Western Australia, coloured in green below, is Australia’s largest state by size and fourth largest by population. There is a lot of arid territory between Perth and Adelaide, the next largest city to the east (about 2,500kms/1,500mi). To get there from most parts of Australia - people take the obvious choice and fly into Perth, the state capital.
I sensed the people living in Western Australia (the state is referred to as WA) had a real feeling of pride to be from WA. The majority of Australia’s population, most of the Australia’s popular tourist attractions and the capital (Canberra) are all located on the eastern side of the country. But if you make WA a destination, you will be welcomed warmly and be amazed at the beauty of the most western state in Australia. With 20,788kms (12,900miles) of coastline, Western Australia represents a daunting task of where to go in a limited amount of time. This is the last stop on our Australian adventure. Where to go - Western Australia’s Jewel -
The Margaret River Wine Region
Located in the south-west corner of Western Australia, Margaret River is a picturesque region three hours south of Perth, known for its stunning beaches, lush forests, and, of course, its delicious wines. The region is home to over 200 wineries and produces 25% of the premium wines for all of Australia. If you enjoy wines, this is the place to go. But there's much more to Margaret River than just wine - check out my travels below.
Caves
There are four amazing limestone caves to explore in Margaret River Region. The Jewel Cave is the biggest and most spectacular. The guided tour takes you along walkways for 800 metres (2,600ft) to the end of the exposed cavern. Very cool..
CAPE LEEUWIN LIGHTHOUSE
is the tallest lighthouse on mainland Australia. This historic lighthouse is situated at the most south-westerly point of Australia, at the tip of a spectacular peninsula - where the Southern and Indian Oceans meet.
Beaches
There are beautiful beaches all along the western coast of the Margaret River Region. Some are known for their surfing and others for their tranquil bays. Hamelin Bay has a special reason for visiting ~ sting rays come to feed along the shoreline. No one seems to get too excited about leaving the water. The rays slowly swim by not bothered by all the fuss of beach goers taking photos of them.
Forests
The drive through Boranup Forest takes you on a dusty drive through a beautiful Karri Tree Forest. The Karri tree is a gum tree similar to the Blue Gum Tree of Tasmania.
Wineries
Well, what can I say, if you really enjoy wine and you are close to 200 vineyards - the temptation is great! Good thing there are so many other attractions to explore or I might have been sampling more than I should have.
First stop, Margaret Rivers oldest winery Vasse Felix. Beautiful setting, excellent wines. I won’t tell you how many wineries I stopped at in 8 days, but enough to say - for a lover of wine, this is heaven.
Well it’s the end of this adventure, this is my last posting. What a great country Australia is to visit and enjoy. I hope those who have followed me will have relived some great memories of past trips to Australia or those who have never ventured “Down Under” will now say that would be an awesome trip - and it will be.
Now for the answer to the question - Who Is The Skipper? You’ll find this sign as you drive into the wineries - before the wine tasting begins. Perhaps the driver ?