Tag Archive for: Margaret River

Discover the mystical Mammoth Cave at Margaret River

HIDDEN beneath the forests and rolling vineyards of Margaret River lies an ancient underground world shaped over thousands of years.

From the vast chambers of Mammoth Cave to the crystal reflections of Lake Cave and the towering formations of Jewel Cave, this remarkable cave region offers one of Western Australia’s most fascinating natural experiences.

These subterranean landscapes are more than geological wonders. They hold ancient fossils, dramatic limestone formations, and stories dating back thousands of years.

Join us as we journey beneath the surface to explore some of the most breathtaking caves in Margaret River.

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Mammoth Cave Margaret River

Mammoth Cave: A Self-Guided Odyssey

Mammoth Cave, nestled just a short drive south of Margaret River in Western Australia, stands as a testament to the Earth’s profound history.

It beckons with its unique allure, thanks in part to its audio self-guiding system. This innovative approach allows visitors to immerse themselves in the cavern’s captivating mysteries at their own pace.

But what lies beneath the surface of Mammoth Cave is a treasure trove of prehistoric secrets.

Lake Cave: A Pristine Subterranean Paradise

Mammoth Cave Margaret River

Directly below Cave Works, Lake Cave awaits, a pristine chamber hidden deep within the Earth’s embrace.

Upon descending the staircase, a tranquil lake that mirrors delicate formations of breathtaking beauty greets visitors.

Towering karri trees loom overhead, evoking the primaeval splendour of a lost world.

Lake Cave emerges as one of Western Australia’s most enchanting natural wonders, a serene sanctuary beneath the earth’s surface.

Jewel Cave: Nature’s Grand Masterpiece

Jewel Cave stands as a testament to nature’s grandeur, challenging the very laws of scale.

As visitors venture into its lofty chambers, a spectacle of intricate decorations and sheer magnitude unfolds before their eyes.

Within its depths, one can marvel at one of the world’s longest straw stalactites found in any tourist cave.

Nature’s artistic prowess is on full display in Jewel Cave, a majestic underground realm that dwarfs all who enter.

Giant Trees: Guardians of the Subterranean Realm

The journey beneath Margaret River’s surface is not complete without acknowledging the guardians of this subterranean realm—karri and marri trees.

These towering giants dominate the surrounding forest, creating an enchanting backdrop for the caves.

Karri trees, reaching up to 90 meters in height, stretch across the landscape in a breathtaking display.

Their smooth, multi-coloured bark shifts with maturity, while white blossoms in spring add a touch of ethereal beauty to the forest.

Marri trees, belonging to the “bloodwood” group, contribute their unique essence to the ecosystem.

Their resin, oozing from rough, fibrous bark, plays a vital role, especially during late summer.

Local vignerons depend on marri flowering to divert birds away from their ripening grapes, making these trees an unexpected saviour for winemakers.

Towering karri trees near Mammoth Cave Margaret River.

Mammoth Stream: Nature’s Sculptor

Mammoth Stream, a seemingly unassuming waterway, played a pivotal role in creating Mammoth Cave’s stunning underground expanse.

Collecting drainage from the adjacent Nindup Plain, it embarks on a westward journey towards the sea.

However, its path is not without challenges. The limestone barrier known as the Leeuwin Naturaliste Ridge stands in its way.

Yet, the stream’s tannin-stained, acidic waters have a unique power—they dissolve the limestone, carving channels that allow the stream to flow through the ridge.

Mammoth Cave is a testament to the stream’s sculpting prowess, shaped over millennia.

Mesmerising journey through time

Mammoth Cave and its neighbouring underground wonders, Lake Cave and Jewel Cave, offer a mesmerising journey through time, nature, and geology.

In the heart of Margaret River, these caves unveil the Earth’s secrets, from ancient fossils to towering karri trees.

As we explore these subterranean realms, they remind us of the wonders that lie beneath the surface, waiting to be discovered and cherished.

How to get there

Margaret River Region in Australia’s southwest region of Western Australia. For more information and bookings, visit Margaret River Attractions


Stay, Explore & Travel Well

Planning a Margaret River escape? These trusted travel partners may help make the journey a little smoother from accommodation and car hire to travel gear and insurance.

🏨 Stay in Comfort with Oaks Hotels

Whether you’re beginning your Western Australia road trip in Perth or planning a city stay before heading south to Margaret River, Oaks offers stylish apartment-style accommodation with plenty of space to unwind.

🚗 Road Trip Freedom with Hertz Australia

The best way to explore Margaret River’s caves, forests and coastline is at your own pace. A hire car makes it easy to discover hidden beaches, wineries and scenic stops along the way.

✈️ Travel with Confidence via AllClear Travel Insurance

Travel insurance can provide peace of mind when plans change unexpectedly, particularly for travellers with pre-existing medical conditions.

🎒 Smart Travel Gear from BagSmart Australia

From organised carry-ons to lightweight travel accessories, BagSmart products are designed to make road trips and weekend escapes feel a little less chaotic.

  • Jocelyn Magazine may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases or bookings made through affiliate links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting independent Australian publishing.

First published 2023. Updated 10 May 2026.

Add some Western Australia culture to your bucket list

WESTERN Australia is a vast and beautiful part of the world, with plenty to offer travellers looking for new cultural experiences.

From bustling city life to countryside exploration and everything in between, Western Australia has something for everyone.

Here are nine new cultural experiences you can enjoy in Western Australia.

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1. Perth’s Van Gough exhibition

One of the most visited multi-sensory experiences in the world is coming to Perth this autumn from May 27 to July 3, 2022.

Van Gogh Alive is an immersive, multi-sensory art experience that turns the life and works of the post-impressionist artist into a larger-than-life experience using large-scale projections, an ambient soundscape, dazzling lights and fragrance.

The exhibition will take place at the Supreme Court Gardens in Perth’s CBD in a specially designed and constructed 25,000-square-foot immersive gallery, which will display over 3,000 images beamed across walls, floors and ceilings.

Tickets for this limited edition season are available to purchase through https://vangoghalive.com.au/perth/

2. Street mural that will take your breath away

An incredible new street mural is brightening up the wall of Perth’s iconic all-inclusive venue, The Court Hotel.

Located in the cultural hub of Northbridge, opposite the new Western Australia Museum Boola Bardip, the colourful artwork represents the diversity of Perth’s LGBTQIA+ community.

Created by world-renowned Fremantle-based artist Jackson Harvey, the thematic direction of the artwork was created after a series of workshops and consultations with the local LGBTQIA+ community.

Colour features strongly in the design, as well as a two-storey-sized unicorn, as the colours of each specific community flag are depicted in a stunning scene of flora and fauna.

The mural design also aims to speak to the local history of the all-inclusive venue and the community, by incorporating the building’s existing Pride Flag into the mural. https://www.thecourt.com.au/

3. The Beaufort opens in Mount Lawley

The Beaufort is a new multi-level, state-of-the-art hospitality venue that has opened its doors on the vibrant Beaufort Street strip in the city-fringing suburb of Mount Lawley.

Taking over a former 1950s warehouse space, the $10 million venue is the second hospitality project from the award-winning team behind The Old Synagogue in Fremantle. Set over three levels, The Beaufort offers patrons multiple venues to explore.

The ground floor features an outdoor beer and wine garden, which leads upstairs to the second level, the heart of the building and the main bar and dance floor area, which surrounds the central tiered jungle.

Further upstairs is a large rooftop terrace space known as the Candy Bar, and hidden within the depths of the building is a concealed speakeasy called Cypher – which plays live music each night and has one of the largest spirit collections in Perth.

The venue is also home to Lotus—a modern south-east Asian restaurant serving a unique sharing style menu that is also set over three levels.
https://www.thebeaufort.com.au/

4. Hi-Fi Listening Bar opens in Northbridge, Western Australia

Perth has recently welcomed the opening of its first hi-fi record listening bar—Astral Weeks.

Located down an alleyway in Northbridge’s Chinatown Precinct, the former herbalist’s shop has been transformed into a 60-seat vinyl-based listening bar.

The hand-built Line Magnetic hi-fi system sits mounted behind the bar, with the venue’s interiors designed to enhance the acoustics experience—with insulated ceilings, carpeted floors and acoustics panels on the walls.

The drinks menu includes a selection of lo-fi wines, craft beers, spirits and sake served by bartenders who are all either musicians or DJs, and who have also curated the bar’s vast vinyl record collection.
https://astral-weeks.com.au/

5. Mandurah brewery and distillery makes waves

The coastal city of Mandurah, located just an hour south of Perth’s CBD, has recently welcomed the opening of its first microbrewery and distillery, with both venues taking advantage of the city’s idyllic waterside setting.

Boundary Island Brewery is on the water’s edge at the Mandurah Quay Resort and overlooks the stunning Peel Estuary and its namesake, Boundary Island.

The venue is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and offers a range of speciality pizzas prepared in a state-of-the-art pizza oven.

Mandurah Cruises has also launched a new tour to connect its iconic dolphin experience straight to the brewery.

Little Stiller is on the Mandurah Terrace, overlooking the Mandurah Estuary, and produces four specially crafted gins and two vodkas, distilled onsite using locally sourced botanicals.

The boutique venue offers a Little Stiller tasting plate experience, as well as a range of classic cocktails with a fun twist.

A selection of bao buns is on the menu for those feeling hungry, as well as sharing-style offerings.

6. Exclusive wine experience at Margaret River, Western Australia

Gralyn Estate in the renowned Margaret River region of Western Australia has recently reopened its original underground cellar door to offer a new intimate and premium wine tasting experience.

Gralyn Estate was the first winery in the region to open a cellar door in 1978, and the original cellar door had been closed to the public for many years since a new modern cellar door was built upstairs.

Wine lovers now have the opportunity to go behind the scenes and be treated to the rare opportunity to taste museum wines dating back to 1980 in a small group setting.

During the 90-minute experience guests will taste a selection of cornerstone varietals, namely chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon, or premium fortified wines, including the Artizan Rare Muscat which was just recently received the prestigious accolade of ‘Wine of the Year’ at the 2022 London Wine Competition.

The tasting’s hero wine will then be sealed and recorked for guests to take home. https://gralyn.com.au/

7. Beerfarm brews up its next special edition native series

Beerfarm brewery in the Margaret River region of Western Australia has released a special edition Native Series of brews, a Quandong and Samphire Gose.

The Beerfarm brewers worked alongside Fervor, a regional pop-up dining experience that sources local produce presented in unique locations, and Badgebup Aboriginal Corporation (BAC) to source the ingredients for the eighth edition of the Native Series.

BAC is a small community in Western Australia’s Great Southern region in Goreng Country.

The country that surrounds Badgebup is plentiful with Quandong trees and fresh Samphire from the saline wetlands, which were used to produce the special edition sour brew.

Native Series #8 Quandong & Samphire Gose is available to purchase from the brewery, as well as select bottle shops.
https://www.beerfarm.com.au/

8. Corvo opens in Claremont

Taking over the former Billie H in the Claremont Quarter precinct in Western Australia, Corvo is a European-inspired bar and kitchen.

The owner and sommelier have spent time with Marco Pierre White, and the chef has spent time in a Michelin-starred restaurant in Europe.

The space is designed for wining and dining, with a seasonal European-style menu featuring fine local produce, and a wine list of almost 300 selections, as well as cocktails, beers and bar snacks.
https://corvobar.com.au/

9. European-inspired bar and restaurant you’ll love

A popular venue in Perth’s city-fringing suburb of Subiaco has recently reopened with a new bar and restaurant offering.

Dilly Dally has undergone a major refurbishment, with Bar Loiter opening at the back of the venue.

The new Italian-inspired bar and restaurant offer seated dining, a long wine table, plus an alfresco space, which was created by removing parts of the roof during the renovation.

Bar Loiter offers a menu of house-made Italian share plates, alongside a drinks selection of cocktails, wine and craft beer on tap.
https://www.dillydally.com.au/bar-loiter/

 

 

So if you’re looking for a cultural experience that’s a little different from the norm, Western Australia is worth checking out.

With so many new Western Australian attractions on offer, you’re sure to find something that piques your interest.

And who knows—maybe you’ll even become a regular visitor!

Western Australia - vineyard

Vineyards in Western Australia are worth checking out!

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