The South West’s summer bucket list: Mandurah to Albany

In a time when we’re reconnecting with nature and rediscovering the joy of experiences over material possessions, Western Australia is the perfect summer holiday spot. There’s still plenty of summer days ahead, so get to know the regions of the South West and start creating your ultimate WA bucket list.

What to do in Mandurah and Peppermint Grove Beach

• Grab a crab net, find a nice little jetty and spend the day crabbing. Lots of fun with kids and you might even catch enough for dinner!
• Hop aboard a charter cruise and look for dolphins cavorting in Mandurah’s canals and estuary.
• Explore Lake Clifton’s 2,000-year-old rock-like structures called thrombolites, one of several organisms that made life on earth possible.
• Have a round of golf and take in the unbelievable scenery at The Cut in Dawesville.
• Take a stroll with your beloved along the pristine white sands at Peppermint Grove Beach as you watch the sun melt into the Indian Ocean.

What to do in the Margaret River region

• Walk or take the train along historic Busselton Jetty, the longest timber-piled jetty in the Southern Hemisphere at 1.84 km.
• To see life from a different angle, sign up to a unique underwater walk under Busselton Jetty – no dive ticket necessary!
• Sail around Geographe Bay aboard Willie Cruises, Australia’s oldest operating Pearl Lugger.
• Discover the stunning coastal walking trails that stretch from trendy Dunsborough, past Castle Rock Bay, to postcard perfect Meelup and beyond.
• Take a dip SUP or snorkel in the pristine aqua waters of Eagle Bay, Meelup Beach or Point Picquet.

Image by @timcampbellphoto

• Spend the morning at sweeping Bunker Bay, with a swim, surf or fish, and visit peaceful and magical Shelley Cove around the corner.
• Tackle a section of the Cape to Cape walking track which starts at Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse, and marvel at wildflowers, birds, cliffs and waterfalls along the way.
• Float about in the oh-so-Instagrammable secret lagoon known as The Aquarium or the Natural Spa at Injidup.
• Visit historic Caves House, one of the oldest buildings in the region, for a beer on the lawn, good pub meal or the outdoor movies and summer markets.
• Slide down the sandhills at spectacular Injidup Bay.
• Scuba-dive the sunken navy vessel, the HMAS Swan, or one of dozens of shipwrecks in the area.
• Surf at an iconic breaks such as Mainbreak, Shallows or Rabbits, or book a beginner surfing lesson.

Image courtesy @yallingupsurfschool

• Visit one of the region’s 90 cellar doors, from founding estates Vasse Felix and Cape Mentelle to newer producers such as Domaine Naturaliste and Glenarty Road.
• Spoil yourself to a tasting session at the boutique breweries and distilleries that fan out from Caves Road.
• Art-lovers, organise a bespoke tour of the numerous studios and galleries or follow the trail featured in the popular Margaret River Region Open Studios
• Have a heart-stopping outdoor adventure of your choosing. Explore Wilyabrup Cliffs, Boranup Forest, Contos and Hamelin Bay, or go zip-lining through forests.
• Learn about the local Wadandi people and their extraordinary culture that has survived many millennia.

Koomal Dreaming at Torpedo Rocks. Image by @francesandrijich

• Keep cool, spend a few hours underground at a cave such as Ngilgi, Lake and Mammoth, or even try a heart-stopping endeavour through Giants Cave.
• Marvel at nature as the stingrays come into shore at Hamelin Bay.

What to do in the Great Southern region

• Breathe in deep and marvel at the Valley of the Giants Treetop Walk through mammoth karri forests.

Valley of the Giants Treetop Walk. Image by @francesandrjich

• Dip your toes in the magnificent waters of Greens Pool.
• Scramble atop the imposing Elephant Rocks (next to Greens Pool).
• Feel tiny as you stand in the hollowed-out trunk, shaded by the giant tingle tree in Walpole.
• Eat chunky homestyle pies from the Denmark Bakery, while sitting underneath the karris and marris beside the Franklin River.
• Swim at the spectacular and remote beaches at the bottom of the world in Frenchman’s Bay and Two People’s Bay.
• Experience the extraordinary power of the ocean at the legendary The Gap and Blowholes.

The Gap, Albany. Image courtesy of TourismWA.

• Let emotions course through your body as you learn about Albany’s role in the World Wars at the awarded National Anzac Centre.
• Wander the oldest farm in all of Western Australia, Strawberry Hill, first established in 1827 – before even the Swan River Colony (now Perth) came into existence.
• Swill an aromatic Riesling or full-bodied Shiraz at one of the region’s 40 cellar doors.
• Wander the hills of historic Albany, taking pictures at Dog Rock, spectacular lookout points, and around the mighty 110 sq km King George Sound.
• Experience art with a difference at Chainsaw Sculpture Drive.

Get the bucket list started and live a life of joie de vivre, WA style! Browse our portfolio of luxury holiday homes today.

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