Yallingup

Hey Yall! No, not y’all! Yallingup is a scenic countryside town in Australia’s southwest, also known as Yall or Yalls by locals.

Yallingup, the “place of caves” is 160 miles south of Perth and is the perfect getaway, even in winter. In August, the countryside is still lush with grassy hills and canopies of trees frame the two-lane road. I fell in love with this place.  

My boyfriend and I went down together and stayed at Serenity Yallingup. The house is secluded by trees and hills, and kangaroos like to hop around the backyard overlooking a huge, grassy paddock. Having a beautiful, comfortable house to sleep in after a long day was the cherry on top for a perfect weekend!

Beautiful views from Serenity

Ngilgi Cave

The Aboriginal Wardandi people are the traditional custodians of the land, and the massive cave network in the area makes Yallingup a significant location for Aboriginal history. The most popular cave is Ngilgi (Nil-gee, not ni-gil-gee), named after a dreamtime spirit. The story has it that the cave was created when Wolgine, an evil spirit, burst out of hiding to escape the wrath of Ngilgi, a good spirit who protected the Wardandi. The cave was rediscovered by Europeans in the early 1900s who marketed it as a romantic location to couples who wanted to spend their honeymoon underground.

Today, visitors can take a self-guided tour and experience the silence in the cathedral-like first chamber of the cave and explore nooks like “cupid’s corner.” The cave has a golden hue and enormous crystal stalactites, stalagmites, shawls, and helictites. Going in the winter was definitely worth getting to explore this place at our own pace.

Lake Cave

Further south is Lake Cave, which…you guessed it, contains a lake! Lake cave is deep within a canyon and requires a 300-stair descent into the cave, past ancient karri trees, ferns, and mossy boulders.

Inside the cave, a boardwalk stretches over still water. The crystal straws (very thin stalactites) cast a reflection on the water that mimics stalacmites and creates a surreal, mirrored reflection. It’s like being in a funhouse made by mother nature!

Margaret River Region

Margaret River is the Napa Valley of Australia. Some of the finest wine in the world comes from the vineyards of WA’s wine region. Almost every vineyard has a cellar door where people can go for tastings and purchases. Drinking wine and looking at a beautiful landscape is not a bad way to spend the afternoon!

My favorite wineries were Windance boutique vineyard, Providore, and Wild Hop Brewery (not a winery but good beer and a beautiful garden). We also visited the famous Aravina Estate, but it was my least favorite. The wines just didn’t match up to the others from the smaller vineyards. The surf and classic car collection was cool, though. 

And chocolate lovers shouldn’t miss the Margaret River chocolate factory! To my dismay, there was no chocolate river, but there was a chokka quokka, yummy ice cream, and a beautiful shaded lawn where I ate two ice cream cones, a highlight of the trip.

Canal Rocks

My favorite part of the entire trip was climbing out and watching the sun set over the huge waves that crashed onto the rocks. There’s a narrow bridge that sits over the “canal,” where water rushes in with the waves. This place is a must-see!

Sugarloaf Rock

Sugarloaf Rock in Cape Naturaliste is another great place to watch the sun set over the Indian Ocean. Spend the evening watching the shorebirds flock to the rock. And you might just see some kangaroos on the Cape to Cape track towards the Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse!  

Busselton Jetty

On the way back to Perth, we stopped at Busselton Jetty for a sunset walk and I loved watching the shorebirds nest, we even saw a few chicks 🐥 The Jetty is the second-longest wooden jetty in the world and stretches 1.8 kilometers over Geographe Bay. It’s full of history dating back to the 1850s and features activities like an underwater observatory and a train.

In my opinion, the true beauty of Australia lies outside of the hustle and bustle of major cities. The friendly fishermen on Fraser Island, the ease of conversation at family-owned wineries in Margaret River, and the down-to-earth warmth in the outback reminds me of my southern roots. Australia has some incredible sights, but the people are just as beautiful as the landscapes.