12 amazing things to do on WA's iconic South West Edge road trip

From swimming with dolphins in Bunbury to hunting for truffles around Manjimup, these are the best experiences on a road trip along The South West Edge.

Covering more than 1200 kilometres from Perth to Albany and onto Esperance and then back again, The South West Edge is one truly epic route. These are our top 12 things to see and do along the way.

1. Pose with the quokkas on Rottnest Island

The South West Edge begins and or ends in Perth so grab a camera, get down to quokka height and say “cheese". It’s not hard to find a furry friend to snap a selfie with, as there are more than 10,000 of the smiley little marsupials covering Rottnest Island. To be safe, head to the bakery’s alfresco area or the beachside Hotel Rottnest. While you’re there, grab a pint and soak up the sunshine while overlooking the calm water of Thomson Bay.

Quokka, Rottnest Island, West Australia, Australia

There are more than 10,000 of the smiley little marsupials covering Rottnest Island.

2. Swim with dolphins at the Dolphin Discovery Centre

Those with a soft spot for dolphins should make a beeline for Bunbury, where you can come within metres of the creatures on a fully guided dolphin swim. The team at the Dolphin Discovery Centre will kit you up with a drysuit and snorkelling gear before boating into Koombana Bay to find a pod. Slip into the water and watch them playfully swim around, clicking and whistling as they go.

Swimming with dolphins, Dolphin Discovery Centre, Bunbury, West Australia, Australia

Slip into the water and watch the dolphins swim around. (Image: Jake Wiltor)

3. Walk the length of the Busselton Jetty

At 1.8 kilometres, the Busselton Jetty is the southern hemisphere’s longest timber-piled jetty. Get a true feel for the magnitude of the pier with a casual stroll down to the ocean end; alternatively, tired legs can hop aboard the solar-powered jetty train. At the end you’ll find an underwater observatory, where you can watch fish and octopuses darting about the coral-covered pylons eight metres below the surface.

Landscape view of the Busselton Jetty, Perth, West Australia, Australia

The Busselton Jetty is the southern hemisphere’s longest timber-piled jetty.

4. Wine and dine in the Margaret River wine region

There are hundreds of cellar doors along The South West Edge, so it would be remiss to not stop by at least one (maybe five?) of them. Start where wine making began for the Margaret River region with a stop at Vasse Felix. Cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay are their main claims to fame, along with their restaurant winning the 2021 WA Good Food Guide Restaurant of the Year title. Other options worth considering include Leeuwin Estate (check out the art gallery as well), Voyager Estate (the gardens are a thing of beauty) or Swings and Roundabouts.

Gourmet Food, Margaret River, West Australia, Australia

The dining experience at Margaret River is superb.

5. Hunt for truffles in Manjimup

Manjimup sits at the heart of WA’s most prosperous farming region, its fertile soils bearing everything from creamy avocados to succulent cherries. The town is also truffle central. All gourmands should prioritise a visit to Manjimup, if for nothing else than hunting for your own chunk of black gold. Head out onto the farm with Truffle Hill or Australian Truffle Traders, then follow the truffle dogs between the oaks to unearth the world’s most expensive fungi.

Truffle dogs looking for truffles, Manjimup, West Australia, Australia

Follow the truffle dogs between the oaks to unearth the world’s most expensive fungi.

6. Walk the canopies of the giant tingle trees

It doesn’t get more peaceful than a wander through the canopies of Walpole’s giant tingle trees. Suspended 40 metres above the ground, the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk meanders its way through the ancient tingle forest, giving you exclusive access to a rarely seen angle of the towering plants. Complete the walk above before tackling the short forest-floor track to see them from below.

Valley of the Giants, Walpole Tree Top Walk, West Australia, Australia

Wander through the canopies of Walpole’s giant tingle trees.

7. Feel the adrenaline rush at The Gap and Natural Bridge

Get a birds-eye view of the churning Southern Ocean at The Gap in Albany. A cantilevered lookout platform juts 10 metres out into the natural granite channel, giving you the perfect view of the 40-metre high chasm. Feel the spray as the water surges in and smashes against the coastal granite. There’s a much drier and calmer experience at nearby Natural Bridge, a rock formation suspended over rushing whitewash.

The Gap, Albany, West Australia, Australia

Marvel at views of the Southern Ocean at The Gap in Albany.

8. Climb the Granite Skywalk

It’s hard to beat the view from the top of the 670-metre high Granite Skywalk. Hugging the upper edge of Castle Rock – a giant granite boulder atop a peak in Porongorup National Park – the skywalk looks out to the Albany coast in the south and Stirling Range to the north. You’ll face a rock scramble and ladder climb on the way up, but the challenge is worth it for the vista at the summit.

Granite Skywalk, South West Edge, WA, Australia

It’s hard to beat the view from the top of the 670-metre high Granite Skywalk. (Image: Scott Slawinski)

9. See wild orcas in Bremer Bay

Bremer Bay, a small town halfway between Albany and Esperance, is the only place in Australia you can see orcas in their natural habitat. A pod of more than 150 of the apex predators feeds on the rich marine life 37 kilometres offshore every January to April. Unlike the migrating humpback whales the orcas aren’t visible from shore, so the best way to see them is on an orca expedition with Naturaliste Charters.

Killer Whale Orca, Bremer Bay, WA, Australia

See wild orcas in Bremer Bay.

10. Meet Lucky Bay’s resident ’roos

Lucky Bay has sand so white and fine it squeaks underfoot, as well as water so clear it appears a brilliant shade of blue. It’s the stuff of a Maldivian dream. But the Esperance beach is world renowned for more than just its beauty, as it’s garnered a reputation for its friendly resident kangaroos too. Find them sunbathing on the beach from around mid-morning, and don’t be surprised if they come over for a closer look.

Kangaroos, Cape Le Grand National Park, Lucky Bay, West Australia, Australia

The kangaroos on Lucky Bay are ‘insta’ famous.

11. Fly over a bubblegum-pink lake off Esperance

Nature photographers – both green and established – will be tickled pink at a flyover of Lake Hillier, to the south-east of Esperance. The beta carotene-rich bubblegum-hued lake is on Middle Island, the largest of the 105 islands in the Recherche Archipelago. It’s quite the spectacle, flanked by lush green scrub, a white sandy bay and the deep blue Southern Ocean.

Pink lake, Lake Hillier, Esperance, West Australia, Australia

Be tickled pink at the sight of Lake Hillier.

12. Check out Hyden’s Wave Rock

Known as Katter Kich to the Noongar people of the south-west, Hyden’s Wave Rock is a feat of nature. The 15-metre high rock has been shaped by eroding winds and rain to appear like a breaking wave; its striped face is a product of mineral-rich water trickling down post-rain. It makes a striking landscape photo, but most can’t resist standing at the base, bracing themselves, and getting a snap ‘surfing’ the phenomenon.

Hyden Wave Rock, West Australia, Australia

Hyden’s Wave Rock is a feat of nature.

To plan your spectacular road trip visit The South West Edge or check out our Perth to Albany and beyond itinerary and Esperance to Perth.

This is wine redefined, from the sea floor to your glass.

Australia is known for its diverse wine regions that produce top drops in droves. We’re home to the best shiraz in the world and some of the coolest oenophile-approved experiences you can find. But this WA venture is taking it to new depths – literally. Welcome to Australia’s first underwater winery.

Underwater wine: how it works

It may be situated among Western Australia’s famed Margaret River wineries, but Subsea Estate doesn’t resemble your typical vineyard. Instead of unfolding across verdant hills, its cellar door can be found off the coast near the town of Augusta, where the Southern and Indian oceans meet.

The winery is hidden underwater off WA’s coast. (Image: Ryan Murphy)

A 20-metre dive below the ocean’s surface, the 413-hectare estate comprises specially crafted wine barrels anchored to the sea floor. It’s an intricately designed production process that is painstakingly adhered to by the team at Subsea, made up of leading wine pioneers from both Australia and abroad. But why? And what is the result?

The technique was first introduced by French company Winereef, which has spent over 17 years perfecting its world-first subsea winemaking operation. The concept posits that the ocean’s current and natural sway stirs the wine and keeps the yeast in suspension, which creates a secondary fermentation process.

Subsea Estate in Augusta, Western Australia

The wine barrels are secured to the sea floor by specialist divers.

Hydrostatic pressure, the weight produced by the water column pressing down on an object due to gravity, allows the yeast to produce flavour notes not available on land.

But it doesn’t stop there, because the ocean’s energy is constantly changing, and each batch produced is completely unique. The wines all have their own character, touched by Mother Nature in a different way and offering the truest expression of each season.

How to experience it for yourself

If you’re intrigued, you’re not the only one. Subsea Estate’s innovative winemaking process has attracted attention from across the country – which is why its cellar door is open to the public seven days a week. And no, you won’t be pairing your wine with a scuba suit.

The Subsea cellar door sits on Augusta Boat Harbour. (Image: Lauren Trickett)

Sitting pretty back on land in Augusta Boat Harbour, Subsea Estate invites guests to sip its one-of-a-kind creations with views of the ocean that nurtured them. While walk-ins are welcome, the best way to explore Subsea’s range is with a guided experience. Join a member of the team for a 90-minute Subsea Estate & Rare Foods Abalone and Wine Tour.

That’s right – not only is Subsea home to some of the world’s most innovative wines, it’s also in one of Australia’s top seaside towns for seafood. Your tour starts in the on-site abalone facility, where you’ll witness firsthand how these premium seafood delicacies are prepared for export. Guests can get up close to the tanks and even hold a live abalone if they wish.

Ocean-stirred wines are paired with fresh abalone. (Image: Lauren Trickett)

From there, you’ll be led to Subsea’s cellar door, where you can watch local fishermen return with their catch across Flinders Bay from the sunny deck. Not only will your host walk you through the entire winemaking process, but you’ll enjoy the results firsthand – paired perfectly with the fresh abalone from earlier.

The details

Subsea Estate is located in the town of Augusta, around a 3.5-hour drive south of Perth. The cellar door is open from Monday to Sunday, 9am–4pm. Bookings for the Subsea Estate & Rare Foods Abalone and Wine Tour are essential. The experience is priced at $89 per person and can accommodate groups of up to 15 people. While the tour allows for up to 1.5 hours, guests are encouraged to linger for as long as they please.

12 amazing things to do on WA’s iconic South West Edge road trip