MARGARET RIVER EVENTS

Winter in Margaret River: The Donkeys' Guide to Whales, Woodfires and Cabin Fever

When winter hits, our donkeys grow coats like shag-pile carpet and stand in the paddock looking unbothered by rain. They're the toughest critics on the farm, which made them the right choice to review Margaret River's winter events.

The donkeys rate in hee-haws, out of five. A five-hee-haw event earns the full, wheezy, ear-splitting version you can hear from the Dome.

Augusta whale watching

When: Late May to August, with the peak in mid-winter
Where: Flinders Bay, Augusta, south of the farm
Kid Factor: 5 hee-haws

Every winter, thousands of humpback whales pass through Flinders Bay on their way north to warmer water. Whale watching tours leave from Augusta through the season. Book ahead for the July school holidays, and pack seasickness tablets for anyone who turns green on the car ride.

Make a day of it. Jewel Cave sits on the way to Augusta, and Cape Leeuwin, where two oceans meet, rounds out the trip. The donkeys rate whales above everything else on this list. Anything bigger than a donkey earns their respect.

Humpback whale breaching off Augusta — Photo: Tim Campbell, via Margaret River Region

Augusta Whalesong Festival

When: The WA Day long weekend, at the start of June
Where: Augusta town centre and Boat Harbour
Cost: Free, with a few ticketed extras
Kid Factor: 4 hee-haws

Augusta throws a party for the whales' arrival. The free program includes a street parade, sand sculptures, a kite display with live music, and a Boat Harbour Festival where you can try rowing a skiff. Ticketed extras run to a cocktail party, a film screening and a guided walk with a sundowner.

Whales in Flinders Bay, Augusta — Photo: Joaquin Robredo, via Margaret River Region

Cabin Fever Festival

When: Ten days in July
Where: Across the Margaret River region and the South West
Kid Factor: 2 hee-haws for kids, 5 for the grown-ups

Cabin Fever spends ten days celebrating everything good about winter: comfort food, cheese, fire, wine and live music. Expect secret suppers, fondue, bonfires and art. Most events need tickets, so check the program and book the babysitter before tickets sell out.

The donkeys like the idea of a festival built around staying warm. They've run one in their own paddock for years.

Fireside event at Cabin Fever Festival — Photo: Cabin Fever, via Margaret River Region

Rainy days in the Margaret River caves

Kid Factor: 5 hee-haws

When the rain sets in, go underground. Lake Cave, Jewel Cave and Mammoth Cave hold the same temperature whatever the weather does outside. Kids get stalactites, torches and a story to tell at school. Parents get a dry hour.

Inside Mammoth Cave, Margaret River region — Photo: Holly Winkle, via Margaret River Region

CinefestOZ

When: Late August into early September
Where: Venues across the South West
Kid Factor: 2 hee-haws

A film festival with premieres and talks across the region, made for a wet night out. The donkeys prefer documentaries about donkeys. There never seem to be enough.

CinefestOZ Film Festival screening — Photo: CinefestOZ, via Margaret River Region

Winter on the farm

Winter turns Birchfield into the cosiest place we know. Strawbale walls trap the woodfire's warmth, and one guest summed the cottages up as "so cosy and warm". Kids chop kindling, stack the woodbox and help feed the animals in gumboots. The paddocks turn green, the kangaroos and emus wander through at dusk, and nobody minds the mud.

We run the whole farm off-grid on sun and rain, with the woodfire lending a hand in winter. Our post on life off-grid explains how it works.

Lounge and woodfire in the Chalet at Birchfield Farmstay

Margaret River weather in winter

Winter brings rain, big swells and short, crisp days. By late August the first wildflowers start opening along the bush tracks, and the pigs take over in our spring guide.

Need more indoor and outdoor ideas? Our guide to things to do in Margaret River with kids has plenty for wet days.

Common questions

When is whale watching season in Augusta?

Humpback whales pass through Flinders Bay at Augusta from late May to August, with the peak in mid-winter. Whale watching tours leave from Augusta through the season.

When is Cabin Fever in Margaret River?

Cabin Fever runs for ten days in July across the Margaret River region and the South West, with food, fire, wine and live music.

What can you do in Margaret River on a rainy day?

Head underground. Lake Cave, Jewel Cave and Mammoth Cave hold the same temperature whatever the weather does outside, which makes them a dry outing for the whole family.