Things to do in Southwest

Spend these sunny Autumn weekends lazing on our lawn, sipping on your favourite Aravina wine or beer, along with our delicious pizzas and listening to some of the best local talent around.

Laine Wolfe | Saturday 20 March | 12 - 3pm

Kareema | Sunday 21 March | 12 - 3pm

Ricky Green | Saturday 27 March | 12 - 3pm

Charlee Jones | Sunday 28 March | 12 - 3pm

Laine Wolfe | Friday 2 April | 12 - 3pm

Kareema | Saturday 3 April | 11.30am - 2.30pm

Mitch Baker | Saturday 3 April | 2.30pm -5.30pm

Katie White | Sunday 4 April | 11.30am - 2.30pm

SoWhat | Sunday 4 April | 2.30 - 5.30pm

Ricky Green | Monday 5 April | 12 - 3pm

Katie White | Saturday 10 April | 12 - 3pm

Ricky Green | Saturday 17 April | 12 - 3pm

Katie White | Saturday 24 April | 12 - 3pm

Ricky Green | Sunday 25 April | 11.30am - 2.30pm

Whiskey Dogs | Sunday 25 April | 2.30 - 5.30pm

Kareema | Monday 26 April | 12 - 3pm

Bella Blackmore | Saturday 1 May | 12 - 3pm

Ricky Green | Saturday 8 May | 12 - 3pm

In addition to the SunSmart IRONMAN 70.3, which will remain the premier event of the festival, we will also host an SunSmart Kids Triathlon and the Funman Teams Triathlon.

The expansion of the SunSmart Busselton Festival of Triathlon allows for a more inclusive weekend of events that brings a new level of excitement to Busselton.

Food vendors and entertainment will be provided onsite throughout the afternoon and evening, continuing until 7.30pm. There will be no entry fee to attend the celebrations.

This event is not just for regular triathletes – it’s the perfect opportunity to dip your toe into the water of multi-sport events. With a range of distances to suit all ages (from 7-70+) there are no excuses not to join in the fun! If you can’t participate but would like to watch, spectating is free and as the State Standard Distance Championships, there will be some great racing on offer.

The 80km point to point course takes runners through huge Karri tree forests, along cliff top trails providing endless coastal views, over huge granite domes and rock slabs, along crisp white sandy beaches and through some of the vineyards that make the region so popular for visitors.

It will take runners on a journey through a diverse range of breathtaking landscapes, starting at Hamelin Bay in the south and finishing at the Cheeky Monkey Brewery and Cidery at Wilyabrup in the north, on Saturday 1st May 2021.

Runners from across Australia and overseas are expected to travel to Margaret River for this extraordinary event which has been designed as an achievable challenge for all levels, from elites through to trail running newcomers who can divide the 80km distance into a relay with the five different legs varying between 10km and 20km.

Entries for the 2021 Margaret River Ultra Marathon is now open.

Details:

When: Saturday May 1st 2021
Where: Margaret River, South-West Western Australia
What: An 80 kilometre ultra marathon with two options; Solo 80km or relay team of 4-5 runners doing one (or more) legs each. Solo junior runners can also enter and there is a Kids race on Sunday 2nd May.

The Margaret River Pro forms part of the World Surf League (WSL) World Championship Tour (WCT), where the top-ranked male and female surfers compete over a 12-day period. This is one of eleven WCT events globally, which occur at iconic destinations including Australia, Indonesia, Brazil, South Africa, North America, French Polynesia, Europe and Hawaii.

Grab some mates, and head down to Surfers Point, Prevelly to watch the best surfers in the world battle it out. A contingency plan is in place for the comp to move to North Point Gracetown if necessary, so whatever the weather, you’ll be able to watch some serious surf.

The 2021 Margaret River Pro is a free spectator event, open to all ages. As well as the main comp, there’ll be opportunities to see live music and kids activities at the Margaret River skate park.

All tour stops and dates subject to change due to applicable COVID-19 related restrictions, including global travel restrictions.

The track harks back to life on the road as a touring artist and a song of longing for the comforts of home. It features the talents of Luke Williams (Dead Letter Circus) on drums, Ian Peres (Wolfmother / Amy Shark) on Synth and produced by Matt Bartlem (Lastlings / Boo Seeka)?? Jordan brings the solo show back to WA following two weeks in self-isolation to reenter the state and will be hitting Settlers Tavern on May 9th. The show will be a return to his roots, stripping the set down to performing percussive Twelve string Guitar and stomp-box.

Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival is the biggest regional literary event in Western Australia (WA). Each year it brings an array of thought-provoking writers to the region including novelists, journalists, academics and established and emerging storytellers from WA, interstate and overseas.

Themed ‘Future Tense’, the festival will look at both possible and highly imagined futures through a literary lens, to explore and share visions for the future from some of Australia’s most renowned writers, speakers and thinkers.

Please join us for a celebratory dinner on Saturday 5th June where we’ll announce the winner of the 4th annual Cullen Awards for Excellence. This award honours the contribution made to Western Australian wine by Dr Kevin John Cullen and Diana Madeline Cullen, who together founded Cullen Wines in 1971. They had an unwavering belief in the potential of WA to produce world class wines and were dedicated to achieving this and helping others in the industry to do the same, by sharing their knowledge and support. The Cullen Award for Excellence was created to recognise and reward outstanding contributions to the Western Australian wine industry. Previous winners include James Halliday AM, Dr John Gladstones and the Horgan family from Leeuwin Estate. We will also be celebrating Cullen Wines' 50th anniversary, and we would love for you to join us. Date: Saturday 5th June 2021. 6.30pm for a 7pm start until late. Tickets: $250 per person Event details: A 3-course set dinner will be served in our Biodynamic Wine Room paired with our wines including the latest release Diana Madeline and Kevin John. We look forward to seeing you there and celebrating.

10 days of wintry goodness are coming your way this July 16-25. All your festival favourites are back with plenty of fire, food and fine tunes planned for your winter down south. Plus, a line-up of new and exciting events coming your way. More than 40 experiences dotted from Busselton to Margaret River and everywhere in between. Will feature chocolate and coffee appreciation, secret speakeasies, wine dinners, wine-fuelled crafts, bonfires, brews, live music and more. Tickets go on sale mid-April. Sign up to the newsletter below for updates, or follow along on social media.

One of WA’s most popular arts events, Margaret River Region Open Studios, returns in September following the popularity of a Springtime event in 2020.

Open Studios promises to be more vibrant than ever, capturing the colours of spring and wildflower season and providing an opportunity for you to enjoy the Margaret River region in all its glory.

More than 100 artists from Busselton to Augusta will be opening their studio doors to welcome in art lovers and share their passion.

The event, marking its eighth year, features painters, sculptors, illustrators, jewellers, printmakers, glassblowers, ceramicists, potters, photographers, furniture makers, woodworkers, textile artists, metalworkers, mixed media artists and upcyclers who share a love of this beautiful part of the world.

Roadtrip to the region and make a holiday of it, going off the beaten path to visit studios of artists you know and love, and some new talent who might just be the next big thing! Renown artists who regularly participate include Leon Pericles, Rachel Coad, Lauren Wilhelm, Ian Mutch, Rebecca Cool, Mary-Lynne Stratton and Christian Fletcher.

Celebrating great films, the festival incorporates some of Australia's most beautiful locations, world-class Margaret River wines and gourmet fresh foods.

Visitors, filmmakers and film-lovers converge to enjoy premiere events, in conversation lunches, general screenings, family activities and free community events over six days in August.

Live events are to be held from August 25-30. This makes CinefestOZ the first Australian film festival to host screenings for live cinema audiences in Western Australia’s South West since the easing of restrictions.

Special guests who have enjoyed the film festival dubbed "Australia's friendliest" include David Wenham (Patron), Sigrid Thornton, Ben Elton, Jack Thompson and Hugo Weaving.
 

Artists and artisans open the doors to their art studios and workshops, delivering a unique experience for art lovers to meet the creator of the artwork, peruse original artworks and of course purchase artwork. Work may include painting, drawings, sculpture, hand blown glass, print making, handmade furniture, as well as jewellery, ceramics, textiles and other mediums. Geographically grouped venues across Busselton, Margaret River, Augusta, Vasse, Yallingup, Quindalup, Dunsborough, Cowaramup will be shown on maps so visitors can design their own art trails. Entry is FREE to all Art Lovers.

Showcasing Exhibitions, Performances, Masterclasses & Workshops, this will be a festival with much to offer both the local community from which it has sprung, and enthusiasts from abroad. Lovers of live music can expect everything from Blues to Roots, World to Jazz, Metal & Rock, Country, Classical and more, featuring players from around the country showcasing the magic of strings – be it electric or acoustic, bass or mandolin, banjo or ukulele and beyond. The inaugural 2019 event attracted close to 8,000 attendees across 27 stages and venues in and around Margaret River. The festival received a swathe of positive reviews and feedback from attendees; notably Yorgos Bechlivanoglou, Director of “All That Guitar” festival, Greece, internationally renowned performer & lecturer and maker of Moov Travel Guitars, who said it was “an amazing, open minded, perfectly organised, highest level guitar festival, already from its first edition!” Strings Attached: The West Australian Guitar Festival showcased over 60 artists and featured 40+ workshops, masterclasses, Q&A’s and presentations across the weekend in a massive first year program.

Cape to Cape, Australia’s largest, longest running and most popular four day MTB stage race. Based in Margaret River Western Australia, this iconic riding experience includes access to stunning private trails, vineyard visits, brewery finishes and some of the warmest hospitality the region has to offer. Starting at Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse in Augusta, and finishing four days later at the fabulous Margaret River Distillery, the course makes its way through a network of trails along the coast, through National Parks, forest, farm lands, mountain bike parks, and bush. Roughly 205km and 2,500m of climbing in total, each day’s riding is between 37km and 72km and has its own special terrain and environment to keep things interesting with a mix of fast flowing single trail, farm tracks, groomed downhill trails and fire trails – many through private land that can only be ridden while racing the Cape to Cape. There’s nothing too technical and it's ridable for anyone with a reasonable level of fitness and MTB skills.

This once-a-year chance to feast, sip and party your way through an array of new fine dining and casual events plus the old favourites, including the Westpac Gourmet Beach BBQ and the Gourmet Village at Leeuwin Estate will be here before you know it! In the past seven years, some of the biggest names in the culinary world have visited Margaret River including the likes of Nigella Lawson, Heston Blumenthal, Marco Pierre White, Curtis Stone, and Rick Stein to help us showcase the region’s finest wines, craft beers, and amazing local produce. Don’t miss out on the chance…. To TASTE fine local produce from Western Australia, curated by culinary talent. To MEET world-renowned celebrity and Michelin-starred chefs. To SIP celebrated Australian wines, beers and spirits with famous critics in the award-winning wine regions of Western Australia. To EXPLORE extraordinary locations in Western Australia.

Since its debut on the Australian calendar in 2004 the IRONMAN event has seen tremendous growth, both in size and reputation among the triathlon community, and widely recognised globally as a world class sporting event. The event has become enormously popular with athletes and spectators alike and is renowned as a spectacular destination race and holiday venue. A tribute to the City and people of Busselton who support and contribute to the huge success the event has become. Incorporating the iconic Busselton Jetty, IRONMAN Western Australia is renowned worldwide for being the place to go for a personal best, with the bike and run courses amongst the flattest on the global IRONMAN circuit.