Margaret River and Busselton Jetty: Day Trip from Perth

The remarkable thing about this tour is how much of southwest Western Australia it fits into one very long day. You can walk around Busselton Jetty, tour Mammoth Cave, taste regional drinks, reach Cape Leeuwin and still see Margaret River town before returning to Perth.

I like the variety and the fact that transport, lunch, tastings, cave entry and lighthouse grounds entry are included. I also like the guides, who bring the long coach rides to life with stories about local farms, wine production, history and wildlife. The catch is simple: 13.5 hours is a serious day, and some stops last only about 30 minutes.

Key points to know before booking

• Busselton Jetty is an early highlight: You see the southern hemisphere’s longest wooden jetty, but the stop may be too short for a full walk or train ride.
• Mammoth Cave includes a guided tour: Expect limestone formations and large underground chambers, with roughly 30 to 40 minutes for the visit.
• Cape Leeuwin gives you the day’s biggest scenery: You visit the lighthouse grounds and old keepers’ cottages at Australia’s most southwesterly point.
• Lunch and tastings are built in: The day includes a meal plus beer, cider and wine sampling, though the winery stop can change or be unavailable on public holidays.
• The coach time is substantial: You may cover about 700 kilometres, so comfortable clothing and shoes matter.
• Margaret River town is a brief final stop: It is useful for a stroll or snacks, but shops may be closing by the time you arrive.

A huge southwest loop from Perth

This is not a leisurely wine-country outing. It is a fast, well-organised survey of the Margaret River region, designed for you if you have only one day and no car.

The advertised duration is 810 minutes, or 13.5 hours. In practice, pickup can be around 8:00 or 8:30 in the morning, with return to Perth around 9:00 to 9:15 at night. That sounds long because it is long. Still, the route covers a great deal of ground, and the coach is described as comfortable and clean.

The order of stops makes sense for a day from Perth. You head south to Busselton, continue toward the Margaret River and Augusta areas, then return north. Much of the day passes through the coach window, but the driver provides live English commentary along the way.

Guides including Bec, Gordon, Jonathan, Chris, Mick and Ian have been praised for their local stories and calm handling of the long drive. One particularly useful feature is the commentary on the countryside itself: farms, wineries, regional history and even local wildlife. You get more than a silent transfer between attractions.

The trade-off is time. A full day does not mean eight hours of sightseeing. You may spend much of the day seated, with short breaks at major stops. If you have a bad back, dislike coach travel or prefer slow meals and long museum visits, this is probably the wrong format.

Busselton Jetty: beautiful, but watch the clock

Busselton Jetty is an excellent first stop because it gives you an immediate sense of the coast and the scale of the region. At about 1.8 kilometres, it is known as the longest wooden jetty in the southern hemisphere.

The usual visit includes time to walk along the foreshore and take photographs. You can also look into the jetty’s history at the small museum, depending on the timing and what is open. Morning tea is at your own expense, so this is a sensible place to buy coffee or a snack.

Here is the important practical point: the stop may be only around 30 minutes. That is enough to see the jetty, take photos and get a taste of Busselton, but not necessarily enough to walk the full length. The jetty train is also not guaranteed as part of this experience. If riding the train or reaching the end matters to you, ask before booking rather than assuming it is included.

I would have preferred more time here. Busselton is one of the stops where an extra 30 minutes would make a real difference. Still, as an introduction to the coast, it works well, especially if this is your only day in the southwest.

Lunch, beer and cider at a regional brewery

The food stop gives the day a welcome change of pace. You visit one of the area’s older breweries or a similar regional venue for lunch, with beer and cider tastings included.

Past versions of the route have used places such as Cheeky Monkey and Bootleg Brewery. Meals have included pizza, burgers and sharing platters, with vegetarian choices available on some departures. The exact venue and menu can vary, so do not book this expecting one fixed dish.

This stop is useful for two reasons. First, it breaks up the long drive with a proper meal. Second, it lets you sample local drinks without needing to drive afterward. Portions have been described as generous, and some people saved part of a large pizza for the ride home.

You should give dietary requirements when booking. The tour information specifically asks you to do this, and one past stop had limited vegan choices. Public holiday schedules can also affect the winery portion of the day, so the food and drink itinerary may not be identical on every date.

Wine tasting with a look at production

The wine stop is brief, but it gives you a taste of why Margaret River is famous. You sample local wines, hear about production and have the chance to buy a bottle or two.

Do not think of this as a full winery crawl. There is generally one main winery stop rather than several cellar doors. If your main aim is a serious wine holiday, you will want two or three days in the region with your own transport or a dedicated wine tour.

For a one-day overview, the tasting is still worthwhile. You get some regional context rather than simply passing vineyards from a bus window. The staff can explain the wines and the production process, while the guide adds background on the district.

The winery may be closed on public holidays. That is an important point to check before you pay, especially if the tasting is one of your main reasons for booking. The tour still includes plenty of other sights, but the wine element may be adjusted.

Mammoth Cave and the limestone underground

Mammoth Cave is the most substantial natural attraction on the route. You enter a large limestone cave and take a guided tour through its chambers and formations.

The visit commonly lasts about 30 to 40 minutes. That is not enough for an extended cave expedition, but it is long enough to see the scale of the interior and understand why this stop belongs on the route. The cave guide adds meaning to what you are seeing, rather than leaving you to wander without context.

Bring comfortable walking shoes. The cave visit is one of the parts of the day where sensible footwear matters most, and you should expect some walking rather than a quick photo stop. A hat is also useful for the outdoor sections of the itinerary.

Mammoth Cave adds balance to the day. Busselton gives you the coast, the brewery and winery provide food and drink, and the cave brings you into the region’s older natural story. You are not simply moving from one tasting room to another.

Through Boranup Forest to Cape Leeuwin

The drive through Boranup Forest is one of the quieter pleasures of the day. You pass through tall forest on the way to Augusta and Cape Leeuwin, with the coach journey itself forming part of the experience.

Cape Leeuwin is the southernmost major destination on the route and, for many people, the emotional high point. It is Australia’s most southwesterly point, where the Indian and Southern oceans meet. The lighthouse rises above the coast, and the grounds include old lighthouse keepers’ cottages.

You enter the lighthouse grounds, but a climb inside the tower is not listed as part of this tour. Plan on viewing the lighthouse, coastline and cottage displays rather than assuming you will have time for every exhibit.

The stop may last only around 30 minutes. That is enough for photographs and a quick look around, but it can feel rushed if you want to study the cottages or linger by the water. I would prioritise the coastal viewpoint and lighthouse first, then use any spare minutes for the cottages.

The distance is what makes this stop both special and demanding. From Perth, Cape Leeuwin is not a casual side trip. Reaching it in one day gives you access to a place that would otherwise require a longer self-drive itinerary, but the price is considerable time on the road.

Margaret River town is not the main event

The township of Margaret River usually comes late in the day, often around 6:00 in the evening. You get a short chance to walk the main street, buy snacks or find something for the return journey.

This stop needs realistic expectations. The town is not the main attraction of the district, and by the time the coach arrives, many shops may be closing. A supermarket or one of the remaining food outlets may be more useful than a long browse through stores.

I would happily trade some of this stop for extra time at Busselton Jetty or Cape Leeuwin. Still, it can be handy. You can stretch your legs, pick up food and see the town that gives the wine region its name.

The greater appeal of Margaret River is the surrounding countryside, caves, forests, coast and vineyards. The town itself is a brief orientation point, not the reason to choose this trip.

What the $176 price really buys you

At $176 per person, this is not a cheap day out, but it includes more than transport. Your price covers round-trip coach travel, a driver-guide, live commentary, lunch, beer and cider tastings, wine tastings, Mammoth Cave entry and Cape Leeuwin lighthouse grounds entry.

That package is useful because individual admission fees and meals can add up quickly on a self-drive day. You also avoid driving after tastings and do not need to plan the long route between Perth, Busselton, Augusta and Margaret River.

The value depends on your priorities. If you want to sit back, see major sights and let someone else handle roughly 700 kilometres of driving, the price is reasonable. If you want unhurried wine tasting, a long jetty walk, extended cave time and a full meal at your own pace, the same price may feel less attractive.

There is also the value of access. Cape Leeuwin and Mammoth Cave are hard to combine with Busselton in one day unless you are willing to spend hours behind the wheel. This tour makes that ambitious route possible, even if it cannot give every stop the time it deserves.

Comfort, timing and what to bring

Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a hat and camera. You will move between coach, jetty, cave, forest and lighthouse grounds, so this is not a day for stiff shoes or a carefully planned outfit.

Take a water bottle and some extra snacks if you like to eat at set times. Lunch is included, and there is an en-route comfort stop on the return journey, but the day is long and the timing is fixed.

Pickup and drop-off are available from selected Perth CBD hotels when that option is chosen. You should wait outside 10 minutes before the stated pickup time. A late start can affect the whole group because the itinerary has very little spare time.

The tour uses a comfortable coach, but comfort cannot remove the distances. Bring something to read or listen to if you prefer quiet time between commentary. The guides generally provide plenty of information, but you also get stretches when the best plan is simply to look out the window or rest.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure, and you can reserve now and pay later. Minimum numbers apply, so the departure can be cancelled after confirmation if there are not enough bookings.

Who should book this day trip?

I would choose this tour if you have one free day in Perth and want a broad introduction to the southwest without hiring a car. It suits first-time visitors who value famous sights, local tastings and a guide who explains what lies beyond the road.

It is also a good fit if Cape Leeuwin is high on your list. Reaching the lighthouse, Mammoth Cave and Busselton in a single day is the main achievement here.

I would not choose it for a slow wine escape. You will not have enough time for several wineries, long lunches, extended shopping or a relaxed walk along Busselton Jetty. A two or three-day stay in Margaret River would give you a better feel for the region.

Families and older people can manage the outing if they are comfortable with the long coach ride and walking at the stops. Anyone with a bad back should think carefully before booking, since the day can involve many hours seated.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want maximum variety in one day and accept that the schedule will feel tight. You will see coast, forest, cave, lighthouse, vineyards and brewery country, with food and tastings included.

Skip it if you already have several days in southwest Western Australia. In that case, use the extra time for a slower itinerary and give Busselton, Cape Leeuwin and the wineries the attention they deserve.

For a single day from Perth, though, this is a strong sampler. The long ride is the price of reaching so far south and west. Guides such as Bec, Gordon and Jonathan help make that ride worthwhile, while the mix of major sights keeps the day from becoming a simple bus transfer.

FAQ

How long is the Margaret River and Busselton Jetty day trip?

The listed duration is 810 minutes, or 13.5 hours. Pickup is generally in the morning, with return to Perth in the evening, often around 9:00 to 9:15.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch is included, along with beer and cider tastings at the brewery stop.

Are wine tastings included?

Yes. Local wine tastings are included, and you have the opportunity to purchase wine. The winery may be closed on public holidays.

Does the tour include a ride on the Busselton Jetty train?

A train ride is not listed as an inclusion. The itinerary includes a stop at Busselton Jetty, but the time may be too short for a full walk or train ride.

Is Mammoth Cave entry included?

Yes. Mammoth Cave entry and a guided cave tour are included. The visit generally takes about 30 to 40 minutes.

What should I bring?

Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a hat and camera. Tell the operator about dietary requirements when booking, and wait outside 10 minutes before your pickup time.