Surfers Point, Prevelly
As dawn breaks, the cool grey tones of the beach warm to a golden hue. Dozens of surfers are already out in the water, bobbing up and down with the growing swell. They’ve paddled out from a perfect sandy crescent backed by forested hills; beyond, the land is ribbed with neat rows of grapevines.
This is Prevelly Beach in the Margaret River region of Western Australia, and the scene encompasses this area’s twin passions: its curling surf and delectable wines. Famously, some of the top local winemakers will begin the day catching waves in the morning sun before heading to the vineyards.
I, however, am not a surfer. My last attempt, on Sydney’s Bondi Beach, was far more entertaining for spectators than it was for me, as I bucked and lurched and launched myself face first into the waves. Also, a rather shocking admission: I don’t enjoy wine. On hearing this, winemakers across the world, from the Douro Valley in Portugal to Chile and New Zealand, have attempted to cure me by plying me with their top vintages, to no avail.
Given these two lamentable shortcomings, I arrived in Margaret River wondering if someone like me could truly appreciate this much-lauded part of Australia’s southwest. My first reassurance came in the form of breakfast: soft-poached free-range eggs on buttered Turkish bread, scattered with rocket, crispy bacon and roasted baby tomatoes that burst in the mouth. I was in a window seat at the colourful beach shack Sea Garden Cafe, looking out over a long stretch of the Indian Ocean. Much of the produce on my plate was home-grown, drawn from the vegetable garden out the back and from surrounding farms.