Top Towns for 2022: Where to eat, stay and play in Denmark

By Fleur Bainger
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This artsy town is tucked into a tall-tree forest just over 4.5 hours’ drive from Perth, and comes in at 31 on your list of Top 50 Aussie Towns.

Find the complete list of the Top 50 Aussie Towns here.

Where to brunch

Breakfast is served all day, every day at Mrs Jones Cafe, in what used to be the town’s butter factory. Secure a table in the garden, then wander around the adjoining art gallery while you wait for delights to arrive.

Where to craft

No, not the arts – Boston Brewing Co.’s brewpub is home to handcrafted beers worthy of the drive out of town. Bring the family and grab a shaded picnic table on the grass, in view of the large playground and sandpit.

Boston Brewing Co people drinking in a vineyard

Enjoy a brew with a vineyard view. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Where to bike

A purpose-built cycle trail edges along the clifftops looming over Lights Beach – the views are expansive and the traffic minimal. You can walk it, but only if you’re willing to react quickly if cyclists come flying along. Look down over glittering rockpools, the safest spots to swim along this rugged stretch of ocean.

Where to explore

Elephant Rocks, 100 metres to the left of showstopper Greens Pool, is just as magical yet half as busy. Follow the trail to rounded granite boulders that resemble a herd of elephants (only way bigger), then trot down steps to a narrow gap between rocks.

Walk assertively through it the moment the sea sucks out, and you’ll make it to a private beach without getting your shorts wet.

Elephant Rock, South West, Western Australia

These giant granite boulders that resemble a herd of elephants lumbering out to sea. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Where to picnic

Throw down a rug, bring sandwiches and treat yourself to the breathtakingly good chardonnay at Singlefile Wines. The estate encourages BYO picnics on the grass, in view of the line of geese that roam, in single file, around the verdant vineyard.

Where to be mindful

Find peace some 40 metres high, in the canopy of 400-year-old tingle trees. The Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk, 40 minutes’ drive from Denmark, rises gradually via soaring suspended steel bridges that sway in the breeze. Pause, breathe and be present.

Looking above the trees at Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk

Tackle the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk while in Denmark. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Where to roam

Strap in for an hour of visual marvels along the Mt Shadforth scenic drive. Let your eyes wander over stretches of leafy vines, up undulating hills and across verdant farmland, with the moody Stirling Ranges and Porongurup granite boulders on the horizon.

Where to stay

Soak in a custom concrete bath surrounded by ruler-straight, white-trunked trees at Upland Farm, or be seduced by the indoor – and outdoor – baths that are each designed to fit two at Stillwood Retreat.

Exterior of Stillwood Retreat

Stillwood Retreat offers a bespoke stay among the trees.

Explore more of Denmark in our travel guide or find out which other towns made it into your Top 50.
Fleur Bainger is a freelance travel writer and journalism mentor who has been contributing to Australian Traveller since 2009! The thrill of discovering new, hidden and surprising things is what ignites her. She gets a buzz from sharing these adventures with readers, so their travels can be equally transformative.
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Australia’s first and only underwater winery is hiding in Margaret River

    By Taylah Darnell
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    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.

    Augusta in Western Australia

    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.

    Subsea Estate in Augusta, Western Australia

    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.