A Vine Time

2001

May [1]

A Vine Time

Sun Herald

Sunday April 6, 2008

Clara Iaccarino

Chasing the perfect sunset hour puts Clara Iaccarino on a strict beverage sampling timetable.

One of Western Australia's greatest assets is its sunsets. As the pinky-violet rays sink into the ocean at the close of each day, WA folk gather with drinks in hand to salute the sun. It's one tradition I'm more than happy to embrace, and one that we make a point of adhering to for our 10-day holiday on Australia's rugged west coast, most especially on the bleached white sand beaches of the Margaret River region.

The Margaret River region is one of WA's other great assets; a spectacular vantage point from which to enjoy those sunsets. About three hours' drive from Perth, it is holiday heaven on the west coast. What more could you ask for than cellar door after cellar door of delectable drops interspersed with some of the world's most glorious beaches?

Fremantle is a home away from home for we bohemian fans and Perth itself is a lovely city. But WA's capital has enhanced appeal simply because it is the gateway to a selection of Australia's top wineries, gourmet restaurants and the surf coastline from Cape Naturaliste to Cape Leeuwin.

We hire a car from Perth airport and hit the hot bitumen bound for Dunsborough. We're renting a house in the sleepy outer "burbs" of Margaret River and it turns out Dunsborough is perfectly placed between beaches and wine-tasting trails.

As we pull into grapevine territory the vineyard signposts come thick and fast. We remember a few label images, cross-checking them within the hazy recesses of our wine-quaffing catalogue, and scribble down the names that strike a chord.

Once we pick up wine trail maps from the tourist offices, it's easy enough to circle a hot list of wineries, narrowing down a strategic route through the grapey territory. Leeuwin Estate gets a tick, as do Stella Bella, Cape Mentelle and Wise Wine for a highly recommended long lunch. But improvisation is strongly encouraged. Be prepared to waver from your highlighted journey - some of our best discoveries were made by stumbling across lesser-known vineyards en route to the well-established behemoths.

Our little house in Dunsborough is a flashback to the '70s. We can visualise children with bowl haircuts playing in the sprinklers. There's a small backyard and the street runs parallel to Geographe Bay, where the Dunsborough Beachhouse - a welcoming backpackers' hostel, is perched on the shore.

It's a sparklingly clear afternoon and we can just make out the Busselton jetty, jutting out along the horizon at the other end of the bay. It's the longest jetty in the southern hemisphere and we do a drive-by on the way home to scope the underwater observatory.

Our first Dunsborough sunset is moments away and I'm excited about grabbing a couple of sundowners and heading into the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park, a kilometre or so from our doorstep. We burn down the road towards the water's edge. The clouds are parting and there's a cluster of rocks upon which to watch the sun slip into the bay. Day one dedication to sunset worship accomplished.

There's a marathon through the national park the following day and it's difficult to fathom how the runners will cope with the stifling heat. But the next morning, as we're scouring Dunsborough for a coffee, there they are, hordes of hard-core marathon runners glistening with sweat as they charge for the finishing line. The morning is as sweltering as predicted, but the scenery is inspirational and, despite the heat, some of the runners are beaming.

Our retreat has nothing to do with exercise and everything to do with indulgence, so we refocus on lunch. We're booked into Wise Vineyards for a gourmet experience with a view. It's ridiculously romantic and the vistas of Geographe Bay and the Eagle Bay Shiraz complement our steak perfectly. The leisurely lunch is well-catered for here and there's no pressure to hurry through the courses - apart from the beckoning dessert menu.

The afternoon is as lazy as the lunch and we find ourselves meandering along scenic routes, stopping at the odd cellar door for a tipple and having a snooze at Bunker Bay. After a quick swim, it's back on the grape trail.

It's tempting to stop in for a vertical tasting at each winery, but after the Cape Mentelle Marmaduke, we seek local advice for the best nearby shore to continue our sunset seeker's tour. We sidle through Margaret River township, a little underwhelmed by the naff boutiques and souvenir shops. But off the main drag there are sweet cafes with live music and friendly locals. We grab some cheese from the Margaret River Cheese Company and improvise our way to Hamelin Bay on dirt tracks and bushy roads.

Here we discover our return trip accommodation. As basic as it is quaint, Hamelin Bay Caravan Park epitomises the real estate agent's motto - location, location, location. We slip past the cabins and tents to the jetty at the end of the car park; beachside and sublime. The sand is pure as snow and the water crystal clear.

It's that magic time of day once more and the holidaymakers are flocking towards the car park with tinnies in hand. We find a spot on the wharf and as the violet rays take on an iridescent glow, the crowd goes silent.

The routine of beach bumming and wine sipping is enticing. But the activities in the region are as diverse as the leisurely options are tempting. The Cape to Cape Track, stretching from Cape Leeuwin to Cape Naturaliste, is primed for bush-walking fanatics. It takes up to six days to walk, with plenty of camping pit-stops along the way, but part-time walkers can cut in on sections of the trail for a short stroll too. There are art galleries galore, caves to explore and adventure tours.

Our idea of mixing up the beach'n'vino beat was sidling into the Bootleg Brewery to refresh our wine-weary palates with a cleansing ale. The lakeside brewery has many award-winning beers, including Wils Pils, which has been voted Australasia's best draft beer.

But tasty as they were, we needed to rein in the brewery samples in order to catch our final sunset.

The Margaret River coastline is the real surfer's paradise, bound to bring a tear to any waxhead's eye. Boranup is said to have the best surf south of Margaret River and has some of the only beach access for four-wheel drives; Surfers Point is home to the Margaret River Pro; and Yallingup is primed for long boarders and windsurfers.

Yallingup is where we spend our sunset curtain closer, snuggled up on the shores of the still lagoon.

The winds are gusting onto the shore, whipping the waves into a series of jumps for the kamikaze windsurfers. Our idyllic retreat comes to a close with fish'n'chips and a bottle of MadFish Shiraz. It is elegant and bold with a knock-out finish, just as the critics promised.

TRIP NOTES

? Getting there Virgin Blue and Qantas fly to Perth. Margaret River is a 3 1/2-hour drive from Perth.

? Staying there The Hamelin Bay Caravan Park is on Hamelin Bay West Road, Karridale. Phone (08) 9758 5540 or see www.mronline.com.au/accom/hamelin. Cape Lodge is a luxury boutique hotel in a vineyard, with rooms starting at $385 a night. See www.capelodge.com.au. The historic Cullen Wines Homestead is a good group option at $300 a night for up to 12 people. See www.margaret-river-online.com.au/accom/cullen/index.htm.

? More information: Wise Vineyards's restaurant is open seven days a week, but only does dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings. Phone (08) 9755 3331 or see www.wisewine.com.au. The Bootleg Brewery is on the corner of Johnson and Puzey roads, Willyabrup. Phone (08) 9755 6300 or see www.bootlegbrewery.com.au. The Busselton Jetty Underwater Observatory is on Queen Street, Busselton, phone (08) 9754 0900 or see www.busseltonjetty .com.au. The Cape to Cape Track runs from Cape Leeuwin to Cape Naturaliste. See www.margaretriver.com for details. For more information on Margaret River phone the Margaret River Visitor Centre on (08) 9780 5911.