Bootleg Brewery, Wilyabrup: Why visit this Margaret River craft brewery?
The Bootleg Brewery in Wilyabrup, Western Australia, was the first Margaret River craft brewery. It serves up quality beers in a gorgeous setting, with grassy lawns stretching towards a lake.
The Bootleg Brewery in Wilyabrup, Western Australia, is one of several craft breweries in the Margaret River wine region. But it is also a bit of a pioneer.
“Welcome to the Margaret River beer region,” says Michael Brookes, tongue only slightly in cheek.
Michael is the general manager of the Bootleg Brewery. And back in 1994, this Margaret River craft brewery kicked off a lonely crusade for the grain in an area dominated by the grape.
9 Margaret River experiences worth booking
1. Wine tours. 2. Wine & chocolate tasting. 3. Whale-watching. 4. River canoeing. 5. Cave tours to Lake Cave, Ngilgi Cave, Jewel Cave and Mammoth Caves. 6. Nature and culture tour. 7. Surfing lesson. 8. Stand-up paddleboarding. 9. Coffee discovery experience.
Bootleg Brewery in Wilyabrup, Western Australia
The Bootleg Brewery was a pretty bold experiment back in the 1990s. Thomas Charles Reynolds, a retired school teacher, saw how well the brewing operations had done at the Sail and Anchor and Matilda Bay in Perth. He then hit upon an idea.
Reynolds eyed up the increasingly popular Margaret River wine area, and decided a brewery would be a natural fit there. “He wanted an option for the men to have a beer amongst all the wine,” says Brookes. And what started as an 80 seat restaurant making two beers is now a 300-seater, with seven regular beers, a cider and all manner of experimental one-offs.
Craft brewing in Western Australia
Brookes reckons that the opening of the Little Creatures brewery in Fremantle in 2000 properly kicked things off. “It became a gateway to getting craft beer to the masses,” he says. If the people of Perth could get the concept of a brewery being a destination for a day or evening out, then visiting breweries on a weekend break three-and-a-half hours south was no longer pushing a massive boundary.
The beer is good, but much of the Bootleg Brewery’s appeal comes from the setting. The brewpub has a massive outdoor area, with grassy lawns stretching towards a lake. It’s perfect for a beer and pub food in the afternoon.
Wilyabrup wineries
Wilyabrup is home to several top drawer Margaret River wineries including Cullen Wines, Vasse Felix, Woody Nook, Amelia Park and Fraser Gallop Estate. It’s also where you can taste chocolates for free at the Margaret River Chocolate Company.
Why you should stay in the town of Margaret River
There are plenty of great places to stay in the Margaret River region. But stay in the town itself has one massive advantage – you can walk to the bars and restaurants in the evening after a day’s wine-tasting.
If you’d like to avoid driving in the evening, these are the best accommodation options in the town of Margaret River.
- For apartments with a pool (honestly, this is the best choice): Margarets In Town.
- For chalets by the river: Riverview Tourist Park.
- For a centrally-located motel: Margaret River Motel.
- For a bit more style: Prideau’s of Margaret River.
More Western Australia travel
Bar and restaurant hop in Maylands, Perth.
Brave the waves at the Injidup Natural Spa in Yallingup.
Cruise the enormous Lake Argyle in the Kimberley.
Go fishing in the King River near Wyndham in the Kimberley.
Enjoy sundowner beers at Bathers Beach House in Fremantle.