How much do you really know about Margaret River? Behind the famous wines lies a region of surprising numbers — here are the fast facts that explain why it’s earned its global reputation.
Tiny Output, Huge Impact
Margaret River produces only around three percent of Australia’s total wine, yet accounts for more than twenty percent of the country’s premium wine. That extraordinary hit rate is why wine lovers travel from across the globe to taste here.
More Than 200 Wineries
Packed into a relatively compact coastal strip — roughly 100km long and 30km wide — are over 200 wineries, many of them small, family-run cellar doors. Distinct sub-regions like Wilyabrup, Yallingup and Karridale each bring their own character to the glass.
A Young but Storied Wine Region
The first commercial vineyards were planted only around 1967 after agronomist John Gladstones identified the area’s potential. In little over 50 years it has gone from farmland to one of the most respected wine regions on Earth.
A Maritime Climate
Cooled by the Indian and Southern Oceans, the region enjoys a mild, Mediterranean-style climate that lets grapes ripen slowly — preserving the acidity and elegance that define its Cabernet and Chardonnay.
A Global Biodiversity Hotspot
The surrounding South West is one of only 36 recognised biodiversity hotspots on the planet, home to towering karri forests, more than 100 limestone caves and thousands of wildflower species found nowhere else. Explore the blooms in our wildflowers of Margaret River guide.
Named After a Ship
The region takes its name from the Margaret River itself, believed to have been named in the 1830s in honour of Margaret Whicher, a cousin of an early explorer. The wider Capes region is bookended by two landmarks named by Dutch and French navigators — Cape Naturaliste in the north and Cape Leeuwin in the south — a reminder of the European mariners who charted this coast long before the vines arrived.
Wine Is Just the Start
For all its viticultural fame, only a fraction of visitors’ time is spent in cellar doors. The region draws surfers to world-class breaks like Surfers Point, cavers to show caves such as Lake, Mammoth and Jewel, and food lovers to its cheese, chocolate and marron. Whales pass between June and December, and spring turns the bush into a wildflower carpet — proof that the numbers only tell part of the story.
Ready for the real thing? Our small-group 3-day Margaret River wine tour from Perth includes six wineries, cave and wildflower tours, cheese tastings, meals and accommodation — from $850 per person. Call 1300 456 788 or book online today.
