conditioning, flat flat screen DVD CD CD • RC screen TV TV DVD Timberdecks, decks,private privatebalconies, balconies, lock-up lock-up garages • Timber garages Central location, close to shops, cafes & iconic AugustaHotel Hotel • Central location, close to shops, cafes & iconic Augusta Near to Blackwood River, beaches, caves, karri forest, wineries, • Near to Blackwood River, beaches, caves, karri forest, coastal bushwalks & the Leeuwin Lighthouse wineries, coastal bushwalks & the Leeuwin Lighthouse Blackwood Tel: 08 9758Avenue, 0761 Augusta Ph 08 9758 0761 Augusta Blackwood Avenue, enquiry@augustaapartments.com.au enquiry@augustaapartments.com.au www.augustaapartments.com.au

www.augustaapartments.com.au

We offer farmstay accommodation in 4 fully self contained units, sleeping between 5 and 9 people, near Margaret River in the South West of Western Australia.

Sunflowers Farmstay is ideal for big groups of friends or families (max 28 people).

Wander through the Animal Farm, the garden, or follow one of the many creeks and walk trails that meander through our 315 acre farm. Sip local wines while admiring the rolling hills, wild kangaroos, beautiful wildflowers and stunning views.

5561 Caves Road, near Margaret River Ph: (08) 9757 3343 • farmerjones@sunflowersfarm.com www.sunflowersfarm.com

urning this form you are booking an advert in the Visitor Guide and we will invoice you for $500 inc gst

o change.

TAUNTON FARM HOLIDAY PARK & HISTORIC FUNCTION CENTRE

www.riverviewtouristpark.com

9757 2270 | 1300 666 105 WYADUP BROOK COTTAGES

advert - Approval for Printing

rt as shown. The artwork can go to print without any changes. I understand that by signing this I for the accuracy of the content of the advert.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________ Signature ____________________________________________________

CENTRAL TO THE CAPE TO CAPE REGION

__________________________ Email Address ____________________________________________________ Offering friendly service in a relaxing, peaceful, rural environment.

Farm-style cottages, caravan & camping Barn-style campers kitchen.

Farm animals & feeding, kids playground & bouncy pillow.

Weelchair access.

Multiple Tourism Award Winner.

Only 10 minutes north of Margaret River – off Bussell Highway, Cowaramup.

Function Centre for 200 plus.

Fully equipped catering kitchen & amenities.

Any unique function at affordable rates with accommodation onsite.

Inspections are always welcome.

advert - with minor changes Ph 08 9755 5334 • Freecall: 1800 248 777 enquiries@tauntonfarm.com.au

t as shown but with the following changes to the text. I understand a revised proof will be sent to www.tauntonfarm.com.au it goes to print.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

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FUN ON THE FARM, BUBBLING BROOK, WONDERFUL WILDFLOWERS AND CHEEKY CHICKENS Enjoy a piece of paradise from the comfort of a home away from home. 6 Cottages in a bushland farm setting on 250 acres in the heart of Yallingup.

• Close to the Cape to Cape Track and Incredible Injidup Bay • 5 minutes drive to beaches, wineries, galleries and shops • 1,2 & 3 bedroom fully self contained cottages • All towels, linen and bedding provided 33 Wyadup Road, Yallingup Tel 08 97552294 • wyadup@iinet.net.au www.wyadupbrook.com.au

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Food & Drink

DIRECTORY

BARNYARD 1978

CAFE BORANUP

THE DECK MARINA BAR & RESTAURANT

PASTA FACTORY, CASUAL CLASSY RESTAURANT & CELLAR DOOR…

COUNTRY ATMOSPHERE IN THE FOREST

SIT BACK, RELAX AND ENJOY OPEN 7 DAYS

With a viewing window allowing visitors to watch signature pasta in the making, with pasta and wine tastings to please your palate.

We welcome you to indulge in the flavours of our sharing plates stacked with local star ingredients and to explore our 5 SUMMER STORIES pop up store, which strives to honour farmers and artisans without whose knowledge and craftsmanship our tables would be barren.

OPEN DAILY. 12 Canal Rocks Rd, Yallingup WA Ph 08 9755 2548 www.barnyard1978.com.au

10am-4pm Weekdays. 8am-4pm Weekends.

Great coffee. Home baked scones and cakes.

Augusta Abalone and Whiting.

Variety of vegetarian and GF options.

Breakfast and Lunch Menu: www.cafeboranup.com

The Deck Marina Bar and Restaurant is the ideal waterfront location where one can soak up the beauty of Port Geographe Marina. With a combination of outside dining on the sundrenched terrace or inside by the double sided fireplace, it is the perfect place to relax.

Next to Boranup Gallery.

7981 Caves Road Forest Grove WA 6286 Ph 08 9757 7279 www.cafeboranup.com

On the waterfront. Port Geographe Marina 21 Spinnaker Boulevard, Busselton cu@thedeckmarina.com.au Ph 9751 2960 www.thedeckmarina.com.au

Port Geographe Tavern Pty Ltd T/as The Deck Marina Bar & Restaurant

GABRIEL CHOCOLATE

Page turners for brands VISIT WA’S FIRST “BEAN TO BAR” CHOCOLATE MAKER Discover the vast array of naturally occurring chocolate flavours – everything from cherry, citrus through to rum raisin – in the single-origin, multiple award winning chocolate bars.

181 Roberts Road, Subiaco WA 6008.

Ph 08 9273 8933.

Visit premiumpublishers.com.au

FLUTES RESTAURANT

SET IN THE BEAUTIFUL NATURAL SURROUNDS OF BROOKLAND VALLEY VINEYARD Overlooking the waters of Wilyabrup Brook, Flutes Restaurant has earnt a reputation as one of the region’s finest dining experiences.

Executive Chef Francois Morvan brings an exotic mix of his French training plus a reverence for local seasonal produce to create a continually-evolving menu beautifully matched to our Brookland Valley wines.

Flutes Restaurant is open from Thursday to Monday from 11am for Morning Tea, 12 Midday for Lunch.

Kitchen closes at 3.30pm.

Will open for dinner for 10 or more people, bookings essential.

(Exclusive hire fee applies) Weddings and functions welcome.

4070 Caves Road Wilyabrup 6280 • Ph: 08 9755 6256 • flutes@flutes.com.au www.flutes.com.au

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We turn the world’s best raw cocoa beans into heavenly chocolate. Daily behind the scenes tours, sample fresh chocolate, enjoy decadent hot chocolate, coffee and our handmade ice-cream, chocolate cookies and cakes.

Open 10am to 5pm daily. Daily tours.

Cnr Caves & Quininup Rds, Yallingup Ph 08 9756 6689 www.gabrielchocolate.com.au

THE LARDER

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING OTHER THAN A RESTAURANT DINNER TONIGHT? Then it’s time to drop into The Larder on the main street and treat yourself to one of their mouth-watering take-home meals.

This Margaret River treasure has become the first port of call for visitors wanting to stock up on some little luxuries for their holiday stay, and to sample the best of local and exotic fine food.

OPEN DAILY. Shop 2, 99 Bussell Hwy, Margaret River Ph 08 9758 8990 www.larder.biz

WA's Own Icecream

Food & Drink WA's Own Icecream

With over 60 flavours of delicious icecream made on the premise, sundaes, hot waffles and coffee.

There is something for the whole family!

DIRECTORY

Activities & Art

ARTS MARGARET RIVER

CULTURAL AND EVENTS CENTRE The major arts and entertainment venue in the region. Providing weekly cinema screenings, music, community concerts, art exhibitions, workshops and the Readers and Writers Festival.

Live theatre performances this autumn include ‘The Kazoos’,

Kids can go crazy in the adventure playground or challenge the whole family to 18 holes of mini golf.

‘The Moons a Balloon’, ‘ACO Collective’, ‘Educating Rita’ and ‘The Melbourne International Comedy Festival’. Visit our website for information and ticket purchases.

9758 7316 (Mon-Fri 10am to 4pm) 51 Wallcliffe Rd, Margaret River www.artsmargaretriver.com

THE MARGARET RIVER REGION’S

Enjoy a BBQ or picnic in the shady landscaped gardens.

BEST OCEAN VIEW

PLEASE NO DOGS

FIND US ON FACEBOOK!

E V E RY SATUR DAY

APRIL-NOVEMBER 8AM-12PM DECEMBER-MARCH 7.30AM-11.30AM MARGARET RIVER EDUCATION CAMPUS 161 Commonage Road Dunsborough

08 9755 3745

www.simmos.com.au

LOT 272 BUSSELL HWY

E N Q U I R E S : K AT R I N A L O M B A R D O 9 7 5 7 9 0 9 5 K AT @M A R G A R E T R I V E R FA R M E R S M A R K E T. C O M . AU T H I N K S E A S O N A L , T H I N K F R E S H , T H I N K L O CA L !

OPEN 7 DAYS - 08 9756 9100 pullmanbunkerbayresort.com.au

ARTGEO CULTURAL COMPLEX

WHERE ART AND HERITAGE MEET 4 – 7 Queen Street, Busselton • 9751 4651 • artgeo@artgeo.com.au www.artgeo.com.au

76 Peel Terrace - Ph: 9754 2166 - Fax: 9751 2092 www.busseltonmuseum.org.au

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MARGARET RIVER ANTIQUES

MARGARET RIVER SURF SCHOOL

ANTIQUES, ART, SCULPTURE, JEWELLERY & GARAGENALIA

THERE’S NO BETTER WAY TO TRULY EXPERIENCE THE SOUTH WEST

Located in the heart of Margaret River, presenting a diverse collection of antiques, art, sculpture, jewellery & garagenalia.

Comprising of the Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, Art Deco and Retro/Vintage periods.

James & Katie continue their commitment to discovering the unusual, beautiful and rare items of our past. View for yourself some of the finest antiques available in the South West of WA. And now for the ultimate antiques experience stay overnight in the luxury of ‘The Studio Guest Suite’ furnished in fine antiques, plush fabrics and renowned Australian Art works.

There’s no better way to truly experience the South West than to jump in a surf lesson with the Margaret River Surf School!

Operating for over 20 years, we cater for anyone willing to give it a crack. All ages from beginners to advanced, there is a lesson to suit you! Get the passion, feel the thrill with lessons starting at $50, all equipment supplied. Hire equipment also available.

43 TownView Terrace, Margaret River WA Ph 08 9758 8004 www.margaretriverantiques.com

0401 616 200 margaretriversurfschool@hotmail.com www.margaretriversurfschool.com

THE DIVE SHED

THE ADVENTURE BEGINS Try scuba diving – no experience required.

Learn to dive, sunset cruises, dive charters, equipment hire, sales and servicing.

The Dive Shed, 21 Queen Street Busselton Ph 08 9754 1615 • diveshed@compwest.net.au www.diveshed.com.au

SKYDIVE GERONIMO

Australia’s First Commercial Silk Farm

WA’S BEST BEACH SKYDIVES Tandem Skydive from 10, 14 or 15,000ft over the spectacular Busselton and Margaret River regions!

Enjoy a breathtaking flight to altitude, taking in views of Geographe Bay, the famous Busselton Jetty, Cape Naturaliste and the wineries beyond. Then it’s time for the door to open, and ready? set? GO! Feel the rush of free falling when you and your Instructor plummet toward the earth at 200km/hour, before safely landing on the beaches of the beautiful Busselton foreshore alongside the Jetty. We are open all year round, so contact us today!

Ph 1300 449 669 skydive@skydivegeronimo.com.au www.skydivegeronimo.com.au

Open 10am to 4pm (Closed Mon,Tues & Christmas Day)

Silkworms │ Silk Products

Mulberry Jams & Wine Mulberry Leaf Teas Tours, Displays & Demos Silk Art & Supplies

Choose 3 treatments for only $145.

We grow mulberries and silkworms to produce Australian silk. Our product is sent to Cambodia to be hand-reeled, dyed and woven in household and village-level enterprises.

Conditions apply. Visit pullmanbunkerbayresort.com.au or call 9756 9160 for details.

Located in the heart of the Margaret River Wine Region

WINTER WELLNESS

307 Harmans Mill Road Look for the red flags!

(08) 9755 6401 info@margaretriversilkroad.com

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DIRECTORY

Directory Cape GraCe

CELLAR DOOR ONLY SINGLE VINEYARD WINES LIMITED PRODUCTION BASKET PRESSED REDS

JAMES HALLIDAY 281 Fifty One Road, Cowaramup T: 08 9755 5669 | Open Daily

www.capegracewines.com.au

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THERE’S A CHEEKY SIDE IN ALL OF US,

let yours run wild!

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DUNSBOROUGH YALLINGUP

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AT CHEEKY MONKEY WERE BLESSED WITH AN IDYLLIC LOCATION ON THE FAMOUS CAVES ROAD. IT’S A LOCATION THAT AFFORDS THE KIND OF SPACE THAT LETS KIDS PLAY FREE WHILST YOU RELAX, KICK BACK AND ENJOY A LONG LUNCH. OPEN FROM 10AM TO 6PM. LUNCH SERVED FROM 11.30AM TO 3.30PM WITH PIZZAS AVAILABLE TIL 5PM EVERYDAY.

GRACETOWN

PREVELLY

COWARAMUP

ROSABROOK MARGARET RIVER

4259 CAVES ROAD, MARGARET RIVER, WA, 6285 | PHONE: 97 555 555 | WWW.CHEEKYMONKEYBREWERY.COM.AU

Killerby Cellar Store featuring premium Margaret River wines & local produce.

Visit Killerby’s Cellar Store (adjoining Cheeky Monkey brewery) for a friendly, informative wine tasting.

The store features a range of local and interesting gourmet produce including

Margaret River cheese, truffle products, chocolates, Hobo & Hatch scarves and jewellery, lifestyle books, wine accessories and much more. Mention this ad to receive 10% discount.

4259 Caves Road, Wilyabrup WA 6280 Tel. 08 9755 5983 www.killerby.com.au

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Tours

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An exclusive wine tasting experience Tastings by appointment only.

Enjoy spectacular views of our boutique vineyard while sampling award-winning wines with viticulturist Tim Quinlan.

Contact Tim on +61 438 930 527 or tim@gracefarm.com.au to book. gracefarm.com.au

Sit by our fireplace and enjoy one of the widest ranges of wines in Margaret River, including house-made methode traditionelle sparklings and imported burgundian pinot noirs.

Private tastings & events are also available in our exclusive Wine Chapel. Bookings are essential.

543 Miamup Road, Cowaramup 6284 10am-5pm daily | 08 9756 5200 burchfamilywines.com.au

GREAT RATES & SERVICE at Bunbury, Busselton & Collie Oneway Rentals (to Perth) available Call 1800 679 880

To make a booking visit avis.com.au

2015-A00073

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Tours

DIRECTORY

Directory CAPE TO CAPE TOURS

HALF + FULL DAY

Wine & Scenic Tours Wine Tastings Brewery Visit Chocolate & Cheese Factory Venison Farm Local Knowledge Gourmet Lunch

LUXURY MARGARET RIVER PRIVATE WINE TOURS

(full day tour only)

www.cheerstours.com

9757 2270 or 0419 916 792

Choose from premium sedans, people movers, stretch limos, mini buses 12 to 24 seater and limobuses.

Sample amazing foods, wines and breath taking scenery in comfort and style.

We take you where want to go or we can help you prepare an itinerary.

Half day and full day tours available.

Private Wine Tours, Scenic Tours, Weddings, Airport transfers.

Ph 0427 717 057 • bookings@capetocapewinetours.com.au www.capetocapewinetours.com.au

Wine tours & Charters

Best value winery tour in the Margaret River region

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• Pick-up and drop off to your accommodation • Pre booked wine tastings at 5 award winning boutique Margaret River wineries • Delicious platter lunch and beer taste at unique micro brewery • Top quality chocolate sampling

• Local cheese and produce tasting

PLUS

• Complimentary bottled water • Personal wine tasting record and pen • Mystery raffle • Email group photograph

Simon & Nicole White M: 0428 179 729

PO Box 1089 Busselton, WA 6280 E: cellardortours@bigpond.com W: cellardortours.com.au

MARGARET RIVER BUBBLES TOUR

THE MOST FUN YOU CAN HAVE IN ONE DAY! margaret river

bubbles tour

A tour to suit everyone!

Gourmet food, great wines and iconic locations.

Winter special 10% off by mentioning this ad Tel Mark on 0437 618559 margsbubblestour@hotmail.com

www.margaretriverbubbles.com

MARGIES BIG DAY OUT BEER & WINE TOUR

EXPERIENCE THE BEST… OF WHAT THIS WORLD FAMOUS REGION HAS TO OFFER! Visit 7 venues including 3 wineries, 2 breweries and the Cheese & Chocolate Companies.

Enjoy a lunch of delicious local produce at a Margaret River Brewery. Make friends, have a laugh and relax whilst your friendly Tour Guide takes you on an amazing day out in the Margaret River Region.

Pick up and drop off to your accommodation included.

CALL US TODAY!

Ph 0416 180 493 margaretrivertourswa.com.au

Margaret River WA

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MARGARET RIVER SUNSET

KANGAROO SAFARI

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS EXPERIENCE KANGAROOS IN THE WILD ENJOY BILLY TEA AND HOME BAKED CAKE A UNIQUELY AUSTRALIAN EXPERIENCE FOR ALL AGES AND NATIONALITIES ADULTS $50

CHILDREN $35

EAT + DRINK + EXPLORE MARGARET RIVER

FULL DAY EAT + DRINK + EXPLORE TOUR ONLY $105 Wine tastings at 4 award winning wineries.

NING MOR NOON FTER OURS or A DAY T HALF AILABLE AV

Enjoy lunch at a local brewery along with your complimentary glass of wine or beer.

 Chocolate Factory  Olive Oil Tasting  Cheese Factory  Barrel Tasting

OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE McLEOD FAMILY PART OF THE MARGARET RIVER COMMUNITY SINCE 1902

 Coffee Tasting  Pickup/Drop-off

BOOK TODAY toursmargaretriver.com.au

08 9757 2747

SOUTH WEST ECO DISCOVERIES

MARGARET RIVER TOURS

SEE. TASTE. DISCOVER.

. affordable . quality .

MARGARET RIVER’S ORIGINAL & BEST WINERY TOURS...

Half Day and Full Day Gourmet Wine & Dine.

Visiting 6 wineries daily, including Voyager, Watershed, Leeuwin, McHenry Hohnen, Vasse Felix, Pierro, Stella Bella & Cape Mentelle.

Full Day tours feature lunch at Watershed.

All tours enjoy complementary vineyard platter as well as tastings of small goods, cheese & chocolate.

Margaret River Food & Wine Tours phone: 0417 948 933 email: vintagetours@bigpond.com www.winetoursmargaretriver.com.au

Ph 0419 917 166 info@margaretrivertours.com www.margaretrivertours.com

info@southwestecodiscoveries.com.au southwestecodiscoveries.com.au

5 Wineries (one sells beer) 1 Brewery Olive Oil/Chocolate/Cheese Lunch with 100ml comp beer Bottle water supplied Bottle of wine for lucky winner 4 Wineries (one sells beer) 9.45am to 1pm or 1.30pm to 5pm

Your itinerary or ours 4 - 7 - 13 - 24 Seater Vehicles Perth Airport to the Margaret River Wine Region and return

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Join brothers Ryan and Mick on one of our jam-packed half-day tours.

COASTAL & WILDLIFE ECO TOUR – A unique guided insight into the stunning coastal scenery of Cape Naturaliste and Geographe Bay. With the region’s only underwater video feed direct to the tour vehicle, and local knowledge of the best nature and wildlife viewing locations, this is an experience you will not forget.

WINE & SIGHTS DISCOVERY TOUR - This tour ticks all the boxes – visit iconic sites and amazing scenic locations, then experience some local wines and gourmet produce.

MEET THE WOYLIES – An evening tour to see this very rare animal, the smallest member of the kangaroo family.

With the flexibility of two guides we cater for all ages and abilities and offer personalised service. Tours depart at 9am and 2pm daily.

Pickups are available from Busselton to Dunsborough (Margaret River by arrangement). We are also available for private charter and Perth airport transfers for 1-12 people.

margaretriver.com

Cafe now inside Warm and cosy without compromising the view.

OPEN DAILY from 12pm until late

Bookings essential 08 9758 8280

OPEN EVERY DAY 7:30AM - 2:3OPM FOR BREAKFAST, BRUNCH, LUNCH & COFFEE

Cocktails, restaurant & late night bar snacks

Gnarabup Boat Ramp, Gnarabup whiteelephantcafe.com.au

149 Bussell Highway, Margaret River morries.com.au margaretriver.com

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Be S st tat Gu e W id in e& n To er ur s!

‘Best day out in years’

Margaret River

l Hot Dea r e do a Riv ur to & Wine ff! o get $40

River & Winery Tours 2015 / 20 16

ls dividua uples in lcome! o c , s ie e es w Famil - all ag groups

Enjoy spectacula r wineries on our tour

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Unique Aust

Gourmet Wildfo od lunch on river tour!

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, cliffs Beaches

with boutique Craft Breweries beer tastings!

eers es and b in w m premiu r Taste 30 Margaret Rive of

GOURMET WINERY & BREWERY TOURS: Enjoy 40 Margaret River tastings at corporate, boutique and iconic Estates, chocolate & cheese company plus unique Australian Winery lunch. Pickup all hotels Bunbury, Busselton, Dunsborough, Margaret River. 10am - 5pm daily.

sea!

Bring th e camer a-best d ay out in years !

Brilliant fun memories on Margaret River

CAVE, CANOE, BUSTHTUCKER TOURS: A scencic adventure on crystal clear Margaret River, explore caves, river & cliffs and enjoy wilderness, wildlife with authentic wildfood lunch. Meet your experienced guide at Margaret River Mouth 10am - 2pm daily.

Tours include gourmet lunch • 10am daily - $100 per person

Book 8am - 8pm 0419 911 971 www.bushtuckertours.com 100 2015 | SUMMER

margaretriver.com

Grab a ticket at www.bushtuckertours.com.au/pay