Australia 2020: South to Margaret River

Driving in Oz was a very different experience as the drivers actually respect the speed limit, in that they all drive at the speed limit so it is rather like being in a perpetual average speed camera zone. Actually, it’s all because they fear and respect the traffic police so much who take no prisoners so to speak. Nick has never been breathalysed in his life but was twice here at random police checkpoints. One at 11 am!

Staying just outside the town centre in our little cabin nestling in a produce filled garden, we cooked up massive fresh, raw prawns on our first evening and enjoyed the sunshine.

Our first outing was a mountain biking tour with “Dirty Detours “, a pleasantly easy ride through level woodlands, first to a local coffee roaster for a coffee tasting,

Surely the most impressive coffee machine ever

Then to the Stella Bella winery, a small scale producer then Xanadu on a larger scale and finally the classy Cape Mentelle.

Back to the cabin to cook great locally sourced pumpkin ravioli, the local produce was just so good. Generally,we probably self catered on this trip more than any other as we increasingly avoid hotels for Air B&B's.

Next stop was a car based tour with “Discovery Margaret River Tours" (previous guests had been Jeremy Clarkson etc ) which mixed up some wine tasting with kayaking and some hiking.

The “active” pursuits were fairly gentle, The day was more about touring the stunning countryside, of the coast and vineyards and listening to our host talk about the area. Generally, a lovely place to live with a real sense of community.