Hidden Gems Margaret River: Authentic Wine & Farm Experience

The best part of this Margaret River day is its variety. You begin by feeding emus and alpacas, eat warm scones with local coffee, then work through chocolate, olive oil, lunch and three boutique wineries. It feels like a day built around the region’s people and produce, not just a string of cellar doors.

I like the small-producer focus, especially the chance to taste wines that may not appear on every Margaret River shortlist. I also like the relaxed rhythm: animals and morning tea first, wine later, with lunch and local food in between. The main catch is simple: seven hours is a long day, and anyone wanting only serious wine tasting may find the farm and chocolate stops a little broad.

• Feed emus and alpacas before morning tea with homemade scones, jam, cream and local coffee.
• Visit three handpicked boutique wineries, with tastings across different Margaret River wine styles.
• Have lunch at an olive farm, with olive oils and olive-based products made on site.
• Stop for chocolate, coffee and tea, including unusual chocolate flavours.
• Ride with a guide such as Dani or Ziggy, with English, Portuguese and Spanish available.
• Pay $145 per person for a seven-hour day with pickup, lunch and most tastings included.

A Seven-Hour Day Built Around Margaret River Produce

Margaret River is famous for wine, but its best food experiences reach well beyond the vineyard rows. This tour makes that point early, pairing farm animals and scones with artisan chocolate, olive oil and small winery visits.

You are collected from a hotel in Margaret River town centre, with listed pickup points including Burnside, Margaret River and Prevelly. The exact start time varies, so check availability when booking. If you stay outside Margaret River Township, contact All About Margaret River before booking to confirm pickup.

The vehicle has earned a 92 percent perfect transport score, and the practical details are reassuring: pickup and drop-off are included within the town centre, smoking and alcohol are not allowed in the vehicle, and the tour does not allow food or drinks onboard. The countryside walking is easy, but you should wear comfortable clothes and bring photo identification.

Morning Scones Beside Emus and Alpacas

The opening farm visit gives the day a distinctly Australian start. You can hand-feed emus and alpacas, and some departures have also included baby lambs. It is a friendly, hands-on stop that works well for first-time visitors who want more than a standard wine route.

After the animals, you sit down for morning tea. Expect homemade scones with jam and cream, plus locally roasted coffee and tea. This is breakfast rather than a quick snack, and it sets a gentle pace before the wine begins.

The farm is also a good reason to bring sensible shoes. The walk is easy, but it takes place in a farm and countryside setting rather than on a polished indoor floor. Young children may enjoy the animals, but the tour is not suitable for children under two, babies under one, or cruise ship passengers.

I see this as one of the tour’s strongest choices. Wine tasting can become repetitive when one cellar door follows another. The animal stop gives you something physical and cheerful to do, and the scones make the first hour feel like part of the experience rather than transport between tastings.

Cowaramup Chocolate, Coffee and Tea

The next food stop in Cowaramup combines chocolate, coffee and tea. The chocolate selection includes unusual flavours, so this is not simply a quick stop for a standard box of sweets.

You will have time to taste the creations and browse the products. Some people may want to buy chocolate, coffee or tea to take home, but there is no stated pressure to purchase. That matters on a tour with several food shops, since small purchases can quickly add to the day’s cost.

This stop breaks up the schedule nicely. After morning tea, it gives you a change of flavour before the first winery. It is also useful for people in a mixed group, since not everyone needs to be a wine enthusiast to enjoy a tasting.

The trade-off is time. If your priority is squeezing in as many cellar doors as possible, this stop takes an hour that could otherwise be spent on wine. If you enjoy local food and want a fuller picture of Margaret River, I think the balance is better with it included.

Three Boutique Wineries With Different Personalities

Wine is still the main event, with three winery visits spread through the afternoon and late morning. Each tasting lasts about an hour, giving you time to sample several wines and ask questions without being rushed through a single pour.

The wineries are selected for their smaller scale and local character. You may encounter family-owned businesses and cellar doors where the people serving the wine have a close connection to the production. The point is not to tick off the biggest names in the district. It is to find bottles and makers you might not encounter on a generic best-of itinerary.

The selection can include a broad range of Margaret River styles. One tasting may focus on familiar regional favourites, while another gives you a wider flight. At Redgate, one guide in particular, Ray Marais, is noted for offering a broad selection and encouraging visitors to try many of the wines available.

That variety helps if your group has mixed tastes. You can compare styles instead of hearing the same explanation three times. Guides such as Dani and Ziggy also add regional context, covering wine production and Margaret River’s history as you move between stops.

The experience is not entirely dependent on the cellar-door staff. One visit was affected by a staff shortage, but guide Dani helped explain the wines and kept the session moving. That is useful to know because boutique wineries often have small teams. The welcome may vary from one stop to the next, even when the wine itself is excellent.

You should also expect a fair amount of wine. One day included around 25 wines and three gins, while another involved more than 20 local wines. The exact pour list changes, but this is not a token tasting of two or three samples. Eat the morning scones and lunch, drink water when you can, and use the driver’s service for what it is intended for.

Olive Farm Lunch With Oils Made On Site

Lunch takes place at an olive farm in the Margaret River area. Before or alongside the meal, you taste olive oils, dressings and other olive-based products made on site.

This is more than a restaurant break. The setting lets you connect the meal to a local producer, and the tasting gives you a better sense of how olive oil changes from one style or product to another. Several menu choices are available, and the portions have been described as plentiful, with options to suit different tastes.

Drinks at lunch are not included apart from water, so budget for anything else you want to order. That is a minor extra, but it is the clearest cost limitation in an otherwise inclusive day.

The olive farm also gives your palate a reset. After the first winery, a proper meal and savoury food are welcome. Cheese has been used as a nice match with the wine, and the olive-based products offer something worth taking home if you find a favourite.

The Guide Makes the Difference

This itinerary has a lot of moving parts, so the guide matters. Dani and Ziggy receive especially strong praise for their wine knowledge, local stories, easy humour and ability to bring a group together. Greg, Jules and Jan have also led departures, so your host may vary.

Dani is described as particularly good at answering questions about both Margaret River and winemaking. Ziggy is known for a relaxed, witty style and for interpreting information in Spanish when needed. English, Portuguese and Spanish are the listed tour languages.

A good guide also handles the practical side. Pickup needs to run on time, the group needs to stay together, and the pace must allow enough time for tastings and shopping. Past departures have included groups of up to 11 people, a size that can still feel personal without making the day private.

The social side is part of the appeal. You share a minibus, meals and tastings with people who may have different wine preferences. That can create a warm group atmosphere, but it also means you cannot set the pace entirely for yourself. If you prefer to linger for an hour at one winery or skip chocolate, a private tour would give you more control.

What $145 Includes

At $145 per person, the price is strong if you plan to use the full day. Included are hotel pickup and drop-off within Margaret River town centre, morning tea, lunch, wine tastings at three wineries, olive oil and local-product tastings, and chocolate tastings.

The value comes from the combination. Booking separate transport, three winery visits, lunch, a farm visit and food tastings would take planning, and one person must still drive. Here, you can taste wine across the day without worrying about the road back to your hotel.

The price is less compelling if you are interested only in wine. You are paying for the farm animals, morning tea, chocolate, olive oil and guiding as well as the cellar doors. I would choose this tour for a broad regional day, not as a specialist class in viticulture.

Shopping is extra, of course. The stops make it easy to buy wine, chocolate, coffee, tea and olive products, and several people have returned to a winery later to buy more. There is no need to purchase anything, but bring room in your luggage if you are prone to finding edible souvenirs.

Who Will Enjoy This Tour Most

I would recommend it to first-time visitors who want a simple way to sample Margaret River’s food and wine culture. It suits couples, friends and solo visitors who like meeting other people and prefer a hosted day to driving from cellar door to cellar door.

It is also a good pick for repeat visitors. The small wineries and farm stop show a different side of the region, even if you have already visited the major names. The mix of wine, animals, sweets, olive products and scenery keeps the day from feeling like a repeat of a standard vineyard circuit.

It may not suit you if you want a quiet, private schedule or if you are travelling with an infant. Children under two are not accepted, babies under one are excluded, and anyone drinking alcohol must be at least 18 and able to show valid identification.

The walking is easy, but this is not a fully indoor activity. Wear comfortable clothing and be ready for a farm environment. Assistance dogs are allowed, but other pets are not.

Helpful Booking Details Before You Go

Pickup is available from hotels in Margaret River Township, with Burnside, Margaret River and Prevelly listed among the pickup and drop-off areas. Staying outside the township requires a message to the provider before booking.

You can cancel up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund, and the reserve-now, pay-later option keeps your plans flexible. The tour runs for seven hours, but the starting time depends on availability.

Bring your passport or ID card, especially if you look under 18. Comfortable clothing is the only other stated item to pack. Smoking, bare feet, alcoholic drinks and food are not allowed in the vehicle.

Should You Book the Margaret River Hidden Gems Tour?

Book it if you want one well-paced day of wine and local produce without driving. The animal farm, warm scones, chocolate stop and olive farm lunch give the tour a personality that a straight winery circuit lacks.

I would be especially happy choosing it for a first Margaret River visit, a repeat visit when you want smaller producers, or a mixed group where some people care about food and scenery as much as wine. The strongest guides, particularly Dani and Ziggy, add plenty of local colour.

Skip it if you want a private wine study day, a luxury meal-focused tour or complete control over the schedule. At $145, though, the included transport, lunch, morning tea and tastings make it a sensible buy for a full regional introduction. Just leave space in your bag for wine, chocolate, coffee, tea and olive oil.

FAQ

How long does the Margaret River Hidden Gems tour last?

The tour lasts seven hours. Check availability for the exact starting time when you book.

What is included in the $145 price?

The price includes pickup and drop-off within Margaret River town centre, morning tea with homemade scones, lunch, wine tastings at three wineries, olive oil and local-product tastings, and chocolate tastings.

Where does hotel pickup operate?

Pickup is offered from hotels in Margaret River Township. Burnside, Margaret River and Prevelly are listed as pickup locations. If you stay outside Margaret River Township, contact the activity provider.

Which languages are available?

The live guide service is available in English, Portuguese and Spanish. Guides on different departures may include Dani, Ziggy, Greg, Jules or Jan.

Is the tour suitable for children?

The tour is not suitable for children under two or babies under one. The drinking age is 18, and anyone may be asked to show valid identification.

Can I cancel the booking?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. A reserve-now, pay-later option is also available.