South West Western Australia Travel

Western Australia's South West region covers about 24,000 square kilometres. It comprises the area south of the Peel region and west of the Heartlands and Great Southern regions.

To the South and West the region is bordered by the Indian Ocean. This beautiful corner of the continent boasts a rugged coastline, caves, wineries, and very good surfing.

Bunbury is situated 175 kilometres south of Perth, near the mouth of the Collie River at the southern end of the Leschenault Inlet, which opens to Koombana Bay and the larger Geographe Bay which extends southwards to Cape Naturaliste.

Margaret River is a town and river in the South West of Western Australia, located 277 kilometres (172 mi) south of Perth, the state capital.

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.

The Margaret River Wine Region extends about 120 kilometres north-south from Cape Leeuwin to Cape Naturaliste and about 30 kilometres inland. High-quality table wine grapes have been grown by a variety of commercial vineyards since the first significant plantings at 'Vasse Felix' were established in 1967.

Cities and Major Towns of South West Western Australia

• Bunbury - "Bun'O" the so-called "capital" of the Southwest
• Busselton
• Collie
• Dunsborough
• Manjimup - the Southwest's commercial center
• Margaret River - wineries, surf, forests, coastal scenery
• Pemberton - wineries, forests

Things to See at South West Western Australia

• Koombana Beach Bunbary, is a modest beach on Koombana Bay. This has a view of the port. It is a protected beach with no surf. There are wild dolphins in Koombana Bay, which you may be lucky enough to see close to the beach. The best time to go is in the morning.
• Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park - Several hundred caves are located near Margaret River, all of them within Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park. Four 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 35000 years.