Margaret River with kids: beaches, caves and rainy-day ideas

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Margaret River’s reputation is wine and surf, which might make you think it’s a grown-ups’ place. It isn’t. Between the calm bay beaches, the caves, the chocolate, the forest and a jetty that seems to go on forever, kids have plenty to do. And when it rains (it does, especially in winter), there are good indoor options too.

How we picked these

Real, established attractions that families commonly visit. We link official sources for hours, prices and age limits, because these change.
Kid-scaled days: short drives, short walks and plenty of snack stops.
Safety first at the beach. We point you to calmer beaches and to official surf-safety information. Many of the region’s beaches have dangerous surf and rips.
A rainy-day swap for every outdoor idea.

Beaches that suit kids

The ocean beaches around Margaret River township face the open Indian Ocean, which means big swell, strong currents and rips. They’re great for watching surfers, but they’re not for little swimmers. For families, the calmer water is mostly up north on Geographe Bay, plus a few sheltered spots further south.

Meelup Beach (near Dunsborough). A sheltered bay beach known for calm water, with shade behind. It’s a classic family beach. Check the City of Busselton page for facilities and Beachsafe for patrol times.
Other Geographe Bay beaches around Dunsborough and Busselton are usually calmer than the west coast, but conditions change, so check before you swim.
Gnarabup (near Prevelly). Conditions vary a lot along this stretch, so check Beachsafe for patrols and hazards before you swim.
Hamelin Bay (south, near Augusta). Kids love it for the stingrays that often glide through the shallows near the boat ramp. They’re wild animals with a venomous barb in the tail, so Explore Parks WA asks visitors to look without touching, keep their distance and not feed them.

Before any swim: check Beachsafe for patrol times, hazards and conditions, swim between the flags where there are flags, and keep little ones within arm’s reach.

Sun: Australian sun is strong, even on cloudy days. Follow SunSmart advice: hats, shirts, shade and sunscreen.

Caves kids will remember

The limestone caves along the Leeuwin-Naturaliste ridge are a highlight for kids, and a perfect rainy-day plan, because they’re the same temperature underground whatever the weather.

Mammoth Cave. Self-guided with an audio tour, so you can go at your own pace. That’s handy with small children.
Lake Cave. A fully guided tour down to an underground lake. There are a lot of stairs.
Jewel Cave (in Augusta). A fully guided tour of the largest show cave in WA.
Ngilgi Cave (near Yallingup). A show cave in the north of the region.

Check each cave’s page for age limits, accessibility and whether prams are allowed before you go.

Tip: caves involve stairs, sometimes steep and slippery ones, so carriers beat prams. Bring a light jumper.

Treats and tastes

Margaret River Chocolate Company. A big hit with kids. It’s a large chocolate shop at Metricup with free tastings.
Farmers’ market. Saturday mornings (7:30 to 11:30am) in Margaret River. Good for breakfast, fresh fruit and keeping small people fed.

Day trip: Busselton Jetty

Busselton Jetty, north of Margaret River, is about 1.8 kilometres long and the longest timber-piled jetty in the Southern Hemisphere. You can walk out, or ride the jetty train, and at the end there’s an Underwater Observatory that takes you below the waterline. Bookings for the train and the observatory are recommended and can be made online; check the age rules there too.

The foreshore next to the jetty has playgrounds and a calm beach, which makes it an easy half-day.

Lighthouses

Both of the region’s lighthouses are fun with kids:

Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse in the north, with walking trails nearby.
Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse in the south, at the corner of the continent, where it’s often seriously windy.

Lighthouse tours may have minimum ages for the climb, and Cape Leeuwin’s tower has had closures for restoration work, so check the official visitor site before you go.

Forest and nature

Boranup Karri Forest. Kids are usually impressed by how tall the trees are. A short stroll and Boranup Drive, which is suitable for two-wheel-drive cars, through the forest make it a good stop.
Spotting wildlife. Look for kangaroos at dawn and dusk (from a distance), and black cockatoos in the treetops. See our South West WA nature day for more.

Rainy-day ideas

Idea	Where	Notes
Caves	Along Caves Road	Same temperature year-round
Chocolate shop	Margaret River Chocolate Company	Tastings; gets busy
Underwater Observatory	Busselton Jetty	Check bookings
Library	Margaret River township	Check the Shire’s website for holiday programs
Puddle walk in the forest	Boranup	Pack raincoats and gumboots

A family base

With kids, a self-contained place with a kitchen and separate bedrooms makes a huge difference. River Reach Chalet is a two-bedroom bush chalet with two queen bedrooms and one bathroom, sleeping up to four.

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

It’s about two minutes’ walk to the river and a short drive from town. That means you get quiet, bushy surrounds without long drives at the end of the day. Ask the booking agent what’s supplied for little ones before you pack. No pets. Book direct through Margaret River Holiday Houses, or see more family options in where to stay in Margaret River.

Packing for kids

Pack layers, raincoats, hats, swimmers, rash vests, a change of clothes for the car, and plenty of snacks. Our packing list for a South West WA bush stay covers the rest.

More Margaret River guides

Written by our editors. Check hours, age limits and conditions with official sources before you go. Last checked: 31 October 2026.