Drawing visitors in record numbers, they’re a chance to eat, drink, discover and explore all corners of the state in style. Add these to your calendar. Western Australia comes alive with a host of epic festivals held in its most stunning regions every year. Drawing visitors in record numbers, they’re a chance to eat, drink, discover and explore all corners of the state in style. Add these to your calendar.
With such a wide range of landscapes and settings, Western Australia provides a wealth of opportunities for exploring – from far north in the state’s wilderness to the fabled wine country in the South West, all the way down and around to the south coast. There are ample opportunities to discover what each of these unique places adds to the fabric of the state, and what better time to do it than during a local festival?
Showcasing distinct cultures and local characters, each region’s celebrations highlight the particular qualities that forge their identity and draw visitors intent on joining the throng and making memories that will last a lifetime. Whether it’s getting up close and personal with top chefs over long lunches, digging up fresh truffles, tasting wines and fresh seafood by the sea in Albany, seeing musicians grace the stage, getting a taste of local culture or discovering the unique mix of backgrounds that define Broome before watching the moon rise over the water, there’s something for everyone to love at WA’s festivals. Mark these annual events in your calendar, pick your route, and use them as a launchpad to further discover the stunning landscapes and settings across WA.
Taste Great Southern, Albany
Shore Leave
Shore Leave festival (which typically occurs in April) sees Geraldton come alive with an exciting array of events and activities that showcase the Midwest’s dazzling landscapes, top-notch produce, history and Aboriginal culture. For five days, the city plays host to the state’s best chefs who let their minds and palates run wild with a bounty of local produce, ranging from beautiful western rock lobster to freshly harvested Abrolhos Island scallops.
2022’s edition saw Vasse Felix chef Brendan Pratt (winner of the West Australian Good Food Guide’s 2021 Regional Chef of the Year award) take charge of a long lunch on the remote pristine shores of East Wallabi Island, putting on a lavish spread (matched with estate wines, of course) against a backdrop of blue skies, bluer water and pure white sands. This then rolled into shared paddock-to-plate dinners under the stars on the Geraldton foreshore, roving feasts, masterclasses and a multicourse long lunch to finish, all prepared by some of the state’s best and brightest chefs (previous guests include Melissa Palinkas and Jenny Lam for starters).
Between events, visitors can explore the city’s rich history at the Museum of Geraldton and the HMAS II Sydney Memorial, then take in its natural wonders with a surfboard, snorkel or fishing rod in hand. Geraldton is widely known as the gateway to wildflower country, and makes an exceptional base for exploring. The 210 islands that comprise the coral-fringed Houtman Abrolhos are about 60 kilometres from Geraldton’s coast, and easily one of the world’s most breathtaking marine environments. Go the extra mile and book a scenic flight over the archipelago, and maximise the dreamy pink hues of the legendary Hutt Lagoon en route.
Taste Great Southern
Each May, the heart of the unspoilt Great Southern region lights up with more than 30 unique culinary experiences and events over a packed program. From Albany to Frankland River, and Denmark to Katanning, local producers and award-winning winemakers and brewers of the region will be showcased through long-table lunches, a regional food and wine festival, dinners, dégustations, community markets, music events, wine sessions and much more – a true feast for the senses.
Supported by an exciting lineup of nationally renowned visiting and local chefs, Taste Great Southern transports guests and visitors to another world against a backdrop of rugged coastline, mountains and forest ranges. Previous guests have included chef and author Analiese Gregory, undoubtedly one of the most exciting cooks of her generation and a trailblazing talent. Expect the festival to go just as big in the future.
Taste Great Southern, Albany
Cabin Fever
Just a three-hour drive from Perth, the Margaret River region is home to more than 150 wine producers and 85 cellar doors, and produces around 20 per cent of Australia’s premium wine. Alongside the wineries, visitors will find a bounty of restaurants, boutique breweries, art galleries and an abundance of fresh produce to discover. The one event to show them all off? Cabin Fever, a winter festival centred around food, wine, beer, fire and music.
The packed schedule, featuring more than 40 events from Busselton to Margaret River might see collaborations between local and visiting chefs at some of the region’s finest restaurants (past collabs include between Chow’s Table and Lagoon Yallingup, for example), wine tastings with food to match, farm tours, masterclasses, fireside feasts, producer-chef pairings, epic beer events, live bands and much more. Among the festivities, there are opportunities to explore the South West’s incredible coastline, tall-timber bushland, renowned surf breaks and ancient caves. Be stunned by the spectacular Cape to Cape Track, which runs for 135 kilometres along the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge, surf one of Margaret River’s 40 top spots along the coast, head to Augusta for whale watching and plenty more.
Truffle Kerfuffle
Australia’s greatest truffle festival is set to return with a bang in 2023 with a celebration of one of the world’s most luxurious ingredients. Based around Manjimup, the heart of Australian truffle country, the festival runs for several days with the festivities spreading out from the Festival Village to truffle farms, restaurants and wineries. Join specially trained truffle dogs as they seek out black truffles among the trees, meet farmers and growers, buy your own, and join in the fun with a litany of truffle-heavy experiences and dining events driven by a host of world-class chefs.
Just three-and-a-half hours from Perth and 90 minutes from Margaret River, Manjimup is lush, fertile country surrounded by an incredible natural environment. Among visits to local wineries and restaurants, there are opportunities to explore the pristine D’Entrecasteaux National Park by boat in the Karri Valley or travel through deep forest on the Pemberton Tramway. But nothing beats unearthing black gold and savouring it moments after it’s been pulled from the ground. For that, Truffle Kerfuffle is not to be missed.
Entwined in the Valley
With so many regional destinations to discover in WA, it can be easy to forget that one of the best is right on Perth’s doorstep. The Swan Valley is half an hour from the CBD. Entering the valley is like stepping into another world – one filled with world-class wineries, boutique breweries, cideries, distillers, restaurants, cafés and art galleries. Whether you arrive by car or on a cruise up the Swan river, the natural bushland, wildflower trails and heritage touches (not least of which is 40,000 years of continuous Aboriginal connection through the Nyoongar people) add multiple dimensions to a trip.
Take in the state’s oldest vines at Olive Farm Wines or Perth’s oldest pub, for example, or come spring, spend a weekend at Swan Valley’s own festival, Entwined in the Valley. Timed around the warm weather and the promise of a new vintage, the Valley’s makers, growers and artisans put their best foot forward to showcase the region at its finest. Indulge in long brunches and lunches, go behind the scenes with some of Swan Valley’s great makers and growers, and enjoy one-off dining experiences curated especially for the festival. Don’t miss it.
See entwinedinthevalley.com.au
Ord Valley Muster
The stunning landscape and experiences of the Kimberley region rightly draw visitors from around the world, but for 10 days every year, East Kimberley draws tourists for another reason: the Ord Valley Muster. A bumper program featuring more than 30 events, the muster highlights the diversity and openness of the local community, showing its diversity with a wide range of cultural events and performances, and supporting it with a roster of chefs and musicians.
Expect a rodeo, live comedy, musical talents (past acts include Jimmy Barnes and Daryl Braithwaite), corroborees under the stars and dining experiences hosted by acclaimed culinary personalities, all against the backdrop of Kununurra and the East Kimberley. Of course, this is the gateway to one of the world’s great wilderness zones, one of the world’s oldest and largest, with unique wildlife, majestic vistas and canyons and incredible flora. Enthralling, enchanting and memorable, it’s a bucket-list event in one of the world’s great settings. Look out for it every May.
Ord Valley Muster, Kununurra
Shinju Matsuri
Broome is a place with its own distinct identity, combining a heritage that reaches into Aboriginal, Japanese, Chinese, Indonesian, Malay and European histories with a tropical climate that makes it stand out from the rest of the state. Come springtime, there’s another big reason to be in town, and that’s the annual Shinju Matsuri festival. Celebrating Broome’s unique history and heritage, the program features a range of incredible dining experiences led by some of WA’s best chefs along with cultural tours, art exhibitions, and live performances from local and visiting artists. Think local chefs hosting a hawkers market in the heart of Chinatown, a gala bayside dining event pairing Kimberley delicacies such as pearl meat with local drinks and creative cocktails, or a banquet on the sand at iconic Cable Beach.
Published June 2022.