Winter is the perfect time to experience the best of Margaret River on the cheap. Here’s our list of the 10 best things to do in Margaret River when the storm clouds roll in and the temperature drops.
Margaret River is renowned for its pounding surf, glorious coastline, emerald forests and world-class wineries. In summer, it’s the place West Australians flock to for warm sunshine, big waves, salty swims and heady sunsets.
But we LOVE winter and the wetter spring and autumn months in Margaret River. It’s the ideal time to escape for a weekender – there are no crowds, plenty of accommodation choices and you can almost always score a table at your favourite eatery.
Yes, it’s wee bit soggy, but it’s green and lush, with raindrops glistening on forest canopies and fresh earthy smells in abundance. Get back to basics and enjoy some bakery pies and toasted sandwiches, warm your toes against roaring fireplaces and enjoy watching Margaret River’s famous river mouth breaking into the ocean.
And remember, the weather in Margaret River in winter can still be, well, kinda nice. If you stay here for a week, you’ll likely get some rain, some storms, some blue skies and some sun. Temperatures average around 17 degrees in winter during the day and hovers around 10 degrees at night. And the water temperature is totally bearable if you want to brave a swim.
So, without further ado, here are our top tips for how to have an excellent Margaret River getaway, without breaking the bank, when it’s cold outside.
1. Grab a bite and warm your toes at Dear Darnell’s
Head to Dear Darnell’s in Witchcliffe, order a negroni and some smoky goodness from the woodfired menu and bunker down in front of a roaring fire. This bustling bar and diner is a sight to behold, crammed with eclectic wares, a pressed tin circular bar and stained glass for days. Hibernate in the candlelight or explore the endless kooky paraphernalia while the rain plops down outside. If you’re a history buff, you’ll absolutely love this place. Formally known as Darnell’s General Store, it was built in 1927 and is considered a treasured historic gem by locals. The amount of museum-esque memorabilia here, collected by former owner Bill Darnell, will blow your mind and is free entertainment in itself.
Find it: 3 Redgate Rd, Witchcliffe.
Budget flex: Woodfired pizzas starting at $24.
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2. Rug up and watch the beefy waves roll in at Surfer’s Point, Prevelly
Yes, this is the famous spot where the best surfers in the world flock to each April to take on the monstrous swell at the Margaret River Pro. It’s often eerily quiet in winter, which makes it perfect for a stormy beach walk or to contemplate the fact that humans actually ride these gargantuan waves voluntarily (for like, fun). Pop the back door, lay down the car seats, cuddle up with a blanket and watch Nature’s finest show.
Find it: Surfer’s Point Road, Prevelly.
Budget flex: Mother Nature at her best and it won’t cost you a cent.
3. Visit Gourmet Food Merchants for an unforgettable budget brekkie
Get up at the sparrow’s crack and treat yourself to a Humpty Dumpty brekkie toastie from Gourmet Food Merchant in Cowaramup. This isn’t a regular sanga, it’s a cool sanga – a Queen bee featuring double-smoked free-range streaky bacon from local producer Farmhouse Artisan Meats, eggs courtesy of the happy free-range hens at Treeton Hill Farm, homemade smoked tomato relish, melted red cheddar and a giant handful of peppery rocket. The fresh and free-range ingredients make all the difference here – this sanga absolutely sings in your mouth. Coffee, chai and fresh juices are also a bonafide delight and there are so many great little buys here that you could spend a good hour just browsing and salivating. Good luck resisting the gourmet goodies, sauces and condiments (we do recommend grabbing a bag of the handmade duck ravioli or forever live with regrets).
Find it: 4 Bottrill St, Cowaramup
Budget flex: The Humpty Dumpty toastie will fill you up but set you back just $13.
4. Book a winter experience at Bettenays
You have a few cosy choices for rain-soaked days here at Bettenays. We went for a wine and nougat pairing and it was a downright delight to sip and sample five generous slabs of decadent nougat and a thoughtful selection of delicious vinos while watching the rain roll in in over the lake. There are 30 different nougats, seven premium wine varietals and two delicious liquors to choose from at Bettenays so, be warned, you probably won’t be leaving empty handed (if the limoncello crème nougat doesn’t break you, then the rosewater and pistachio or salted caramel likely will). Bettenays is fabulously family friendly and has an action-packed winter calendar, featuring events like Tuesday toasty tastings by the firepit and chocolate fondue Fridays . We’re obsessed!
Find it: 248 Tom Cullity Drive, Cowaramup.
Budget flex: The wine and nougat pairing is just $25 per person.
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5. Take a natural bath at Prevelly Rockpools
Seriously, why are people spending a small fortune on blow up ice baths when you can take a dunk in a calm, stunning and super chilly rockpool down in Margaret River in the middle of winter? To be fair the water isn’t toooo hyperthermic – it’s the blue-ball inducing icy air when you hop out that will have you screaming expletives. Have a warm fleece ready to dive into when you exit and remember: that hot shower coming up is going to feel next to godliness.
Find it: Surfer’s Point Road, Prevelly.
Budget flex: Free dopamine, woohoo!
6. Enjoy a lunch special in front of the fireplace at one of Margaret River’s finest wineries
If you’ve eaten all the toasties you can muster and are hankering for a bougie winery experience on a budget, you’re in luck. Xanadu Wines offers a set menu that’s only $69 for a generous entrée and main combo. Choose from such delights as pork ravioli with prune gel, baby carrot and crispy pancetta, or Shark Bay prawns with pickled courgette and saffron bisque foam to start with, before moving onto gastronomic delights such as beef tenderloin with cabbage and apple involtino and brown butter and savoy puree, or market fish with jerusalem artichoke, burnt spring onion, bay leaf oil and finger lime. Fine dining in front of a roaring fireplace that won’t break the bank.
Find it: 316 Boodjidup Road, Margaret River WA
Budget flex: $69 for a two-course set menu
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7. Hike (or bike) the Wadandi Track
The Wadandi Track follows the path of the old Busselton to Flinders Bay Railway, which was built in the early 1920s and was the main transport route for timber. It was closed in 1957 and lay abandoned until the early 2000s, when some very smart people had the very smart idea of turning it into a trail. These days, it’s one of our favourite places to hike or bike in the region. It’s well marked, mostly flat, stunningly lush and a cool reminder of that early 20th-century Australia workhorse spirit. The Wadandi Track, which runs through the forests of Cowaramup, Margaret River, Witchcliffe, and Karridale, is currently 54km long (but will soon be completed to its full 110km entirety) and can be easily hiked or biked in smaller chunks.
Find it: You’ll find the entrance to the Margaret River section of the Wadandi track on Carters Road, Margaret River.
Budget flex: History, nature, fresh air – heaven on earth for $0.
8. Visit a cave (or four)
You can take your pick from four gob-smacking caves to explore in the Margaret River Region – Mammoth, Lake, Jewel or Ngilgi. While each is a sight to behold, we’re completely obsessed with Mammoth Cave for a few reasons. First up, it was home to Megafauna (these are basically jumbo creatures that roamed the earth around 50,000 years ago) with over 10,000 fossil bones found here (some of which are on display in the cave). Secondly, you can take your own sweet time exploring Mammoth Cave as it’s self-guided (staff do provide you with a natty audio headset so you can learn about the cave as you go). And finally, the end of the tour is an absolute treat in itself, as you emerge into a glorious Marri forest walk while exiting the sinkhole. Rainy months are perfect for visiting caves as they are filled with water creating enchanting reflections. Just magic.
Find it: Caves Road, Forest Grove.
Budget flex: Entry to Mammoth Cave is just $24. As an added bonus, you can pop over to Lake Cave and take in the eye-popping view of the colossal sinkhole from the viewing deck and it won’t cost you a cent.
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9. Find nirvana during a sound massage
OK, this one’s a bit of a splurge at $100, but it’s well worth it for the deep, deep, deep, DEEP relaxation. We weren’t sure what to expect from a sound massage, which involves minimal touch and instead relies on the vibrations of sound bowls on your body to bring you to a deep state of relaxation. But after passing out mid gonging and having the most restful night of our lives that evening, we can confirm this is an absolutely perfect way to spend a rainy afternoon in Margaret River.
Find it: Uniquely Balanced, Kilcarnup Road, Burnside.
Budget flex: The best-spent hungy you’ll drop this week.
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10. Visit midweek
Book a few days of leave or cash in that TOIL, and head to Margaret River midweek so you can take advantage of some savvy midweek winter specials. RAC caravan parks are offering three nights for the price of two until September 16, 2024 as part of their winter breaks deal. We stayed (and paid, of course – all Deep Dive’s reviews and recommendations are independent) at RAC Margaret River Nature Park in a campervan. Our powered site cost $90 for three nights, but the Park also has some very cool and well-priced safari tents that sleep four and come with a heater if you fancy a bit of a winter glamp. Side note: If you do decide to visit Margaret River midweek, we recommend you head down on a Wednesday because Margs can be kinda dead early in the week.
Find it: Off Carters Rd, Margaret River.
Budget flex: Two nights for one till mid-September.
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So there you have it. Remember, if you’re after more ideas of things to do on a budget when it’s wet and woolly outside, the Margaret River Visitor Centre in the centre of town is full of friendly faces who will be happy to help you out. And if you enjoyed this article, be sure to follow us on insta or subscribe to our newsletter so you don’t miss out on our Spring recommendations coming soon.
*We pay where we stay and only recommend the special places. Deep Dive WA is put together with love and lived experience, to help you explore the beautiful state of WA and the world outside of it. If you found this article useful, consider buying us a coffee to help us survive!
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