The gastronomic delights of Margaret RIver

Trip Start Jun 15, 2008

Trip End Jun 15, 2009

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Flag of Australia Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia
Saturday, November 15, 2008

We had been in Perth For nearly two months and had done far too much work and far too little touristy activities. We wanted to get out and see some of Western Australia but this place is so big it would take us a year to explore it all. It was decided we would rent a car and get away for the weekend. Numerous places were looked at as our destination. We had the pinnacles to the north, with its dessert and amazing coast line. We had Wave rock to the east, a massive rock 150 m long and 15 m high that looks like a (You guessed it) wave, or we had Margaret river to the south of Perth with its vineyards, cheese factories, chocolate factories and deli's. As you Can imagine the decision was quite tough(Not) but in the end the wine, food, chocolate and more wine, food and chocolate won out.

Margaret river (Situated on the Margaret river - How clever?) is a small town about 300km south of Perth

outside chocolate factory

. It is surrounded by vineyards, vineyards and more vineyards dotted with the odd cheese factory and chocolate factory. All of western Australia has been too Margaret river in their lives and for good reason. The food is delicious and the wine is even better.

We only had two days to experience everything Margaret river had to offer. The cheese factory was our first stop. I was expecting a tour of the factory, being able to see the cheese being churned and perhaps even giving a helping hand. I walk expectantly into the shop and straight up the cashier "Where do the tours start from?" I ask. "There are no tours" says the cashier, "There is a window over there that you can look into the factory through, but the factory closes for the weekend". "WHAT!" I think " I have traveled half way round the world to see some cheese being made and the factory CLOSES for the weekend!". So that was that a little dejected I decide to comfort myself with the free samples. Cheddar cheese with pepper corns, chili cheese, soft cheese, aged cheddar, more cheddar cheese with peppercorns, more cheddar cheese with peppercorns. I eventually give in to buying some after the women refilling the free samples gives me a very dirty look. Back in the car, delighted with my free fill of cheese we head onto the chocolate factory.

As I enter the Chocolate factory I tell myself to pace myself. There is no point in just taking free samples for the sake of it. But As i spot the three massive bowls of Chocolate buttons(One white, one milk chocolate and one dark chocolate) all my good intentions are lost. The chocolate was glorious- too glorious.

Nest stop was the vine yard with a deli

Vineyard and deli

. Again as I enter I tell myself to take it easy on the sampling. Inside the deli there is jar after jar or pickles, dips, jams, spreads, sauces. All calling out to me. My gut is starting to grumble as if to say "Dude, seriously enough with the sampling, I'm not feeling great" My conscious starts to reason with me like a cop would reason with a man about to jump off the roof of a building, "Don't do it john, Its not worth it"it says. "AH screw it" I think "Why not?"

After the deli we made our way to our hotel in the center of town, and just in the nick of time because with 40 different varieties of food in my stomach I had started to feel UN well much to Caroline's delight. You see thats the problem with these free samples, you can just never say "NO".

Thankfully after a nap I was all better.

Our second day In Margaret River was spent exploring the caves in the surrounding area. We went to Mammoth cave, where you are equipped with headphones and let free to roam the caves with a running commentary fed to you through the headphones. It really was amazing walking through them, trying to imagine what it would have been like for the first explorers in the huge cave.

After the caves we Had to start making our way back towards Perth, but not without a stop in Busselton, which is home to a jetty which is nearly two Km long, The longest wooden structure in the souther hemisphere. Although the Jetty is in need of repair it was still amazing to see.

Margaret river was absolutely amazing and I would highly recommend it to anyone.