Margaret River, Western Australia
Encyclopedia
Margaret River is a town in the South West of Western Australia
, located in the valley of the eponymous Margaret River
, 277 kilometres (172 mi) south of Perth
, the state capital. Its Local Government Area
is the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River.
The surrounding area is the Margaret River Wine Region
and has become known for its wine production and tourism, attracting an estimated 500,000 visitors annually. In earlier days the area was better known for hardwood timber and agricultural
production.
(founder of Busselton
) in 1831. The name is first shown on a map of the region published in 1839. European migrants lived in the area as early as 1850, with timber logging commencing in around 1870. By 1910, the town had a hotel which also operated as a post office.
After World War I
, an attempt by the Government of Western Australia
to attract migrants to Western Australia (known as the Group Settlement Scheme
) and establish farm
s in the region attracted new settlers to the town. In 1922, over 100 settlers moved into the district.
In the early 1920s the Busselton to Margaret River Railway was built and in 1925 the Margaret River to Flinders Bay line
opened.
at a point about halfway between Cape Naturaliste
and Cape Leeuwin
in Western Australia's South West region.
The climate is humid Mediterranean
, with an average annual rainfall of around 1130 millimetres (44.5 in). Most rain fall between May and August, when around two days in three record measurable rainfall and around one in ten over 10 millimetre (0.393700787401575 in). On occasions, as in August 1955, the town has had measurable rain on every day of a month in this period. During the summer, the weather is very warm, though there are usually seabreezes, and frequently sunny. The hot dry summers, coupled with strong winds, creates an environment where there is always a high risk of bush fires Bushfires in Australia
is the foremost Geographical Indication
wine region in the South West Australia Zone, with nearly 5,500 hectares under vine and over 138 wineries as at 2008. The region is made up predominantly of boutique
-size wine producers, although winery operations range from the smallest, crushing 3.5 tonnes per year, to the largest at around 7,000 tonnes. The region produces just three percent of total Australian grape production, but commands over 20 percent of the Australian premium wine market.
Stretching some 100 km from north to south and about 27 km wide in parts, the region is bounded to the east by the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge, between Cape Naturaliste
and Cape Leeuwin
, and to the west by the Indian Ocean
. A Mediterranean-style climate, lacking extreme summer and winter temperatures, provides ideal growing conditions. The climate is described as similar to that of Bordeaux
in a dry vintage.
Humidity levels are ideal during the growing period and the combination of climate, soil and viticulture practices leads to consistently high quality fruit of intense flavour. Consequently, annual vintage results continue to exceed expectations and reinforce Margaret River's reputation as one of the premium wine-producing regions of the world.
The principal grape
varieties in the region are fairly evenly split between red and white; cabernet sauvignon
, chardonnay
, sauvignon Blanc
, Shiraz, merlot
, Chenin Blanc
and Verdelho
.
Several hundred caves are located near Margaret River, all of them within Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park
. Six of these are open to the public.
The most famous of these is the multi-chambered Mammoth Cave
, which lies 21 kilometres south of the town and contains fossils dating back over 35,000 years. The cave was first discovered by European settlers in 1850 and has been open to the public since 1904. The cave can be explored by a self-guided audio tour, and is one of the few caves in Australia offering partial disabled access.
The other five caves open to the public in the area are Jewel Cave, Lake Cave, Ngilgi Cave, Calgardup Cave and Giants Cave. Many other caves can be accessed with a permit by experienced cavers.
Margaret River was also visited in the 1966 documentary film The Endless Summer
. On 25 April 2009, on Sky television's Soccer AM, Hugh Jackman called Margaret River the best place he's ever been to, citing the surf, the beaches, the food, the wine, the people and the air as his reasons for thinking so.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, located in the valley of the eponymous Margaret River
Margaret River
Margaret River is a river in southwest Western Australia. Although small and unremarkable, it is the eponym of the iconic town and tourist region of Margaret River, famous for its surfing, caves and wine....
, 277 kilometres (172 mi) south of Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, the state capital. Its Local Government Area
Local Government Areas of Western Australia
The Australian state of Western Australia is divided into 141 local government areas...
is the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River.
The surrounding area is the Margaret River Wine Region
Margaret River (wine region)
Margaret River is the foremost Geographical Indication wine region in the South West Australia Zone, with nearly 5,500 hectares under vine and over 138 wineries as at 2008. Margaret River wine region is made up predominately of boutique size wine producers; although winery operations range from the...
and has become known for its wine production and tourism, attracting an estimated 500,000 visitors annually. In earlier days the area was better known for hardwood timber and agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
production.
History
The town is named after the river, which is presumed to be named after Margaret Whicher, cousin of John Garrett BussellJohn Bussell
John Garrett Bussell was an early settler in Western Australia.John Garrett Bussell was born at Portsea, Hampshire in England on 16 August 1803. He was educated at Winchester College in England, but after the death of his father the family decided to emigrate to Western Australia...
(founder of Busselton
Busselton, Western Australia
-Growth and development:According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics the Shire had a permanent resident population of 25,950 in 2004 with the town of Busselton accounting for 67% or 17,400 of the total. The Shire's permanent population is expected to continue to increase significantly to...
) in 1831. The name is first shown on a map of the region published in 1839. European migrants lived in the area as early as 1850, with timber logging commencing in around 1870. By 1910, the town had a hotel which also operated as a post office.
After World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, an attempt by the Government of Western Australia
Government of Western Australia
The formation of the Government of Western Australia is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1890, although it has been amended many times since then...
to attract migrants to Western Australia (known as the Group Settlement Scheme
Group Settlement Scheme
The Group Settlement Scheme was an assisted migration scheme which operated in Western Australia from the early 1920s. It was engineered by Premier James Mitchell and followed on from the Soldier Settlement Scheme immediately after World War I...
) and establish farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
s in the region attracted new settlers to the town. In 1922, over 100 settlers moved into the district.
In the early 1920s the Busselton to Margaret River Railway was built and in 1925 the Margaret River to Flinders Bay line
Flinders Bay Branch Railway
A branch railway from Busselton to Flinders Bay, in South Western Western AustraliaOriginally part of the M.C.Davies Timber railway system, which ran between the two jetties at Hamelin Bay and Flinders Bay...
opened.
Geography and climate
Margaret River is located 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) inland from the Indian OceanIndian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
at a point about halfway between Cape Naturaliste
Cape Naturaliste
Cape Naturaliste is a headland in the south western region of Western Australia at the western edge of the Geographe Bay. It is the northernmost point of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge which was named after the cape...
and Cape Leeuwin
Cape Leeuwin
Cape Leeuwin is the most south-westerly mainland point of the Australian Continent, in the state of Western Australia.A few small islands and rocks, the St Alouarn Islands, extend further to the south. The nearest settlement, north of the cape, is Augusta. South-east of Cape Leeuwin, the coast...
in Western Australia's South West region.
The climate is humid Mediterranean
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
, with an average annual rainfall of around 1130 millimetres (44.5 in). Most rain fall between May and August, when around two days in three record measurable rainfall and around one in ten over 10 millimetre (0.393700787401575 in). On occasions, as in August 1955, the town has had measurable rain on every day of a month in this period. During the summer, the weather is very warm, though there are usually seabreezes, and frequently sunny. The hot dry summers, coupled with strong winds, creates an environment where there is always a high risk of bush fires Bushfires in Australia
Bushfires in Australia
Bushfires in Australia are frequently occurring events during the hotter months of the year due to Australia's mostly hot, dry climate. Large areas of land are ravaged every year by bushfires, which also cause property damage and loss of life....
Wine Region
Margaret RiverMargaret River (wine region)
Margaret River is the foremost Geographical Indication wine region in the South West Australia Zone, with nearly 5,500 hectares under vine and over 138 wineries as at 2008. Margaret River wine region is made up predominately of boutique size wine producers; although winery operations range from the...
is the foremost Geographical Indication
Geographical indication
A geographical indication is a name or sign used on certain products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin...
wine region in the South West Australia Zone, with nearly 5,500 hectares under vine and over 138 wineries as at 2008. The region is made up predominantly of boutique
Boutique
A boutique is a small shopping outlet, especially one that specializes in elite and fashionable items such as clothing and jewelry. The word is French for "shop", via Latin from Greek ἀποθήκη , "storehouse"....
-size wine producers, although winery operations range from the smallest, crushing 3.5 tonnes per year, to the largest at around 7,000 tonnes. The region produces just three percent of total Australian grape production, but commands over 20 percent of the Australian premium wine market.
Stretching some 100 km from north to south and about 27 km wide in parts, the region is bounded to the east by the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge, between Cape Naturaliste
Cape Naturaliste
Cape Naturaliste is a headland in the south western region of Western Australia at the western edge of the Geographe Bay. It is the northernmost point of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge which was named after the cape...
and Cape Leeuwin
Cape Leeuwin
Cape Leeuwin is the most south-westerly mainland point of the Australian Continent, in the state of Western Australia.A few small islands and rocks, the St Alouarn Islands, extend further to the south. The nearest settlement, north of the cape, is Augusta. South-east of Cape Leeuwin, the coast...
, and to the west by the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
. A Mediterranean-style climate, lacking extreme summer and winter temperatures, provides ideal growing conditions. The climate is described as similar to that of Bordeaux
Bordeaux wine
A Bordeaux wine is any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. Average vintages produce over 700 million bottles of Bordeaux wine, ranging from large quantities of everyday table wine, to some of the most expensive and prestigious wines in the world...
in a dry vintage.
Humidity levels are ideal during the growing period and the combination of climate, soil and viticulture practices leads to consistently high quality fruit of intense flavour. Consequently, annual vintage results continue to exceed expectations and reinforce Margaret River's reputation as one of the premium wine-producing regions of the world.
The principal grape
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
varieties in the region are fairly evenly split between red and white; cabernet sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
, chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
, sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French word sauvage and blanc due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France., a possible descendant of savagnin...
, Shiraz, merlot
Merlot
Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
, Chenin Blanc
Chenin Blanc
Chenin blanc , is a white wine grape variety from the Loire valley of France. Its high acidity means it can be used to make everything from sparkling wines to well-balanced dessert wines, although it can produce very bland, neutral wines if the vine's natural vigor is not controlled...
and Verdelho
Verdelho
Verdelho is a white wine grape grown throughout Portugal, though most associated with the island of Madeira, and also gives its name to one of the four main types of Madeira wine...
.
Caves
Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park
Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park is a national park in the South West region of Western Australia , 267 km south of Perth.It is named after the two locations at either end of the park which have lighthouses, Cape Leeuwin and Cape Naturaliste....
. Six of these are open to the public.
The most famous of these is the multi-chambered Mammoth Cave
Mammoth Cave (Western Australia)
Mammoth Cave is a large limestone cave 21 km south of the town of Margaret River in south-western Western Australia, and about 300 km south of Perth. It lies within the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park and is surrounded by Karri and Marri forest....
, which lies 21 kilometres south of the town and contains fossils dating back over 35,000 years. The cave was first discovered by European settlers in 1850 and has been open to the public since 1904. The cave can be explored by a self-guided audio tour, and is one of the few caves in Australia offering partial disabled access.
The other five caves open to the public in the area are Jewel Cave, Lake Cave, Ngilgi Cave, Calgardup Cave and Giants Cave. Many other caves can be accessed with a permit by experienced cavers.
In the media
Arte-TV produced an episode of Nouveaux paradis about Margaret River. The 2008 documentary shows interviews with (amongst others) tourist officials, surfers, and dolphin watchers.Margaret River was also visited in the 1966 documentary film The Endless Summer
The Endless Summer
The Endless Summer is a 1966 film in the surf movie genre.Director Bruce Brown follows two surfers, Mike Hynson and Robert August, on a surf trip around the world. Despite the balmy climate of their native California, cold ocean currents make local beaches inhospitable during the winter...
. On 25 April 2009, on Sky television's Soccer AM, Hugh Jackman called Margaret River the best place he's ever been to, citing the surf, the beaches, the food, the wine, the people and the air as his reasons for thinking so.
Surfing breaks
The Margaret River area has acquired a range of synonyms for the collection of surf breaks nearby Usually significant surfing competitions concentrate their locale to Margarets Main Break (aka Surfers Point) which breaks in the vicinity of Prevelly at the mouth of Margaret RiverSee also
- Margaret River (wine region)Margaret River (wine region)Margaret River is the foremost Geographical Indication wine region in the South West Australia Zone, with nearly 5,500 hectares under vine and over 138 wineries as at 2008. Margaret River wine region is made up predominately of boutique size wine producers; although winery operations range from the...
- Margaret RiverMargaret RiverMargaret River is a river in southwest Western Australia. Although small and unremarkable, it is the eponym of the iconic town and tourist region of Margaret River, famous for its surfing, caves and wine....
- West Australian wineWest Australian wineAustralia’s biggest State extends the western third of the continent, although the winemaking regions are almost entirely situated in the cooler climate south-western tip of the State...
- Great Southern (wine region)Great Southern Wine RegionThe Great Southern Wine Region in Western Australia's South West is Australia's largest wine region a rectangle 200 kilometres from east to west and over 100 kilometers from north to south...