Margaret River Hotels

Margaret River is a town in the South West of Western Australia, located in the valley of the eponymous Margaret River, 277 kilometres (172 mi) south of Perth, the state capital. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Augusta,Margaret River. The surrounding area is the Margaret River Wine Region and has become known for its wine production and tourism, attracting an estimated 500,000 visitors annually. In earlier days the area was better known for hardwood timber and agricultural production. Margaret River is located 9 kilometres inland from the Indian Ocean at a point about halfway between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin in Western Australia's South West region. The climate is humid Mediterranean, with an average annual rainfall of around 1,130 millimetres. Most rain fall between May and August, when around two days in three record measurable rainfall and around one in ten over 10 millimetres . On occasions, as in August 1955, the town has had measurable rain on every day of a month in this period. During the summer, the weather is very warm, though there are usually seabreezes, and frequently sunny. The town is named after the river, which is presumed to be named after Margaret Wyche, cousin of John Garrett Bussell (founder of Busselton) in 1831. The name is first shown on a map of the region published in 1839. European migrants lived in the area as early as 1850, with timber logging commencing in around 1870. By 1910, the town had a hotel also operating as a post office. After World War I, an attempt by the Government of Western Australia to attract migrants to Western Australia (known as Group Settlement) and establish farms in the region attracted settlers to the town. In 1922, over 100 settlers moved into the district.