The Leeuwin – Naturaliste Ridge is a limestone ridge formed one million years ago and runs between Cape Leeuwin in the south and Cape Naturaliste in the north in the Margaret River region of Western Australia. The ridge now falls within the Leeuwin Naturaliste National Park.
Cave systems are commonly found in limestone areas. Acidic rainwater and underground streams can dissolve away the limestone creating cavities in the rock. Over time these cavities are gradually expanded into the caves we see today. The caves often contain structures such as stalactites and stalagmites formed from min real rich water dripping through the roof of a cave. These structures develop very slowly, over thousands of years, to form the wonderful displays we marvel at in cave systems.
The Leeuwin-Naturaliste ridge is dotted with caves systems along its length, many of which are open to the public. We chose to visit Mammoth Cave as it is only a short drive from the town of Margaret River which was our base for our stay in the region. The cave is open daily from 9am to 5pm with the last entry to the cave being at 4pm. It is a self guided audio tour and this is available in several languages, the guide was easy to use and very informative, sound quality was good. Caves systems are much cooler than the outside air temperature so it is a good idea to dress in layers for your visit.
The walk through the cave system is circular and involves a series of boardwalks and platforms. There are some steps to climb but it is possible to visit the first chamber without any steps. The exit from the cave leaves you with a short walk through the trees of the Marri forest back to the visitor centre and car park. The tour takes around an hour if you ever a gentle stroll through the system and stop frequently to admire the rock formations and take plenty of photographs.
Boardwalk entrance to the cave system
There some wonderful, breath taking formations and lighting is used to ensure you see them at their best. The cave contains a fossilised jawbone of Zygomaturus, a giant plant marsupial similar in appearance to the modern day wombat. It has been dated by scientists as being around 50,000 years old, giving a unique glimpse in to what some of the wildlife was like in the area in prehistoric times.
It is difficult with a simple photograph to capture the enormity and beauty of the caverns and formations on view. if you are fortunate enough to be in the Margaret River region go and take a look, you won’t be disappointed.
The Margaret River wine region is 277Km south of Perth in Western Australia and is a good three hour drive. It is home to some of Australia’s finest wines and you should try to visit at least one cellar door if you are visiting the area. Wine enthusiasts will want to visit many more and a good plan is essential. We based ourselves in the town of Margaret River itself and rented a very nice Airbnb for our stay in the area. The town has excellent facilities and is also a good location if you want to visit beaches and caves. The Main Street has a tourist information office from where you can collect a map of the region which includes the location of all the cellar door that are open for tastings.
Margaret River Wine Facts.
Vines were first planted as long ago as the 1830s but the first commercial winery was established at Vasse Felix in 1967.
There are 5840 hectares under vine.
Over 36 grape varieties are planted in the region. The top three red varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon (20%), Shiraz (15%) and Merlot (6%). The top three white varieties are Sauvignon Blanc (20%), ) Semillon (19%) and Chardonnay (15%).
The climate in the Margaret River is Mediterranean with a strong coastal influence. There is only a 7.5 degree celcius mean annual range in temperature.
There are over 175 wine producers and 90 cellar doors.
It is the third most visited wine region in Australia after the Yarrra Valley and Hunter Valley.
The Margaret River region produces less than 3% of Australia’s wine but twenty percent of its premium wines.
Cellar Doors Visited
The following are the cellar doors we visited during our stay in the region that we particularly enjoyed. They are in no particular order and do not necessarily represent a route to be followed.
Blind Corner. 1105 Vasse Yallingup Siding Road, Quindalup. The cellar door is open from Wednesday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm.
Our first stop in the region was Blind Corner following a recommendation from a sommelier in Perth. It was a fantastic place to begin. They grow grapes at two sites in the Margaret River region and both are certified organic and biodynamic. We tasted nine wines including a Pet Nat made from a wild ferment of Chenin Blanc which has had the addition of a small quantity of Shiraz juice just before bottling, delicious and so refreshing. Other highlights included an elegant Chardonnay/Aligote and a preservative free Shiraz/Viognier field blend.
Vasse Felix. 4357 Caves Road, Wilyabrup. Open Monday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm.
If you visit Vasse Felix be prepared, its likely to be busy. This is especially so at weekends and holidays. Don’t less the possible crowds put you off as its a great place to visit with somethings for everyone. The grounds around the cellar door are very pleasant and the well manicured lawn overlooking the vines is a lovely place to sit in the sun and relax. The tasting room is very well managed and though busy when we arrived we didn’t have to wait very long for a space at the counter. In addition to tasting you can visit the art gallery, enjoy lunch in the restaurant or simple enjoy a glass of wine and some small plates in the lounge.
We started the tasting with the 2016 Blanc de Blancs and what pleasant surprise it was. Hand picked, fourteen months on the lees it had lovely toasty citrus, great depth and a long finish. The Chardonnays were consistently good with the 2018 Heytesbury Chardonnay was the star, complex, well balanced and simply delightful. We also enjoyed the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon with delicious dark berry fruits and great potential to age.
Cullen Wines. 4323 Caves Road, Wilyabrup. Open Monday to Sunday from 10am to 4.30.
We arrived at Cullen as they were preparing for a private function but they were more than happy to accommodate a tasting. Cullen wines are certified organic and biodynamic and might be considered rather different as they do grow any Shiraz or Grenache. The wines however are superb. The Mangan Vineyard Malbec 2017 was very drinkable and bursting with savoury dark berry fruits. The comparative tasting of the 2013 and 2018 vintages of Diane Madeline was superb. This is Cabernet Sauvignon at its best, beautifully balanced wines with both elegance and power. While the 2018 is a wine for the future in contrast the 2013 was drinking beautifully but with the potential to age further.
McHenry Hohnen. 5962 Caves Road, Margaret River. Open Monday to Sunday from 10.30am to 4.30pm.
We particularly enjoyed our visit to the McHenry Hohnen cellar door and were fortunate to be able to taste eighteen wines thanks to the hospitality of the tasting crew. The Rocky Road range of wines were consistently good, very drinkable and great value for money.The two vintages of Hazels Chardonnay (2016 and 2017) were both lovely expressions of the grape variety with super long finishes. Both Calgardup Brook and Burnside Chardonnays, both 2017 vintage, were superb with great depth and balance. Other standouts were the McHenry Hohnen GSM 2017, Hazels Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 and Rolling Stone 2015. the later wine is only made in exceptional years and is real keeper.
Domaine Naturaliste. 160 Johnson Road, Wilyabrup. Open Monday to Sunday 10am to 5pm.
This fantastic, new tasting room surrounded by vines is a real pleasure to visit and it has been awarded the 2020 Best Value Winery of the Year in the 2020 Halliday Wine Companion Awards. Three ranges of wine are produced, Discovery, Direction and Flagship and you can structure your tasting to tour particular interest. In the Flagship range the Artus Chardonnay 2018 was superb and reasonably priced for the quality. The Morus Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 showed fantastic potential to age. We also enjoyed the Rachis Syrah 2017 and Rebus Cabernet Sauvignon 2016.
Marq Wines. 860 Commonage Road, Yallingup. Open Friday to Monday from 10am to 5pm.
Another recommended visit and a real warm welcome at the simple but stylish tasting room. Petit Manseng is a long way from its home in the Juracon in France and isn’t something you are going to come across all that often in the Margaret River. Barrel fermented and Chardonnay in style its full, aromatic, textured and with an incredibly long finish. The Chardonnay 2018 was a wild ferment in barrel and showed lovely character and balance. Other highlights were the Malbec 2018, which is oh so drinkable and the DNA Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 which had great ageing potential. The Cut and Dry Shiraz was made in the Amarone style, drying the grapes for 2-3 weeks, producing a wine which is complex with peppery/spicey black fruits.
Pierro Vineyards. 4051 Caves Road, Wilyabrup. Open Monday to Sunday 10am, to 5pm.
We called into the tasting room at Pierro late in the day so only had time for a quick tasting of the whites. The quality here was impressive and should we return to the region we would definitely revisit to taste the full range. The LTC Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon 2018 was very drinkable and great value for money. The Pierro Chardonnay 2018 was rich, powerful and stylish and the Chenin Blanc 2018 had not seen any oak and has a beautiful nose of pear, almond and honeysuckle and a palate which is crisp and dry.
Stormflower Vineyard. 3503 Caves Road, Wilyabrup. Open Monday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm.
A delightful tasting room which is only small so timing your visit to avoid busy weekends is probably a good idea. The vineyard is certified 100% organic and the wines are lovely expressions with a nice sense of place. The star here was the Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 with delicious blackcurrant fruit and great balance. We also enjoyed the Botrytis 2018, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc (76%) and Semillon (24%), lashings of oranges and tropical fruit and nicely balanced.
There were many other visits we wanted to make, including Cape Mentelle which is one of the founding five wineries in the region, but sadly time was against us. This is just one reason why we hope to return to this wonderful region in the future.
The town of Margaret River is 277km south of Perth in Western Australia and is a good three hour drive. The distance means that it is better to plan to visit the region for a few days rather than just take a day trip from the city and the town of Margaret River makes for a good base. The town has a good variety of cafes, bars, restaurants and shops as well as an excellent Farmers market which is held every Saturday morning.
We rented a very well equipped Airbnb apartment just a short walk from the town centre and we were very pleased with our choice. we very much enjoyed our four day stay in the region and would thoroughly recommend a visit if you are visiting Perth.
The Margaret River wine region. The Margaret River produces less than three percent of the wine made in Australia but twenty percent of the countries premium wines so this is the area to visit if you want to try some of Australias best wines. There are over two hundred wineries in the region and many have cellar doors open for tastings for only a few dollars. Some of our favourite visits were to Vasse Felix, Cullen, McHenry Hohnen and Domaine Naturaliste.
Beaches. The town of Margaret River is only 9Km inland from the Indian Ocean so a visit to a beach while you are in the area is a must. Prevelly is the closest and is a lovely white sand beach and just a short walk away from the mouth of the Margaret River itself which is a good place to rent a kayak if the fancy takes you. As you might expect surfing is a very popular activity in this part of Western Australia and if you don’t fancy having a go yourself there are excellent viewing platforms for you to catch the action at Surfers Point. Gnarabup beach is also pretty close to town. There are ofd course many others in the area if you don’t mind a slightly longer drive.
Cape Naturaliste. The cape is in the north of the Margaret River region just north west of the town of Duinsborough. Its beautiful here with some excellent beaches at Eagle Bay, Meelup and Bunker Bay. There is a nice short walking track around the Cape Naturaliste lighthouse which gives you a good feel sense of the landscape and its vegetation as well as affording some excellent views. Close to Eagle Bay Beach is the Eagle Bay Brewing Company, a small microbrewery, restaurant and vineyard, it ticks all the right boxes in my opinion.
Caves. The limestone caves, located in the Leeuwin-Naturaliste ridge, formed one million years ago and are well worth investigating if you feel like you need a break from beaches and wine tasting. Four caves are open to the public, all are spectacular but do have slightly different viewing options. We only had time to visit one and chose Mammoth Cave as it was relatively close to the town of Margaret River and offered a self guided tour using personal headsets to provide a commentary. Self guided means that you can go at your own pace and enjoy the spectacular rock formations. Close by is Lake Cave, the smallest and deepest cave so it has plenty of stairs to climb. Jewel Cave is the largest and tours are fully guided. Ngilgi Cave is in the north of the region and a visit here can be combined with a trip to Cape Naturaliste. Have a look here for some useful information to help you make the best choice of cave to visit.
Cape to Cape Track. The track is a long distance walking route along the Leeuwin-Naturaliste ridge joint Cape Leeuwin in the south to Cape Naturaliste in the north. It is 123Km in length and includes cliff top, beach, bush and forest walking. It can be walked as a self guided trek or you can join a guided, small group walk. Conversely if you don’t have the time to spare to complete the whole walk you could walk a small section of the track as a day walk. There are many different options available.
