IF YOU’RE IN PERTH
Margaret River
Extraordinary wines, dramatic landscapes and a rich cultural heritage make this spot a favourite getaway for Perthites.
Stay
Empire Retreat and Spa in Yallingup (hotel.qantas.com.au/ empireretreat) has 11 luxury suites built around a stone farmhouse on a working winery. Set aside an afternoon for a specialised spa experience using all-natural Sodashi products.
Eat
If you’re looking for a break from the inevitable cheese platters at cellar doors, Chow’s Table (chowstable.com.au) in Yallingup serves modern Asian eats such as fried chicken ribs with five-spice salt and chilli and Malay beef and potato curry. Or sample native flavours that follow the seasons of the Noongar calendar at Dunsborough's Yarri Restaurant
and Bar (yarri.com.au).
Drink
You’re here for the wine, of course, but true oenophiles hunt for small-scale, boutique producers. Put Windows Estate (windowsestate.com) at Yallingup and Wilyabrup’s Arimia (arimia. com.au) into the GPS.
Play
It’s a toss-up as to what Margaret River folk like more – wine or surfing. If you need a crash course in the latter, Yallingup Surf
School (yallingupsurfschool.com) runs daily group classes that’ll get you standing on water before you know it. Or wear hiking shoes and your cossie under your clothes for a coastal walk, such as the Wardinup Trail in Yallingup or the Bunker Bay Loop near Dunsborough.
Swan Valley
It may be the oldest wine region in the state but this popular district has a spring in its step.
Stay
Base yourself at The Colony at
Mandoon Estate (hotel.qantas. com.au/mandoonestate), part of a complex comprising a cellar door, restaurant and brewery in Caversham. Grab a beer and a charcuterie platter for a lazy afternoon on the private lawn by the river.
Eat
For macarons, crêpes and croque monsieurs, visit French-style patisserie Maison Saint Honoré (maisonsainthonore.com) in Caversham. There's also an evening menu that features classics-with-a-twist like duck breast with white truffle potato or deconstructed mille-feuille. Need a coffee hit? Head to Middle Swan and Oakover
Grounds (oakovergrounds.com. au), where the café uses beans from onsite roaster Fiori Coffee.
Drink
Olive Farm Wines (olivefarm wines.com.au) in Millendon has added a vino vending machine to its cellar door experience so you can easily and efficiently sample every varietal on offer.
Play
To work off a winery lunch, drive to Brigadoon for Bells Rapids
River Walk (trailswa.com.au), a 2.5-kilometre loop track along the banks of the Swan River, where you’ll see swamp paperbarks and grevilleas as well as kangaroos. Or try your hand at making haloumi or ricotta with a class at
The Cheese Maker (thecheese maker.com.au) in Herne Hill.