The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Vine times to be enjoyed around the other Perth
Having sampled the delights of Eastern Australia, Robin heads west and raises a glass to the country’s opposite coast
G’day and welcome back to down under. I’m in the third week of my adventure and over in Western Australia.
I’d like to share with you the epic rail odyssey that brought me here, the dynamic “other Perth”, lively Fremantle and the glorious delights of Margaret River, one of the world’s great wine touring regions.
I ventured over to Perth from Sydney on one of the world’s great rail journeys, the Indian Pacific (www. greatsouthernrail.com.au), which covers 4,352km (2,704 miles) and takes a whopping three nights and four days to cross the expanse of Australia.
I’m pleased to report that it’s even better for tourists now it’s privately, rather than government, owned.
Gone is the backbreaking seated class. Everyone now has a bed, whether in Gold Class (which I travelled in) or the more exclusive (and 50% more expensive) Platinum Class.
Life aboard the Indian Pacific is a wonderfully relaxed affair as you cruise across the land with your cabin window opening up the vastness of Australia.
I loved sitting watching out for bounding kangaroos, leggy emus and soaring wedge-tail eagles, the bird that is the symbol of the Indian Pacific. The locally sourced food is excellent too and handily, all drinks are included.
Perth is the most remote state capital in the world but these days this increasingly dynamic city no longer feels that cut off.
Como the Treasury (www.Comohotels.com/thetreasury) was every inch a plush five star, awash with hardwoods and marble and my bedroom was the largest I’ve had on this entire trip.
I liked that the Como is built into the historic State Buildings complex and it was alive with all manner of shops, bars and restaurants.
My favourite place to eat was elegant Wildflower, which sits on the roof of the Como with epic views of the rapidly changing Perth skyline.
One trend I noticed here was the move to open up walkways, cafes, bars and restaurants along the beachfringed coast, both at old favourites like Cottesloe Beach and along the emerging City Beach. I found this trend alive too in Fremantle, the port town just down the Swan River from Perth that seamlessly merges with the city.
My base in “Freo” (as the locals dub it) was the recently revamped Tradewinds Hotel (www tradewindshotel.com.au), a good value option just back from the river.
From here I struck out to the revamped waterfront, kicking off at Little Creatures. I loved it here. It’s a brewery but it does brilliant food and genuinely caters for all the family. The award-winning range of beers is world class too.
Just along from Little Creatures were a brace of great value dining options.
Bather’s Beach House is the only place in WA with a licence to serve drinks on the beach so it’s a very popular spot with visitors of all ages. The seafood platter was excellent, though it offers a lot more modest dishes too.
Further along the coast Bib & Tucker was propped high above the sands, giving me a great view of the efforts of the local surfers. The octopus and chorizo “small plate” dishes here were superb.
It was time to push south now to the cooler climes of Margaret River. I’ve been to many wine regions but none so virginal. The first wines were not produced here until 1971.
Handily, my first stop was at the
producer of those first wines, Vasse Felix. For me, it offers the best vineyard experience in the region. After a few tastings – samples of all the basic wines are free – it was up to the striking restaurant. Here I feasted on local produce as I treated myself to a glass of the signature chardonnay – it was my birthday – and admired views of the autumnal vines.
The town of Margaret River itself is the place to stay if you are on a budget but I was lucky to secure a last-minute room at the plush Cape Lodge (www. capelodge.com.au) instead.
It is well worth splashing out as there are acres of space amid the tall trees and little lake, an ideal oasis that feels a million miles away from the modern world. The restaurant was excellent too.
I toured a flurry of different vineyards and had my firm favourites. I liked Cullen for its pioneering biodynamic wine approach, which involved working more closely with nature, rather than layering production with pesticides, artificial fertilisers and the like.
Then there was Leeuwin, one of the major players. It’s big but also very welcoming. I spent a good hour chatting through the wines with the staff and only ended up buying one bottle.
Margaret River is not just about wine. The region is set on a spectacular cape that juts out into the Indian Ocean. Inland, there are thick forests, while the coast opens up a sweep of white, sandy beaches. I stopped at Surfer’s Point, where I watched the riders bravely tackle the giant waves then retreated to the White Elephant Cafe for a coffee with a view of the beach before slipping down the steps to sneak in an hour of sunbathing.
If you want to try the range of activities in the Margaret River region I’d recommend the town of Margaret River itself as a base, as its easy to get to everywhere from here and many of the operators are based in or around town. Bookings are easy too, with a very helpful tourist office.
You could try your hand at surfing or caving, or maybe just head out for a cycle or hike a section of the legendary Cape to Cape long distance walking track.
Then there is the rich Aboriginal culture to explore and a range of art galleries and small craft producers to check out.
I’m writing this now on my Etihad flight back to Scotland – entirely fitting, as it’s the advent of cheaper flights to and around Australia that has made this trip possible.
If you’ve never been or thought your one visit was that much vaunted “trip of a lifetime” it may be time to think again. For me there is more on offer than ever before in Australia and it’s never been easier to get there.