What to pack for your Margaret River holiday

It’s always a little bit of a gamble when you arrive at a destination, particularly one you’ve never visited before. What is the general climate like? Does the weather change quickly? Does it get cold at night? How do the locals dress?

Visiting the Margaret River region is no different. Like much of Australia, you can’t go wrong with dressing ‘neat casual’, but the seasons will greatly influence what you need to pack.

The weather in the South-West of Western Australia

The tourist brochures show off a Mediterranean climate with sun-kissed beaches and blue skies. And it really is this idyllic – often even in winter – but that doesn’t mean it isn’t cold sometimes. Generally, summers are hot and dry while winters are mild to cool and a little wet.

As a guide, the South-West area from Busselton to Augusta is around five degrees (centigrade) cooler than Perth. If you are heading further south-east along the coast to Denmark or Albany, it will be a few degrees cooler again.

Packing for winter

It can surprise many overseas and interstate visitors to the South-West how chilly it can get, particularly at night. This adds to the general wintery atmosphere of crackling wood fires, tall forests and the quiet enjoyment of a wine or two in the crisp weather. Regardless, you do need to dress appropriately.

Pack jeans, closed-in shoes with socks, long-sleeve shirts, a jumper/pullover and a jacket that blocks the wind. If you’re very close to the coast or at a higher elevation, you may want to rug up with a scarf or warm headwear, too. Always check the Australian Bureau of Meteorology website before you arrive because even wintertime can see beautiful, fine sunny days that warrant a little less cover.

It isn’t terribly rainy in this corner of the world, but winter will have at least ten days per month with some rain patches. These usually pass fairly quickly. It’s also not typical to have all-day drizzle. The average temperature high throughout June, July and August is around 16 to 18C, while the average low is 8C.

Packing for summer

Summer is what many tourists imagine when they visit Western Australia. Hot days, pleasant nights with cool breezes, and picture-perfect weather for beaches, wineries and wandering through the region’s beautiful towns.

Bathing suits, thongs/flip-flops, sandals, light sundresses, shirts and shorts should take up most of your suitcase space. Make sure your clothing fabric is lightweight so you won’t get too hot. And always pack a hat and sunscreen to protect yourself from the blazing Australian sun. Keep in mind that some higher-end wineries and restaurants may have a dress code requesting no flip-flops or shorts, and certain tourist attractions may also discourage flip-flops for safety reasons.

Summer is warm to hot with very little humidity, and an afternoon sea breeze often sweeps through. February is the warmest and driest month of the year. The average high temperature through December, January and February is 25C (in Margaret River) to 29C (further north, in Busselton), but the temperature does regularly hit the early- to mid-30s. The average low for summer is 14C.

Packing for autumn and spring

The shoulder seasons are variable and you may see rain in May and September. Generally, it’s best to pack a little of everything. Jeans or long pants, shirts/blouses and a cover-up are fine for during the day but bring something warm for night.

March still feels like summer in the region, with highs of around 25 to 27C, so pack more of a summer wardrobe. If you’re coming in April and November, you will catch some stunningly beautiful days that may be warm enough for a beach swim, so pack your bathing suit and thongs/flip-flops. September and October are much cooler and temperatures hover around 18 or 19C.

The South-West is a year-round destination with so much to offer. We have beautiful luxury homes from Mandurah to Albany available throughout the year. Browse our list to secure your next escape.

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