Margaret River and Augusta

Trip Start Sep 22, 2008
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Trip End Feb 01, 2009


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Flag of Australia  , Western Australia,
Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Margaret River is one of those places that you just shouldn't miss, even if, like us, you're not wine connoisseurs. We visited the chocolate factory where we sampled white, milk and dark chocolate buds. Even though the chocolate is not as lovingly made (nor as nice) as Lyn's @ Kiama Cacao, we didn't leave there empty handed!

Just 300m down the road is Margaret River Providores, where we tasted all kinds of salad dressings, jams, tapenades, coulis, relishes and cheeses. Outside is a large vegetable garden which the company uses in the items it sells and in the restaurant. Diners are invited to sit on the verandah overlooking the vineyard. We could have spent the entire day in that one place!

A visit to Augusta was a must, as a signpost at Cape Leeuwin divides two great oceans: the Southern Ocean to the south and the Indian Ocean to the west. Cape Leeuwin also marks the most south-westerly point of Australia.

We'd heard of another series of caves in this area; Jewel, Mammoth and Lake Cave. Lake Cave was our choice, as the stream flowing inside it and the moisture means that the formations in this cave are still growing. It was quite a small, yet spectacular cave. The guide explained that the opening of this cave is via another collapsed cave which scientists estimate probably occurred around 700 years ago. They can be fairly accurate as they estimate the age of the Karri trees that are now growing in the crater. We've included a photo of cave decorations that have now blackened with exposure to the elements after the cave collapsed.
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