The Margaret River region is famous all over the world for its world-class wineries, breweries, swimming, surfing, and caves!
If you would like to know what is going on during your stay at Canal Rocks Beachfront Apartments, just ask one of our friendly hosts and they will be happy to help you get ideas to plan your perfect stay.
WHALE WATCHING
Every year herds of whales migrate from the icy Southern Ocean to the warmer waters off the coast of the Margaret River Region. Southern Right Whales and Humpback Whales can often be seen from a good vantage point on the shore or you can book one of the many whale watching tours available in the region.
There have also been rare sightings of the endangered Blue Whale species so bring your binoculars the next time you visit.
NATIVE WILDLIFE
The region surrounding Canal Rocks is well known for its abundant wildlife. A walk down the cape-to-cape trail reveals hundreds of species of wild flowers which attracts many of the native birds such as red-winged wrens, golden whistlers, spinebills, willy wagtails, white-breasted robins, western rosella parrots and red-tailed black cockatoos.
If you're lucky you can also spot a bandicoot, quenda or possum but our favourites are the kangaroos that regularly come down to visit our grounds.
CAVES
No trip to the Margaret River region would be complete without a visit to the caves found in the Leeuwin Naturaliste National Park. This area is home to about 350 caves, some of which are not open to the public.
The most popular caves to visit are on Caves Road, and include Ngilgi Cave (2km from Smiths Beach), Jewel Cave, Lake Caves, Mammoth Cave, and Moondyne Cave. Each cave is unique, and feature many different types of fossils.
SWIMMING & SURFING
Whether you are a surfer or a swimmer, there is a plethora of beaches to choose from. The local swimming beaches are: Smiths Beach, Yallingup, Eagle Bay, Dunsborough, and Busselton. In Margaret River there is Prevally and Gracetown. The surfing beaches are: Yallingup, Smiths Beach, Three Bears, Car Park, The Farm, and Wind Mills.
Supertubes is also located nearby and this beach hosts many local bodyboarding and surfing competitions. In Margaret River, there is Redgate, Gas Bay, and Suicides. However, many of the coastal bays and beaches offer fantastic waves for surfers. For a sneak peak check out the Yallingup SurfCam.
LOCAL SCENE
The local scene is synonymous with food, wine, beer, and arts. There are an impressive 220 vineyard and 80 wineries in the local wine region so make sure that you take the time to savour the amazing wines that our region has to offer! There are fruit intense chardonnays, rich semillons, robust cabernets, soft merlots – many of them famous the world over.
If you are a beer lover, there are also many unique local breweries nearby. There is also a vibrant arts scene with many well-respected art galleries located nearby. For those who are into live music and markets, there are many concerts and market days in the summer. Nearby, award-winning restaurants offer sweeping bush and coastal views and serve fresh, local produce.
Another popular hot spot is the Margaret River Chocolate Factory and Simmo’s Ice Creamery in Dunsborough. Other popular activities include photography, canoeing, golfing, animal farms wildlife parks, mazes, outdoor and indoor cinemas, biking, surfing, sailing, kayaking, horse riding, or exploring caves. There are just simply so many amazing things to do here!
SCENIC ROUTE
Whether you just want to take a stroll by the beach or hike through the forest, this is the place to be. The local landscape comprises of deep forests, spectacular beaches, and limestone caves. It’s a haven of secluded coves and coastal walking trails where you can watch bottle-nose dolphins frolic in turquoise water. If you like hiking, the famous Cape to Cape trail actually goes past our front door!
Alternatively, you could drive to some areas such as the Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse to discover maritime history and watch the whales cruise our beautiful coastline. The quaint seaside town of Dunsborough overlooks the crystal clear waters of Geographe Bay and is one of the most popular family swimming spots in Western Australia. It is also a popular diving spot, with the largest accessible dive wreck in the Southern Hemisphere, the HMAS Swan, located here.
Facing the north to the Indian Ocean, Meelup, Eagle Bay, and Bunker Bay beaches boast calm and sheltered water. Unlike many beaches around the world, these are refreshingly not crowded so all you need to do is pack a picnic and enjoy true paradise!