The Swan Valley (Gidjeejarnup) is the only wine region that’s so close to an Australian capital city, you can swing by the cellar doors just before or after your flight (it’s a 20-minute drive from the airport). 

Feature by Jo Baker

This picturesque patchwork of Western Australia’s oldest vines is a rich tapestry of more than 40 world-class wineries, 70 restaurants and cafes, six breweries, two distilleries, three cideries and myriad artists and artisans. Check out the best stops for a flying 60-minute visit.

Bushtucker tasting with bubbles

The Swan Valley (Gidjeejarnup) is deep-rooted in Indigenous farming and foraging traditions stretching back thousands of years. For an authentic taste of this rich history and fertile ancient land, join local Noongar Elder Dale Tilbrook in the stunning grounds of Mandoon Estate on the banks of the meandering Swan River (Derbal Yerrigan).

Beginning in time-honoured Swan Valley style, with a chilled glass of sparkling, your 60-minute Bubbles and Bushtucker Tour gives you a deeper connection to Country, its stories and its bounty of seasonal native fruits, herbs and spices. Gather some to take home at the Maalinup Aboriginal Gallery, stocked with preserves, oils and dukkah inspired by nature’s pantry.

_{Dale Tilbrook Experience, Mandoon Estate}

Gateways to where the magic happens

Beyond the cellar doors and tasting rooms lie hidden gateways into masterclasses and meet-the-maker experiences that’ll take you deeper into their worlds than you’d expect in just one hour.

Harris Organic lets you into its secret underground cellar, sustainable vineyard and small organic brandy distillery with guided tasting tours. Upper Reach will walk you through their vineyard, grape varieties, winemaking process and wines. Funk Brewshed reveals the unique creative twists and craftsmanship they lovingly pour into brewing and cider-making. The bee-guiling House of Honey will give you a raw and pure tour of their bee farm with a mead tasting. And Sandalford will train your nose and palate in tasting and pairing wines like a seasoned sommelier. 

_{Tasting at the House of Honey, Swan Valley}

Refill your energy flow and glow

Gift the skin you’re in a full hour of well-deserved attention. Restore your chakras with ancient Ayurvedic therapy at The Swan Valley Retreat, or a full-body relaxation massage with warm oils to melt those knots away. Indulge in avant-garde beauty treatments from the world-renown GUINOT salon, with a Hydradermie facial or smoothing foot treatment at the French-inspired Brookleigh Day Spa. Either way, you’ll leave feeling a whole lot lighter and step aboard your flight from Perth (Boorloo) on cloud nine.

Feast on verdant vineyard vistas

The Swan Valley isn’t short of lunch spots delivering big on authentic seasonal flavours, lovingly crafted drops and uninterrupted undulating vineyard views, but here’s a shortlist.

Take a moment between every sip of Verdelho and fresh ocean-caught bite at Riverbank Estate to soak up the epic panorama, from manicured lawns and raked grape vines down to the meandering river and up into the hilltops. Let Sittella’s head chef whisk you off on his European culinary adventures at this glittering gem with elevated vineyard views. Venture to Upper Reach for big-flavoured tasting plates and wide-open vineyard to riverbank views, or maybe a weekend lunch in the TreeHouse Pizza Bar in the shade of a magnificent old marri tree.

_{Dining in the Swan Valley}

Hidden art worlds on full display

Enter the creative spaces of the Swan Valley’s most fertile imaginations and gifted hands keeping age-old techniques alive and playfully pushing new boundaries. Alongside emerging local talents, you’ll find award-winning and internationally renowned artists at work and plenty of bespoke items to take home from Whiteman Park, Guildford’s James Street strip or studio-hopping on the art trail.

Snuggles and big smiles with Aussie icons

Here’s a 45-minute encounter that’ll stay with you for a lifetime – a face-to-furry-face snuggle with the cutest furry Australians. Koala or wombat experiences are bookable with Caversham Wildlife Park and you might just snap up a golden ticket on arrival to get a bear hug, holding a koala in your arms. Wander into the kangaroo and wallaby enclosure anytime and they’ll be happy to pose for a selfie too.

_{Caversham Wildlife Park, Swan Valley}

But you’re going to want to skip a visit to Skippy if you’re a Formula One fan. Just up the road at the Motor Museum of WA sits the 2014 Red Bull RB10 racing car owned by Perth’s Formula One legend, Daniel Ricciardo. Tour guides will take you for a lap around the whole classic car collection and a snap with the car that put Daniel on the Grand Prix podium for the first time.

Published January 2025.