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Perth and the Margaret River
Margaret River beach
As well as being the perfect antidote to a miserably grey and chilly winter at home, the southwest corner of Australia adds a good measure of amazing food and wine to its stock of spectacular beaches.
Days 1 and 2
fresco concerts as its superb wines; and one of the oldest, Vasse Felix, first planted in 1967 by an Irishman and one of several with an excellent restaurant. Your home from home is Moondance Lodge which has eight sumptuous suites decorated with Jim Thompson Thai silks, lots of timber and original art pieces, and a landscape of 33 acres devoted to gardens, natural bush and a fruit orchard (yours for the picking). Price from £487 including arrival transfers, 4 days' car hire and 5 nights' accommodation including breakfast. When to go October to May.
Perth
region that looks a bit like a hammerhead and stretches for 100km between a pair of capes. There are two amazing reasons why you've come this way. One is the coast, where sensational white sand beaches meet the opal and cobalt waters of the Indian Ocean. There's scarcely a building to spoil the picture, scarcely a body shadowing the sand. Why so neglected? It's a long, long way away for most Australians, let alone Poms. The other reason is wine. The region's 80 boutique wineries now produce just over 3% of the country's wine but a quarter of its premium plonk, including its top chardonnays and semi-finalist cabernets. For an interesting cross-section of vineyards we suggest you visit the most opulent, the Cape Dutch-styled Voyager estate, Leeuwin's, which is almost as famous for its art gallery and staging al
Check into the chic, French-flavoured Outram, centrally located and close to Kings Park and several trendy restaurants. The weather in this two-strawberry-cropsa year climate should be superb - Perth residents reckon on venturing indoors during their summer only to use the lavatory! Dress as you would for Southern California, advises one guidebook, then remove one or two garments.
Days 3, 4 and 5
The Margaret River
After picking up your car, you basically point south, driving for three or so hours through mostly flat, parched and uneventful bushland before you hit the jackpot. Margaret River is several things: a river, an arty, foodie little town and a
Voyager Estate
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