Perth to Margaret River road trip: Distance, time & best stops
The drive from Perth to Margaret River (the town) takes just under three hours. The distance from Perth is 274km. Be aware, however, than many of the Margaret River wineries, caves, accommodation options and beaches are further away from Perth than the town is.
A Perth to Margaret River road trip is one of the most popular drives in Western Australia.
Margaret River is the best known wine region in Western Australia, and justifiably so. It produces far more than its fair share of premium wines. The wine tourism industry in Margaret River is well set up for visitors, too. Wineries such as Cullen Wines put on distinctive tasting experiences. You can also do tours focused on wine, river canoeing, nature and adventure or surfing.
A visit to Margaret River is often seen as something that can be done as a day trip from Perth. But this is misjudging how far away the wineries are from the Western Australian state capital.
If you really want to visit a wine region near Perth, make it the Swan Valley. This wine region, famed for bold red, genuinely is on the doorstep.
It’s best to treat Margaret River as a weekend escape or part of a road trip around south west WA. The latter is popular with second time visitors to Australia.
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.
Perth to Margaret River distance and driving time
When working out the Perth to Margaret River driving time, you’ll need clarifications. Distinguish between Margaret River the town, Margaret River the river and Margaret River the region. Confusingly, the brand applies to much of the south-western corner.
5 great day trips from Perth – make your visit special
- Rottnest Island ferry transfer – with bike hire and snorkelling gear. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- The Pinnacles desert – with koalas 🐨 and sandboarding.
- Wave Rock day tour – with wildflowers & Aboriginal culture.
- Margaret River wineries experience 🍷 – with tastings, caves & Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse.
- Full day Swan Valley wine tour 🍷– with lunch.
The best places to stay in Perth
You can check out deals on a wide range of Perth accommodation options. But these are some of the best choices.
- The swankiest address in town: COMO The Treasury.
- The cool, fun one in the centre of the action: The Alex.
- For quality apartments next to Kings Park: Quest Kings Park.
- For quality apartments by the beach: Seashells Scarborough.
- On a backpacker budget: Spinners Hostel.
Hamelin Bay, where stingrays can be seen at the beach, is lumped in as part of the Margaret River region. But it’s a 34km drive to the south of the Margaret River, the town.
Many of the vineyards and quite a lot of the accommodation are a fair old drive from the town as well, and are best visited on Margaret River tours. The same applies to the show caves such as Jewel Cave and the Margaret River Chocolate Company.
✅ Find the best tours and experiences in Western Australia right here. ✅
But, for want of a better spot, let’s assume we’re talking about the drive from Perth to Margaret River, the town. By car, the distance from Perth to Margaret River is 274km, which makes for a driving time of around two hours and 56 minutes.
Click through to next section: Perth to Bunbury.