"Keeweechic's Margaret ..." a Margaret River Travel Page by keeweechic

Margaret River is about 270km south of Perth. Over the years it has become quite a tourist spot in the summer months especially with surfers, hiker and in general families getting away for some leisure activities. There are quite a few spectacular caves in the area to explore, some beautiful walks through the national parks and of course the wineries - a huge attraction to the area. Cape Lavender is also a winery with a difference. Other than the great wines and lavender products, the Lavender gardens are reported to be one of the biggest collections in Australia with some 100 varieties on display. Other attractions in the area also include the Metricup Bird Park and the Wardan Aboriginal Cultural Centre.

The town and river were originally named after Margaret Wyche - a cousin of John Garrett Bussell who was the founder of Busselton in 1831. The earliest settlement here was in the 1850's when the area was used for timber cutting. By 1910, there was a post office and a hostel operating here. After World War I, the town really began to flourish. The Group Settlement Scheme was set up to try and attract migrants to Western Australia and open up the good rural land. In 1922 over 100 settlers had moved to the district.