Cabin Fever means fiery fun and games in Margaret River

I cannot think of a wine region in Australia that loves a festival as much as Margaret River in Western Australia. 

Cabin Fever Festival returns for its ninth edition of fire-focused fun from July 18-27 in Margaret River and Busselton for a showcase of food, music, and events - over 40 in all. 

Returning events include Blazing Brews at Beerfarm, Wine's a Drag at Bungalow Neighbourhood Social, the Cheese Toastie Battle, and the always-rowdy Shelter the Storm at Shelter Brewing Co.

There's also a range of new experiences including a Lo-Fi Wine Fair featuring bites from Dahl Daddys and wine from lo-fi, small-batch winemakers Amato Vino, Si Vintners, Rosa Glen Farm and Dirt Temple. 

Hot eatery de'sendent teams up with LS Merchants for some fine food and wine, while Fervor and Si Vintners join forces for Flint and Folklore in the Si Barrel Hall. There will also be Yum Yum Cha with new kid on the block Miss Chows. 

Hair of the Truffle Dog will see an early morning truffle hunt with Margaret River Truffle Farm paired with a 'champagne' breakfast with Skigh Wine, while Lunch on Fire at Howard Park will showcase Argentinian fare, fire pits and wine. 

Three Margaret River chef heavyweights: Brendan Pratt (Busselton Pavilion), Mal Chow(Chows Table) and Rob Webster (Normal Van) come together for Cape to Plate.

“One of the most exciting things about Cabin Fever is how it sparks unexpected, incredible collaborations, that people not only love to attend, but the venues, producers and chefs love working together to deliver," says festival director Erin Molloy.

“People have come to rely on the festival to deliver an experience like no other in the region during the winter months, with the region coming alive as a winter wonderland of fire pits, feasts, and fun.”

Making a return in 2025 is The Cabin presented by Shelter Brewing Co. This free, family-friendly festival hub will light up the Busselton Foreshore from July 18-20. 

Tickets are now on sale at www.cabinfeverfest.com.au

Image: Lauren Trickett 

It's all happening in booming Busselton

 

The West Australian coastal town of Busselton is booming right now. 

The highly anticipated Hilton Garden Inn Busselton will open its doors this summer on the shores of Geographe Bay.

The five-storey property will offer 112 rooms, heated outdoor pool, a 24-hour fitness centre, and event space, and is located directly adjacent to Busselton Jetty, Shelter Brewing and recently reopened The Goose.

Busselton Jetty, meanwhile, has installed 13 underwater sculptures to create a sculpture trail and artificial reef at the end of the 1.8-kilometre structure.

This submerged experience is for divers, swimmers and snorkellers, with special signage and maps provided for the underwater journey, while the sculptures also create new habitat for local marine wildlife.

A $45 million redevelopment of the Busselton Central Shopping Centre has seen a new level of shopping, entertainment and dining options for the region, including Inara (above), which is serving up Middle Eastern cuisine.

The Busselton Pavilion will in early 2024, offering a new dining experience which will boast a restaurant and bar, local wine store, providore and distillery.   

Jetstar delivers good news for wine lovers

Wine lovers wanting to visit the Margaret River region in Western Australia from Sydney have reason to celebrate.

Jetstar has announced the first direct service connecting Sydney to Busselton Margaret River, starting early next year.

The three-flights-per-week service will carry more than 50,000 customers between Sydney and the popular wine and surf region each year.

Operated by an Airbus A320 aircraft, the first flight will take off on March 26, 2024,in time for the Easter holidays and coinciding with the second anniversary of Jetstar’s inaugural flight from Melbourne to Busselton Margaret River in April 2022.

Jetstar Group CEO Stephanie Tully said Jetstar will be the only commercial airline offering direct flights between the east coast and Busselton Margaret River.

“Holidaymakers from Sydney will be able to fly direct to Margaret River in about five hours for as low as $109 one way, making the region far more accessible for domestic and international tourists from the harbour city," she said.

“Our flights from Melbourne have already been incredibly popular, and once our Sydney flights launch, we’ll be carrying well over 100,000 customers to and from this captivating region annually."

West Australian deputy premier and minister for tourism Rita Saffioti said the state government was excited to see another direct link into a tourism hotspot.

“We’re really proud to be supporting this new direct flight, making it easier for people in the eastern states to get to our world-class South West region and enjoy all it has to offer," she said.

“Direct flights form a really important part of our tourism strategy, as it brings more visitors into our State, injects valuable tourism dollars into our local economy and of course, supports local jobs and businesses.”

Luxury new accommodation opens in Margaret River

There will be a new place to stay in the Margaret River region from next month with the opening of Edge Luxury Villas at Springwater Estate.

The adults-only retreat will start welcoming guests in a couple of weeks. 

There will be four luxury villas, all built over the property's lake and boasting water views from their private decks. 

All the villas are equipped with self-sufficient kitchenettes, lounge areas, king beds, bathrooms with freestanding stone baths, and luxury fittings.

One of the villas is also fully accessible for those with mobility issues. 

See  https://www.edgeluxuryvillas.com.au/

In other hospitality news from Tourism Western Australia, the Wonil Hotel in Perth has opened its signature restaurant West Kitchen & Bar.

It is said to offer a "laid-back culinary experience" while taking in views of Perth and the Swan River.

West Kitchen & Bar aims to exclusively source West Australian produce and wines.

Meanwhile, Dunn Bay Continental, a grocer, wine store, café, deli and flower shop, has opened in Dunsborough, serving up gourmet produce from the Margaret River region and beyond.

Dunn Bay Continental is located within the new Southcamp precinct, which opened its doors earlier this year with village-style accommodation offering 18 cabins and two apartments, alongside a Brewhouse bar and kitchen.

Back in Perth, Elizabeth Quay will welcome the opening of another venue on the waterfront this month, with 6HEAD Perth set to open its doors on November 24.

This will be the second venue for the premium steakhouse, after opening in Sydney in 2019.

Busselton's hospitality scene continues to boom, with the opening of Inara Dining in the newly redeveloped Busselton Central Shopping Centre.

The contemporary restaurant and bar specialises in Middle Eastern cuisine.

The state's WA's oldest wine region, the Swan Valley, has welcomed another micro-distillery and tasting room.

Damaged Goods Distilling Co gets its name from its sustainable concept of using 'waste' and unwanted produce to distil liquor.

The spirits on offer including a citrus gin, smashed apple aperitivo and banana vodka. A little weird. but hey.

The perfect beer for sipping while watching sunsets?

Ever wondered what beer would be perfect for pairing with watching sunsets?

Me neither, but the laidback crew at Shelter Brewing Co. in Busselton, West Australia, have thought long and hard about it.

Brewer Jason Credaro and his team say their latest limited-release beer, the Left Coast IPA, is the ideal drop.

It is available from today - and if you can get yourself to Busselton then there will be free beer at a ‘First Pour’ event with tastings, DJs and giveaways. 

“This beer is an homage to the WA coastline and everything that makes it great - waves, crays, camping in the dunes, red dirt, white sand, the coral coast, tides that move like brumbies and, of course, sunsets over the sea,” said Credaro.

“It’s a clean, crisp IPA; a fresh, new-world style with a punchy pineapple core and passionfruit, guava and pine undertones.

“It’s a very sessionable beer at a sensible-ish ABV, a beer as laid back as a night around the campfire in the dunes.”

The Left Coast IPA First Pour will be at Shelter Brewing Co. on Friday, August 11, from 6pm and is a free event.

For those that can’t make it down to Busselton, it will be tapped at venues across Perth at the same time.

# Shelter is a brewery and family-friendly venue on the Busselton Foreshore with seven core beers: Pale Ale, Extra Pale Ale, India Pale Ale, Summer Sour, Red Ale, Lager and Jetty Jump Pale.

See www.shelterbrewing.com.au

Meet the new one-stop shop for gourmet goods from West Australia

Imagine a one-stop indoor market where you can taste and buy the best of West Australian produce, wines and beers while enjoying entertainment and the chance to visit local glassblowers, woodworkers, indigenous artists and other artisans. 

It is still a building site, but the potential of the $50 million Origins Market in Busselton was obvious when I visited last week with curator and co-ordinator Louise Cashmore. It will be a big drawcard for both locals and tourists en route to or from Margaret River. 

Origins Market will open in November and aims to showcase leading local providores, while also offering a shopping and dining destination. 

Origins is calling on local producers, makers, growers and artisans passionate about food and West Australian artisanal products to become involved. 

Busselton is one of Western Australia's fastest-growing regional centres and is just 10 minutes from the Busselton Margaret River Airport ,which is soon to receive direct flights from Melbourne. 

It is located in a bustling new retail hub that already sees more than 25,000 weekly visitors. 

Over 100 curated West Australian growers, producers, artists and creators will come together under one roof, all sharing the market’s ethos of sustainability and connection to the land. Local Wadandi elder Wayne Webb is among the consultants.

“For the past few months, I’ve been busily connecting with farmers, producers and artisans across the state to share the Origins Market story and unearth new talent who are ready to take their vision to market,” says Cashmore (below).

The idea has been inspired by some of the world’s best gourmet markets – like London’s Borough Market Barcelona’s Mercado de La Boqueria. 

“Busselton is experiencing a steady population increase, particularly in young families and working professionals. When the new airport is operating as a gateway to Margaret River and beyond, we’ll see further growth in tourist numbers and Origins Market will showcase a taste of what this region has to offer,” says developer Allan Ercig

Attractions will include offshoots of Homestead Brewery and Mandoon Estate wines - both also owned by Ercig - deli operators, a fishmonger, gelato maker, cheese maker, coffee roaster, vegan and vegetarian options and even an active and observable beehive. 

There will also be interactive stalls, hands-on workshops, pop-up restaurants, communal tables and local food trucks.

“Nobody knows the finest local products better than those based in the region of their origin, so we’re calling on West Aussies to nominate their favourite local produce and makers too, to ensure we can truly advocate to have the best of the West,” Cashmore said.

For details see www.originsmarket.com.au.