How To: Keeping Teenagers Busy in the Margaret River Region

Thrill seeking is built into teenagers DNA, and there is plenty of that on offer via the high ropes courses at Forest Adventures South West in the otherwise tranquil Ludlow Tuart Forest just 10 minutes north of Busselton. These beautiful tall trees have been transformed into scalable mountains that harnessed thrill seekers can access some 500 metres of flying fox and zip line fun waaaay above ground. Instructors ensure it’s safe as houses, but that won’t lessen the frisson.

The inner claustrophobe might rebel just a little during the descent down into the depths of Ngilgi Cave, but the rewards are ample. Adolescent engagement is predicated on new experience, and the strange shapes, thin air and active stillness of the Ngilgi Cave offers rare access to an unusual subterranean world. With age-old significance to the region’s Aboriginal peoples and first seen by Europeans in 1899, the cave has become renowned for its stalagmite, helictite and shawl formations. Self-guided tours mean your teenagers can direct their own exploration, and photos are allowed to ensure capture of the all-important social media moment.

Combination adventures are one of the Margaret River Region’s great strengths – tours that allow a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Wine. Riding. Four-wheel driving. All About Margaret River is one such operator, with knowledge of the region that will help families eager to keep teenagers entertained without losing out on their own interests. Walks, winery tours and personalised tours are also on the agenda. Touch base and see what can be done.

Travelling in mixed family groups where teenagers are rubbing shoulders with younger siblings can make joint entertainment tricky. Next Level Monkey Business is a great antidote, with its system of zip lines, ropes and climbing courses designed to span ages from primary schooler all the way to adventurous adult. Younger kids might require adult supervision, but a compulsory safety course means older children and teens can handle themselves. There’s a café for refuels and, next door, Clancy’s Fish Pub is on standby for bigger appetites.

Bikes. Trails. The prospect of injury. Sounds like prime teen territory. If this is your teen ticket, then the Hairy Marron is the gateway. Paul Isles runs this bike sales and hire business from a picturesque perch on the banks of the Margaret River at the northern entrance to town. A handy spot, not just for the tree-shaded deck perfect for post-ride coffee and cake, but also for its position at the trailhead of the 10 Mile Brook dam, The Pines and Carters Road trails. Hire a bike, pump Paul for maps and info, and head out on two wheels to discover what is making the Margaret River Region an increasingly important destination on the Australian mountain bike tourism map.

Your teens love to hit the trails but you’d prefer a little bit of guidance by the experts? Look no further than Margaret River Mountain Bike Tours. Their customised tours offer the perfect mix of adventure, spectacular scenery and fun. Bring your own bike or use one of their supplied GIANT TRANCE Dual suspension 29ers or GIANT E Bikes. Catering to all fitness levels and ride abilities, Brooksey will make sure that your teens will have an awesome time on the trails, and that they will make it back in time for dinner.

Your teenagers are going to be too young to appreciate the Man From Snowy River flashbacks these beautiful Australian Stock Horses will inspire, but they will appreciate the thrill of going bush on horseback. The working equestrian farm of Jesters Flat in Rosabrook, a little east of the Margaret River township, is ground zero for teenage horse fanatics. Meet the horses online, talk to the experienced Jesters team about your riding competence level (everyone is catered for, from beginners through to the experienced) and work out which trail is for you: sunset, forest rides or even a five-day, four-night iconic Margaret River Region horse riding trek.

Summer at the beach equals free entertainment. The Margaret River Region has kilometres of untouched and low-key coastline, but rarely is isolation on the teen agenda. The pontoon at Prevelly’s Gnarabup Beach, just west of the Margaret River township, is a meeting spot for local and visiting kids (and adults!) engaged by the old-school appeal of a community pontoon anchored within reach of the jetty. The White Elephant café is there for lunch break – no soggy beach rolls, here – and even the most recalcitrant adolescent is sure to fall victim to the appeal of the pontoon jump.

For more organised fun book in with Stand Up Surfing, and the experienced guides will take teens out on the water for a lap of the bay.

It won’t matter how many times you’ve seen them, the wild Hamelin Bay stingrays are a thrill to get close to. Stand ankle deep in the waters to the left of the jetty and wait to spot the smooth glide as these local residents come past to check out whose feet occupy their waters. The tails, though, are real, and these are wild animals, however domesticated they appear. Enjoy the experience. Don’t feed them. And keep your distance. The natural world is the Margaret River Region’s most precious resource.