Through The Lens: Wander Out Yonder

Winter can provide an abundance of entertainment for the hungry adventurist to gorge on.

Take the back road, get lost in the unconventional, and wander out yonder. A group of Western Australian photographers recently spent a winter’s holiday ‘down south’ and took the time to engage in the region with dedicated curiosity. The result is a collection of images that capture the essence of winter in Margaret River.

Get to the heart of what makes Margaret River beat during winter, through the lens of photographers Zac White, Rachel Claires, and Jinna Yang.

Long Table Lunch

Al fresco dining in winter. Yes. It can happen. Spoilt with a sunny winter day at Ellensbrook Homestead on Mokidup, a long table welcomed guests on the green grass beside the historical site. Wadandi Cultural Custodian, Zac Webb described the significance of Mokidup – a stunning piece of land home to the region’s first ‘accommodation’. Cape Lodge head chef, Tony Howell cooked a four-course meal including truffle butter with home-baked sourdough, marron tortellini, slow cooked roo tail, and truffle ice cream. Sky above and ground below – the location proved the icing on the cake.

Dinner with Friends

In the kitchen, around a wooden table with friends, the best meals are had. On this trip, friends gathered at a big homestead in Rosabrook – Moonrise Farmhouse. Drinks were shared as guest chefs conjured up their creations. An open fire metres from the dining table, craft beer and local wine flowing as freely as the conversation. Outside a glamping tent set up for talking into the night.

Something New

Winter can provide an abundance of entertainment for the hungry adventurist to gorge on. There are art workshops by a pot belly, a horse-and-cart turned sauna, allowing a winter’s dip in the ocean seem less terrifying when the warmth and smell of Finnish cedar-wood beckons, and there are caves hidden deep below the Boranup forest – a place full of ancient stories only half discovered.

Swirl and Sip

The Margaret River region is about beaches, art, good things to eat, and of course – wine. Winter means appreciating the quality and variations of wines on offer – but particularly the hero varietals – chardonnay and cabernet.