3-day family holiday in Augusta

Blackwood River Houseboats

Wake up on the water for a one-of-a-kind stay with Blackwood River Houseboats. You’ll be completely immersed in this thriving waterway, surrounded by bush walks and birdlife, the odd dolphin and, of course, enough private fishing spots to poke a rod at. The houseboats are fully self-contained, complete with a functioning kitchen (in which to cook up your catch) and front and rear decks for relaxation.

Hamelin Bay Holiday Park

Situated directly on the bay, Hamelin Bay Holiday Park puts you on the doorstep of a relaxed and photogenic beach. Soak in the views of the turquoise shallows, get your boat on the water for some sunset fishing or show off your barbecue skills. Don’t worry if you forget the bait or snacks for the kids, the on-site kiosk has you covered. The cabins keep things easy, but camping is just as fun, with plenty of shady sites under the peppermint trees. Head south to Cosy Corner and you’ll find even more coastline to explore. Keep an eye out for the wild stingrays cruising through the shallows and give them plenty of space to glide by in peace.

Wisteria Cottage Augusta

Set on 13 acres of peaceful bushland just 10 kilometres from Augusta, Wisteria Cottage is a tranquil stay close to local favourites like Jewel Cave and Hamelin Bay. Kids will love meeting the resident ducks, chickens and dogs! The cottage offers a cosy home-away-from-home feel, with extra sleeping space via a sofa bed in the lounge. Nature lovers will appreciate the birdlife, spring blossoms and the wisteria in bloom.

Molloy Hideaway Holiday Park

About 15 kilometres north-east of Augusta, peaceful Molloy Hideaway Holiday Park is nestled on the banks of the Blackwood River, right next to Molloy Island. Here, the whole family can relax in a natural bush setting among native wildlife. Little and grown-up travellers will be kept busy water skiing, fishing, kayaking/canoeing and paddleboarding. Depending on what works best for your family, book a cottage, cabin, chalet or camping site.

Jay’s Beach House by Private Properties

Jay’s Beach House boasts two storeys with bay views and plenty of natural light. Holidays here start with the sound of waves and long sips of coffee on the balcony, drift into sandy adventures spent in rock pools, on the boat or paddling down the Blackwood River, and end with board games and grazing dinners.

Ease into breakfast on the Augusta Foreshore with The Colourpatch Cafe & Bar. You can sit back and relax with a cup of coffee and enjoy a view of the Blackwood River, and the Patch Pancakes with banana, caramel and vanilla ice cream are a hit for kids and adults alike.

Then, for a change of pace, jump on a solar-powered electric quad bike and head off on a guided tour through the Boranup Forest with EcoAdventures Margaret River. You will see a side of the region that most visitors never see, and driving along on a whisper-quiet bike will connect you to both nature and your adventurous side.

This area is also abundant in million-year-old limestone caves. Drive south from Boranup Forest for a one-hour guided tour at Jewel Cave and top up your energy with the on-site Deepdene Cafe, or head north for a self-guided audio tour at Mammoth Cave.

For lunch, stop at the rustic Karridale Tavern, where the outdoor tables are crafted from giant karri stumps. Karridale was once a thriving hub thanks to its timber trade, and the tavern keeps that buzz alive today. Generous pub-style servings mean no one goes hungry here.

If you’ve got time, check out the Margaret River Sculpture Park, where the interactive ‘Giants Garden’ houses dozens of wooden sculptures. Some are up to four metres tall, and all were handcrafted with a chainsaw. Alternatively, wander along Blackwood Avenue, Augusta’s main street, shopping for gifts at places like Flinders Collective, then head about 200 metres north to the Augusta Historical Museum to explore its displays.

Take a late-afternoon walk along Jay’s Beach, where the land hugs the ocean, providing a sanctuary for the whales that migrate through each year. The Hardy Inlet and Blackwood River are home to plenty of fragile wildlife, including birds, stingrays and dolphins, all enjoying the shallow and protected waters.

Enjoy dinner on the deck at the Augusta Hotel, looking out over the river and ocean as the sun goes down.

After breakfast, head for a swim at sheltered Flinders Bay, which is also known for whale watching between late May and early August, when the Western Australian coastline becomes a highway for migrating humpback and southern right whales. If you’re visiting during this period, Naturaliste Charters, Whale Watch Western Australia and All Sea Charters offer open-ocean adventures to see the bay from a different perspective. Tucked into Flinders Bay, 200 metres south of the jetty, lies Granny’s Pool, which provides calm, shallow water surrounded by a natural rock wall.

From here, head down to the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, at the most south-westerly point of mainland Australia, where the Indian and Southern Oceans meet. The lighthouse is the tallest on mainland Australia and was painstakingly built from local limestone. Visit the award-winning interpretive centre, set in one of the original lightkeepers’ cottages, and learn about the harsh realities for families living in this isolated place between 1896 and 1992. Grab some lunch, tea or light refreshments at the lighthouse’s Leeuwin Bean Café. Like the lighthouse, the scones are an attraction in their own right.

After lunch, head to the nearby Water Wheel, roughly a 300-metre walk north from the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse car park. Fed by a natural spring, the wheel was used to pump water to the lightkeepers’ cottages. It wasn’t until 1978 that the cottages were connected to Augusta’s town water supply. The 135-kilometre Cape to Cape Track starts at the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse and passes by the Water Wheel. For a short, scenic return walk, head from the Water Wheel to Quarry Bay, an easy walk of just over one kilometre. You’ll walk past colossal granite rocks, rock pools and coastal bushland. If you visit in spring, you’ll be welcomed by wildflowers tucked among the peppermint trees.

Cast a line this afternoon on a guided tour with Augusta Wild Fish Tours. With all the equipment, local knowledge and fishing expertise provided, you can simply relax and enjoy the experience, whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned angler.

Grab breakfast at the Augusta Bakery, then head to the Ellis Street Jetty to cruise the lower Blackwood River on the Dolphin Discoverer with Augusta River Tours. Glide past shallows, sandbanks and river islands where black swans, pelicans and cormorants feed, and keep an eye out for the resident bottlenose dolphins, which often play in the boat’s wake. Private tours, sundowners and parties are also available.

Head to Glenarty Road in Karridale, a fifth-generation family property of vines, pastures, fruit trees and grazing sheep, where there are a few ways to experience the farm. Take a guided farm walk followed by a seasonal set menu in the farmhouse kitchen on ‘Paddock to Plate’, taste up to 10 wines with a roaming feast on ‘Vino in the Vines’ (October to May), or wander through the vines and pastures on ‘Raised Regeneratively’ to see how food is grown and raised on the farm.

On the way back into town, stop in at Hamelin Bay Wines for a few final sips. Set on a peaceful valley slope overlooking the vines, a lake and rolling hills fringed by karri forest, the cellar door pours estate single-vineyard, small-batch wines, with a restaurant on site if anyone’s still hungry.

If a gin and tonic is more your thing, head to Wild Lot Distillery instead. This family-run distillery crafts small-batch gin from hand-picked botanicals and orchard fruits. While you’re enjoying your tastings, the kids are kept busy building Lego, spotting birds or running off some energy in the spacious garden. Top tip: get a seasonal grazing board to share if anyone is still peckish, and you’re all set for the drive back.

When the trip home comes around, take your time travelling north through the Margaret River Region. You may even start thinking about extending your stay a little longer, which is understandable when you’re in a place like this. If that’s you, check out some inspiration for Margaret River, Cowaramup & Gracetown, Dunsborough & Yallingup and Busselton.