Category: Day trips

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Margaret River gets the wine-and-surf headlines, but head north for the day and the whole mood changes. The west coast’s big swells give way to the flat, glassy water of Geographe Bay. There’s a jetty that just keeps going, beaches where little kids can paddle without a wave in sight, and a lighthouse on the cape at the very top of the region.

This is a loose plan for one easy day: Busselton in the morning, Dunsborough and the bay beaches over lunch, and Cape Naturaliste in the afternoon. Swap the order around to suit the tides, the weather and how early the kids wake you up.

How we put this together

• Official sources for attraction facts. Busselton Jetty details come from the jetty’s own website. Beach, park and lighthouse details come from the City of Busselton, the state parks agency and the regional tourism association. We link each one.
• No hours or prices of our own. Opening times, tour times and ticket prices change with the season, so we point you to the official pages rather than repeat them.
• No “we visited” claims. This is a planning guide, not a review. We haven’t rated any attraction, café or tour.
• One connection, disclosed. We mention River Reach Chalet as a base, and the disclosure is right next to it.

Before you go

• Book the jetty first. The Busselton Jetty train and Underwater Observatory are the bits most likely to fill up. The jetty’s admission page says bookings are recommended and can be made online, at the Interpretive Centre or by phone.
• Check the weather and the wind. Geographe Bay is usually calmer than the west coast, but “usually” is doing some work there. Check conditions on the day.
• In summer, check fire danger. Look at Emergency WA before you set off, especially if you’re heading into the national park around the cape.
• Pack for a beach day and a walk. Swimmers, a towel, a hat, sunscreen, water and shoes you can walk a few kilometres in. Our packing list for a South West WA bush stay covers the rest.

Where to base yourself

If you’re staying in or near Margaret River township, this is an easy there-and-back day. We use River Reach Chalet as the example base in our Margaret River guides.

Disclosure: River Reach Chalet was previously our founder’s business, and our founder still has a financial interest in it.

It’s a cosy two-bedroom bush chalet that sleeps four, with two queen bedrooms and one bathroom, about two minutes’ walk from the river and a short drive from town. No pets and no parties. You can book it direct through Margaret River Holiday Houses. For other bases in town, the bush or on the coast (including Dunsborough itself), see where to stay in Margaret River.

Morning: Busselton Jetty

Start at the far end of the day’s drive and work your way back. Busselton Jetty is the big drawcard. In the jetty’s own words, it extends 1.841 kilometres over the protected waters of Geographe Bay, and it’s the longest timber-piled jetty in the Southern Hemisphere. It’s also heritage listed.

You’ve got three main ways to do it:

• Walk it. Nearly two kilometres out and the same back is a decent stroll, with the bay on both sides. Bring a hat, as there’s not much shade out over the water.
• Ride the train. The jetty train runs out along the deck, which suits little legs, older legs and anyone short on time.
• Go under the water. The jetty’s Underwater Observatory takes you below the waterline. The jetty’s what-to-expect page also describes a bundled “Ultimate Experience” that combines the train ride, the observatory tour and the Marine Discovery Centre, and recommends booking online in advance because it often sells out.

The jetty’s admission page lists the current options, times, age rules and prices. Book ahead if the observatory matters to you, especially in school holidays.

Back on land, check the jetty’s Marine Discovery Centre page for what’s on, where to find it and whether it suits your crew.

The Busselton foreshore

The foreshore beside the jetty is a natural spot for a stretch, a coffee or an early picnic before you head west. If the bay is flat and the conditions look right, it’s a good chance for a morning dip.

Late morning: Dunsborough

From Busselton, follow the bay west to Dunsborough, a smaller beachside town on the way to Cape Naturaliste. It’s a handy place to stop for lunch, or to pick up picnic supplies if you’d rather eat on the sand.

The beaches around here face into the bay rather than the open ocean, which is a big part of why this end of the region is a favourite with families. Conditions still change, so check before you swim.

Lunch and a swim: Meelup and the bay beaches

Just past Dunsborough, the road runs along a string of small bays inside Meelup Regional Park. The City of Busselton describes Meelup Beach as known for pristine beaches perfect for swimming in calm, turquoise water. It’s a favourite family beach and a natural spot for a picnic lunch.

A few tips:

• Arrive early in summer. Meelup is popular, and hot weekends and school holidays get busy. A weekday helps.
• Check the City’s page for facilities and rules before you go, including for dogs and barbecues.
• Calm doesn’t mean patrolled. Check Beachsafe for patrol information and conditions, and keep an eye on the kids in the water.

If Meelup is packed, the other small bays along this stretch of coast are worth a look. Conditions vary from beach to beach, so read the signs at each one.

Afternoon: Cape Naturaliste

Keep going and you’ll reach Cape Naturaliste, at the northern end of the Cape to Cape Track. The state parks agency describes the track as a 130 km coastal hiking trail between two historic lighthouses, and Cape Naturaliste’s is the northern one.

Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse

The regional tourism association’s lighthouse page says its guided tours offer insight into how a working lighthouse functions. Check that page for opening hours, tour times and entry fees before you go, as they can change.

A short coastal walk to Sugarloaf Rock

If you’d rather walk than climb, there’s a sealed path between the lighthouse and Sugarloaf Rock. The state parks agency describes it as 3.4 km one way, and says it’s assisted wheelchair and pram accessible. You can walk out and back, or have someone drive around and meet you at the Sugarloaf Rock car park.

Entry to Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park is free, but check each attraction’s own page for its fees. Stick to the path, as the cliffs here are no place to wander off track. For more walks along this coast, see A South West WA nature day.

On the way home: Yallingup and Ngilgi Cave

Heading back south, you can drop in at Yallingup on the coast side. If it’s wet, windy, or everyone needs a change of scene, Ngilgi Cave is near Yallingup. The tourism association’s page describes it as a self-guided experience and lists the opening times and last entry, so check those before you plan around it. For more on the region’s caves, see Margaret River with kids.

Try to be back before dark. Wildlife on country roads is a real hazard at dusk, and the drive is far more relaxed in daylight.

The day at a glance

Who this day suits

• Families with young kids. Calm water, a train ride and a playground. It’s hard to beat.
• A rest day on a wine weekend. If you’ve done the wineries, a beach-and-jetty day gives everyone a break. If you’re doing both on the same day, sort out the driving first. Our designated-driver plan covers how.
• Rainy-day backup. If the weather turns, the jetty observatory, the Marine Discovery Centre and Ngilgi Cave are all options. Check each one’s official page first.
• The trip home to Perth. If you’re driving back north at the end of a stay, you can do some of this on the way.

Make it part of a longer trip

This day slots neatly onto the end of our Margaret River weekend itinerary if you can stretch to a third day. If you’re travelling over the summer holidays, read Christmas and summer in Margaret River for what to book early.

And if you’re after something to take home, our guide to Australian-made gifts from Margaret River has ideas, or browse handmade wooden gifts from Australian timber.

More Margaret River guides

• Margaret River with kids: beaches, caves and rainy-day ideas
• Where to stay in Margaret River: town, bush or coast
• A Margaret River weekend itinerary: 2 days, 2 nights
• Our Margaret River hub

Written by our editors. Attraction details are from the linked official sources; check them for current hours, prices and closures. Last checked: 1 November 2026.