Mandurah to Margaret River road trip: Distance, time & best stops

Mandurah to Margaret River drive: Bunbury to Busselton

It’s another 53km from Bunbury to Busselton, and the main attractions come in the form of Indian Ocean beaches.

You can get to Dalyellup Beach from Dalyellup and Stirling Beach from Stratham. Arguably the most appealing of all is the 14km beach that is known as Peppermint Grove Beach at the northern end, and Forrest Beach at the southern end. Peppermint Grove Beach is best accessed from Capel.

Between the beach and the Bussell Highway is the Tuart Forest National Park. This small national park preserves old growth Tuart trees, some of which are more than 30 metres tall.

There are walking trails in the forest, but the star attraction is the Possum Night Spotlighting Trail. Come here after the sun goes down, and you’ve got a decent chance of seeing the rare western ringtail possum. Bring your torch, and other nocturnal residents of the national park include kangaroos and quendas.

The last feasible option for a detour before entering Busselton is Wonnerup Beach.

Once in Busselton, the top attraction is the absolutely enormous Busselton Jetty. Get to the end of it, and you can do an ocean floor walk while wearing an emormous diving helmet.

Other things to do in Busselton include whale-watching cruises on Geographe Bay, a high ropes and zipline adventure and spotting woylies on a nocturnal wildlife tour.

Busselton accommodation costs from $132 a night.

5 Busselton experiences worth booking in advance

See ultra-cute, rare marsupials on an after-dark visit to a private wildlife sanctuary.
Taste wines, beers, ciders and gins on a tour of the Margaret River region.
See whales up close on a whale-watching cruise.
Tackle ziplines and a ropes course in an adventure through the forest.
Discover hidden spots on a coast and wildlife tour.

Top Busselton accommodation choices

The best places to stay in Busselton are:

For resort villas surrounded by parkland: Bayview Geographe Resort.
For a solid quality, relatively cheap motel: Busselton Ithaca Motel.
For more a more luxurious stay with a large pool: Sebel Busselton.
For family-friendly facilities: Big4 Breeze Holiday Park.

Busselton Jetty is one of the longest jetties or piers in the world. Photo courtesy of Tourism Western Australia.

Mandurah to Margaret River road trip: Busselton to Margaret River

After leaving Busselton along the Busselton Bypass, you’ll join the Bussell Highway shortly after the Broadwater Nature Reserve.

You’ll soon go past Discover Deadly, a wildlife park focused on snakes, crocs and other less terrifying reptiles.

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.

The wineries start appearing around Metricup, with Churchview Estate, Karasek and 3 Oceans all next to the highway. You’ll also pass the Margaret River Dairy Company on the way into Cowaramup, should you feel like tasting cheeses and yoghurts.

On the way into Margaret River itself, the Bussell Highway passes between the Keenan State Forest and Wooditjup National Park. You can walk a section of the 31km Wadandi Track in the latter.

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.