Margaret River, Western Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Margaret River Western Australia
Town centre
Margaret River Location in Western Australia
Established	1913
Postcode(s)	6285
Elevation	100 m (328 ft)
Area	[convert: needs a number]
Location	277 km (172 mi) SSW of Perth 48 km (30 mi) SW of Busselton
LGA(s)	Shire of Augusta-Margaret River
State electorate(s)	Warren-Blackwood
Federal Division(s)	Forrest

Margaret River is a town in the South West part of Western Australia. It is located in a valley next to the Margaret River itself. The town is about 277 kilometers (172 miles) south of Perth, which is the state capital.

Margaret River is famous for its amazing surfing spots along the coast. People from all over the world come here to surf breaks like 'Main Break' and 'The Box'. Locals often call the area "Margs".

The land around the town is known as the Margaret River wine region. It's a popular place for making wine and for tourists to visit. About 500,000 visitors come to this area every year.

History of Margaret River

The town of Margaret River gets its name from the river it sits beside. It's thought that the river was named after Margaret Whicher in 1831. She was a cousin of John Bussell, who founded the nearby town of Busselton. The name first appeared on a map in 1839.

Before British settlers arrived, the Noongar people lived in this area. The first British settlers came around 1850. Logging, which is cutting down trees for wood, started around 1870.

By 1910, Margaret River had a hotel that also worked as a post office. Local groups asked for a town to be officially created. This happened in 1913. For a short time, from 1918 to 1927, the town was just called "Margaret." But because everyone still called it "Margaret River," the name was changed back.

After World War I, the government tried to get more people to move to Western Australia. This was part of a plan to create new farms. Many new settlers came to Margaret River during this time, starting in 1922.

In the early 1920s, a railway line was built connecting Busselton to Margaret River. Another line opened in 1925, going from Margaret River to Flinders Bay. A new road, called the Perimeter Road, was finished in 2019. It helps traffic, including large trucks, go around the town instead of through it.

Geography and Climate

Margaret River is located about 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) away from the Indian Ocean. It's roughly halfway between two capes: Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin.

The climate here is like a Mediterranean climate, with warm summers. The average rainfall is about 1130 millimeters (44 inches) each year. Most of the rain falls between May and August. During these months, it rains on about two out of three days.

Summers are warm and often sunny. Cool sea breezes usually blow in from the ocean. Because summers are dry and windy, there is always a high risk of bush fires.

Margaret River Wine Region

The Margaret River area is a very important wine region. As of 2008, it had nearly 55 square kilometers (21 square miles) of grapevines. There were also over 138 wineries.

Most of the wineries here are smaller, special producers. However, some are very large. Even though the region only makes about three percent of Australia's total grapes, it produces over 20 percent of Australia's best wines.

The region stretches about 100 kilometers (62 miles) from north to south. It is about 27 kilometers (17 miles) wide in some places. The climate is perfect for growing grapes. It's similar to the Bordeaux region in France during a dry year.

The main types of grapes grown here are red and white. These include Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, Shiraz, Merlot, Chenin blanc, and Verdelho. The good climate and soil help produce high-quality grapes with strong flavors. This makes Margaret River famous for its premium wines around the world.

Exploring the Caves

Mammoth Cave

There are hundreds of caves near Margaret River. All of them are found inside Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park. Six of these caves are open for people to visit.

One of the most famous is Mammoth Cave. It has many different rooms and is about 21 kilometers (13 miles) south of town. Inside, you can find fossils that are over 35,000 years old.

European settlers first found Mammoth Cave in 1850. It has been open to the public since 1904. You can explore the cave with a self-guided audio tour. It is also one of the few caves in Australia that has some access for people with disabilities.

The other five caves open to visitors are Jewel Cave, Lake Cave, Ngilgi Cave, Calgardup Cave, and Giants Cave. Many other caves can be explored by experienced cavers if they have a special permit.

Surfing Hotspots

The Margaret River area is known for its many surf breaks. There are about 75 different spots along 130 kilometers (81 miles) of coastline. Big surfing competitions usually happen at Margarets Main Break, also called Surfers Point. This spot is near Prevelly, where the Margaret River meets the ocean.

The surf breaks stretch from the eastern side of Cape Naturaliste down to just south of Cape Hamelin. Even though many websites call the whole area the "Margaret River" surfing area, the waves and conditions change along the coast.

The Cowaramup Bombora (or "Cow Bombie") is a big wave surf break. It is about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) offshore. This spot creates one of the largest waves in Australia.

Education in Margaret River

The town of Margaret River has four primary schools: Margaret River Primary School, Rapids Landing Primary School, Margaret River Montessori School, and St Thomas More Catholic Primary School. There is also one high school, Margaret River Senior High School. All the schools are in the town, except for Rapids Landing Primary School, which is in the Rapids Landing suburb.

Cultural Events

The WSL Margaret River Pro is a big surfing competition held every May. Professional surfers from all over the world come to compete. The CinefestOZ film festival also holds several events in the region each year in late August.

Margaret River in the Media

The TV channel Arte-TV made an episode of Nouveaux paradis about Margaret River. This 2008 documentary showed interviews with tourists, surfers, and people who watch dolphins.

Margaret River was also featured in the 1966 documentary film The Endless Summer. In 2013, many local people were in the film Drift. The movie starred Sam Worthington, and many surfing scenes were filmed at local surf breaks like Grunters and Main Break.

See also

In Spanish: Margaret River para niños