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A local’s guide to the best wineries near Perth

Kirsty PetridesBy Kirsty Petrides
Indulge in a WA wine-tasting adventure.

Perth is renowned for its idyllic beaches and parks. But holidaymakers may not know that Western Australia’s capital is home to a number of wineries roughly 30 minutes from the city. So if you don’t have that extra few days up your sleeve to head to the state’s south-west, you can still have a superb wine-tasting experience – without having to say goodbye to phone signal.

Here are eight of the best wineries near Perth.

In short

If you only make it to one winery near Perth, make it La Fattoria. Book their Nonna’s Table food menu to follow your wine tasting, and enjoy the home-cooked Italian in their verdant hillside winery/trattoria.

Plume Estate

pouring durif wine into a glass at Plume Estate
Sip on durif while admiring the Bickley Valley view. (Image: Supplied)

Distance from Perth: 35 mins

You’ll find Plume Estate situated in the picturesque Bickley Valley. It’s a place nestled among the tranquil Perth Hills, where peaks are raised approximately 350 metres in the air. Plume takes advantage of its prime location, treating visitors to sweeping, panoramic views of green valleys and expansive vineyards (hot tip: book a post-tasting lunch to sit and bask in the vista.) Try their durif, a lesser-known red primarily grown in Australia, California, France and Israel. It produces tannic wines with a spicy, plummy flavour.

Address: 91 Glenisla Rd, Bickley WA 6076

H&C Urban Winery

wine barrels inside H&C Urban Winery, Perth
Enjoy barrel-aged wine tastings at H&C Urban Winery.

Distance from Perth: 25 minutes

Perth’s only urban winery, H&C Urban Winery takes up residence in a 1000-square-metre converted warehouse in the heart of Fremantle. They ferment and bottle their own wine (made from WA-grown grapes) on-site at the rear of the venue – while the front is a lively bar and restaurant space where you can do a tasting.

But you aren’t limited to just their wines – you’ll find an extensive list of drops from other regions, with a particular lean to smaller, lesser-known estates. So if you don’t get the chance to get out to other WA wine regions, you can still try them here.

Address: 181 High St, Fremantle WA 6160

Mandoon Estate

the Mandoon Estate winery surrounded by lush greenery
The winery is nestled among tranquil greenery. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Distance from Perth: 30 mins

Mandoon Estate has the enviable title of being WA’s most-awarded boutique winery. The sprawling venue encompasses a working winery, cellar door, restaurant, accommodation and sprawling verdant grassed area aptly named ‘The Llawn’ where you can throw down a picnic blanket, order good wine and woodfired pizzas and listen to live music. Try their verdelho, which has been highly regarded by Ray Jordan Wine.

Address: 10 Harris Rd, Caversham WA 6055

Lancaster Wines

Lancaster Wines in Swan Valley
Peruse the offering at the cellar door. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Distance from Perth: 35 mins

Lancaster Wines lay claim to some of the oldest vines in the Swan Valley – not that you’d know it from their humble abode. Stop by the tin shed for outstanding chenin blanc, verdelho, chardonnay and shiraz. But Lancaster Wines is renowned for its dessert wine, so be sure to pick up a bottle to take home. If you’re keen on a sweet treat, head across the road to the Chocolate Factory for something indulgent.

Address: 5228 W Swan Rd, West Swan WA 6055

Fairbrossen

the vines at Fairbrossen, Perth
Freshly pruned vines at Fairbrossen.

Distance from Perth: 35 mins

Fairbrossen’s charming tasting room is located in the lush Perth Hills, with beautiful views to enjoy on a grazing board or platter with your wines. Their boutique, artisanal winemaking follows environmentally sustainable and organic principles with minimal interventions, and produces sparkling, chardonnay, vermentino, rose, cab sav, syrah, tempranillo and malbec – but if you’re feeling adventurous try their saperavi. This lesser-known varietal is an 8000-year-old Georgian grape variety and the only wine of its kind from Western Australia.

Address: 310 Rowe Rd, Witchcliffe WA 6286

Myattsfield Vineyards

guests exploring Myattsfield Vineyards, Perth
Discover the essence of artisanal winemaking. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Distance from Perth: 35 mins

Myattsfield Vineyards is owned by married couple Josh and Rachael who both have their own supreme pedigree in winemaking, with the pair both growing up in winemaking families. While everything on the Myattsfield tasting list is worth trying, their sparkling is an absolute stand-out, thanks in large part to Rachael. She’s been dubbed ‘the sparkling whisperer’ of WA, with any wineries experiencing problems with their sparkling vintage getting her in to diagnose. They use the traditional French method – method traditionelle – to produce this show-stopping wine, so you know it’s good. Hot tip: take a picnic, buy a bottle after your tasting and enjoy on the lawn.

Address: Union Rd, Carmel WA 6076

La Fattoria

an outdoor garden among the vines at La Fattoria, Perth
Nab a table in the outdoor garden among the vines. (Image: Experience Perth Hills Kalamunda)

Distance from Perth: 35 mins

La Fattoria – or La Fat as the locals call it – is a family-run cellar door and restaurant that celebrates all things Italian. Their wines – which happen to be made by their neighbours over at Myattsfield – are a true representation of Italy. They produce standalone wines for each variety, resisting the temptation to blend with mainstream grapes, as they believe this provides customers with the chance to experience Italian wine in its purest form. Expect varietals like barbera, nero d’avola, nebbiolo and fiano – as well as grappa and limoncello. And make sure you book a post-tasting lunch – their Nonna’s Table is a feed-me menu of Sicilian-inspired dishes driven by home-grown seasonal produce.

Address: 211 Merrivale Rd, Pickering Brook WA 6076

Lawnbrook Estate

people drinking and dining at the outdoor garden of Lawnbrook Estate, Perth
The outdoor garden is an idyllic spot for elevated tastings. (Image: Lawnbrook Estate)

Distance from Perth: 35 mins

Lawnbrook Estate is a multifaceted place, with a distillery, winery, cellar door, and restaurant. The distillery creates incredible gin, as well as limoncello and coffee liquor, while the winery produces the likes of chardonnay, shiraz, rosé and vermentino. Decide on your favourite and take a bottle over to their restaurant to enjoy alongside their lunch menu, which is farmhouse fare with a modern twist.

Address: 19 Loaring Rd, Bickley WA 6076

Kirsty Petrides
Kirsty Petrides is a writer, wine-lover and cheese enthusiast. Whether she’s hunting down the best restaurant in Albania, foraging the Marrakech markets for spices or camping in the middle of Patagonian wilderness, she loves to seek out the authentic side of the places she visits, and share that with readers through her writing.
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Your Mandurah guide: art, dining & dolphins await in WA’s coastal gem

    Monique CeccatoBy Monique Ceccato
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    Discover the perfect road trip stopover between Perth and wine country.

    Western Australia punches above its weight when it comes to coastal hot spots, but no other town or city has seen a tourism boom quite like Mandurah. Named Australia’s Top Tourism Town in 2023 , it’s the relaxed, beachside break you’ve been searching for. And it’s perfectly placed, sitting between Margaret River and Perth, as it’s just a 55-minute drive from Perth’s CBD. Which is why we’ve put together your ultimate Mandurah guide.

    Aerial view of Mandurah.
    Plan your perfect coastal escape to Australia’s Top Tourism Town of 2023.

    The best things to do in Mandurah

    Wetlands and rivers, ocean and inlet; Mandurah’s laid-back lifestyle centres around the aquatic. Its waterways cover twice the ground of Sydney Harbour – measuring some 134 square kilometres in total – and form a unique environment for oceanic and estuarine flora and fauna to thrive.

    In the city’s estuary lives perhaps the region’s most famed inhabitants – a resident pod of 100 bottlenose dolphins – and the inlet’s silty bottom is home to the prized blue manna crab. Spot the former breaching and playing on an hour-long dolphin cruise through the channels, or try your hand at catching the latter by wading through the estuary’s shallows with a scoop net in hand.

    While swimming at the circular Kwillena Gabi Pool, chance encounters with the local wildlife aren’t uncommon. The sheltered estuarine pool takes its name from the traditional custodians of the land, the Bindjareb people, and directly translates to ‘dolphin waters’. Jutting out of the eastern foreshore, it’s enclosed by a ring of net-free floating pontoons, which allow the dolphins to swim freely through the attraction.

    If that’s a little too close for comfort, book a kayak tour with Down Under Discoveries . The dolphins have been known to cruise beside the paddle-powered crafts, which are a fun, family-friendly way to explore the city’s inner waterways.

    Dolphins swimming in Mandurah.
    Watch dolphins glide by as you explore Mandurah.

    You don’t have to be on the water to appreciate the coastal city’s aquatic beauty, with 600 kilometres of cycleways and scenic walking trails traversing Mandurah’s estuary, inlet and coast.

    Follow the 30-kilometre coastal trail and you’ll come face to face with one of Thomas Dambo’s headline-making ‘Giants of Mandurah  sculptures, Santi Ikto, along the way. There are five sculptures around Mandurah in total, hidden among gum-filled reserves or sitting sentry over the water.

    Head to the Mandurah Visitor Centre to pick up a map to pinpoint their exact location and download the traveller’s companion to learn more about the sights along the way. Or join a three-hour e-bike tour from The Bike Kiosk and you’ll stop by two of the giants – Santi Ikto and Yaburgurt Winjan Cirkelstone – as you sightsee central Mandurah.

    The towering Santi Ikto, one of Thomas Dambo’s iconic Giants of Mandurah.
    Meet Santi Ikto, one of the legendary Giants of Mandurah.

    Where to eat in Mandurah

    Mandurah’s culinary scene reflects its laid-back lifestyle, with large, honest meals and locally brewed beer. After visiting Lake Clifton’s 2000-year-old thrombolites, head to the peppermint and gum-shaded beer garden at Thorny Devil Brewery . Tuck into a platter of house-smoked meats and an ale pulled fresh from the tanks. Closer to town and right on the waterfront is Boundary Island Brewery ; here, woodfired pizza, pub-style seafood dishes and easy-drinking brews are centre stage.

    On a Murray River Lunch Cruise , the focus is as much on the environment around you as the food you’re filling up on. Help yourself to the colourful salads and freshly cooked meats on the buffet as you meander up the winding, jarrah tree-lined waterway, stopping at the heritage Cooper’s Mill for a quick walking tour along the way.

    Keep your eyes trained on the Creery Wetlands as you pass – you’ll spot much of the region’s migratory birdlife, and, as always, might see the playful bottlenose dolphins in the inlet.

    The most memorable meals aren’t necessarily always the fanciest, and lunch aboard a self-skippered Mandurah BBQ Boat is a testament to that. All food and beverage prep is left up to you as you cruise through the canals, sausages and steaks sizzling away on the central hot plate.

    If seafood is more your kind of fare, board the Wild Seafood Experience , where dolphin cruise meets long table lunch. Eight courses of crab, crayfish and scallops await.

    A table filled with plates of crab, crayfish, and scallops.
    Dine on the water with eight courses of ocean-fresh fare.

    Where to stay in Mandurah

    With so many waterways comes abundant waterside stays. Like the self-contained Seashells Mandurah on the shores of Comet Bay. The calm, oceanic outlook from the one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and villas is as close to Maldivian as Mandurah gets. Families especially enjoy the property, bouncing between the protected cove and the beachfront pool for endless hours of fun.

    Seashells Mandurah; on the shores of Comet Bay.
    Stay right by the sea.

    The Sebel Mandurah , just a hop, skip and jump from the Mandurah Ocean Marina, has a different outlook entirely, overlooking the estuary and lively foreshore on the other side. It’s also within walking distance of the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre , cinema and a swathe of waterfront bars and eateries.

    But you can’t get any closer to the water than on a vessel from Mandurah Houseboats . You don’t need a skipper’s ticket to hire one, nor do you need comprehensive boating experience; just a full driver’s license and your undivided attention during the pre-departure tuition will do. Then you’re free to take to the estuaries and tributaries for a few nights of peaceful rest, surrounded by the very element that makes Mandurah so special.

    A houseboat cruising in Mandurah along the river
    Captain a houseboat to explore Mandurah at your own pace.

    Plan your next WA getaway in Mandurah.