The Great Southern Australia

The 50-minute flight from Perth to Albany, Western Australia, sets a fitting tone for the rural adventure that lies ahead. We head south in a Saab 340, a 34-seater, twin- engine turboprop. Passengers lean across the narrow aisle to chat and the sole flight attendant joins in on the small talk as she hands out tea and biscuits. Later she whips out a pen to tally how many aboard need taxis upon landing.

With a population just shy of 40,000, Albany is the largest town in The Great Southern, a region in Western Australia that is dominated by livestock and crops, delicious and underrated wines, and some of the world’s most beautiful, and emptiest, stretches of coastline. The town’s interlocking influences – its swashbuckling, whale- hunting heritage and the genteel elegance of its colonial architecture – give it an unusual charm.

It’s also a port, surrounded by great seafood. Our first stop is Ocean and Paddock for fish and chips and catch of the day, which might be grilled snapper, nannygai, which is native to Australian waters, or even hammerhead shark.

monocle hires a car and heads out of town; within minutes, low-lying bungalows give way to fields studded with hay bales and drowsy cattle. We speed west on National Route One, the 14,500km ring road that circumnavigates Australia, spotting kangaroos and emus as we go.

Our next stop, an hour’s drive west of Albany, is Moombaki Wines, run by husband and wife David Britten and Melissa Boughey. They moved to The Great Southern 30 years ago and bought about 40 hectares of land – not quite enough to raise cattle but perfect for a small vineyard. They planted shiraz, malbec, cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay, as well as a copse of indigenous tingle trees, which line the driveway and add to the land’s biodiversity. “We love being in nature, growing things and appreciating the seasons,” says Boughey, who is also an artist. “You really notice everything.” Her studio overlooks the valley and its colours and textures inspire her painting. She finds a paper map of the area and sketches a route. We follow her suggestions, wandering under centuries-old trees in the Valley of the Giants and exploring beaches with wide shorelines, lapping waves and not a soul in sight.

We stop in Denmark, a small town about half an hour’s drive from Moombaki, for that Australian classic, the ham and cheese toastie at a small café, before capping off the day at Elephant Rocks beach, so named for the huge stones that shield bathers from the intimidating waves of the Southern Ocean and provide ideal springboards from which to leap into the turquoise water.

For the night, Aiyana Retreat, just outside Denmark, offers private villas and a spa; for a more rustic form of luxury, there are Upland Farm’s chic cabins nearby. We begin the next morning as one must in Australia: with impeccable flat whites and avocado toast at Ravens Coffee in Denmark. After exploring the town, we drive 10 minutes to The Lake House, a winery with a picturesque restaurant and the option to pick up a packed lunch in a hamper for a lakeside picnic. “It ticks all the boxes,” says Gary Capelli, who runs the winery with his wife, Leanne Rogers. He calls Denmark “an idyllic country town”.

Back in the car, we pass handwritten advertisements for organic honey and blueberries and spot more kangaroos. We opt for the scenic route through Mount Lindesay National Park. The lush pastoral countryside turns into a sparser, drier beauty as we drive, crowded with thin, fraying spines of jarrah, karri and tingle trees. All of a sudden we’re in open country – no more trees, just low-growing bush and rock – and the dirt track beneath us is the unmistakable red of the Australian outback. Then the red becomes white and we see black husks of trees, survivors of a recent bush fire. We keep going, mesmerised by the starkness. But this is four-by-four terrain and the tyres on our rental are shifting uneasily on the sandy ground, so we turn back – this is not the best place to be stranded with no phone service. Soon after turning around, we pull over to help a holidaying Scottish motorcyclist haul his glossy Honda CB500X out of the deep rut in which it has become mired – a reminder of what might have happened to us. About two hours later we reach Frankland River, a town of about 350 residents that makes Denmark look like Albany, Albany look like Perth and Perth look like Tokyo. We drop into the general store, where a man in a bush hat recommends dinner at the country club across the road. He promises that the food is good; just as well, since it’s the only option in town. We ask whether we need a reservation and he laughs us out of the shop.

We’re staying smack in the middle of the vineyards in Alkoomi Wines, in a wooden chalet with a wraparound veranda, built on low stilts to prevent snakes slithering through the door. We dip warm bread into Alkoomi olive oil – we can see the grove from where we are sitting – and sample wines ranging from a springy young riesling to a rich 15-year-old shiraz with co-owner Sandy Hallett, who is the third generation of her family to run the farm. “People love to stay here because it’s remote and quiet,” she says. “You go to sleep and there’s no noise. And it’s so beautiful.”

After our “schniti” (schnitzel) and “parmi” (chicken parmigiana) at the country club, we retire to the chalet. It’s a cool night; at some point the light drumming of hail begins its quiet chorus outside. But it’s a peaceful, natural sound and sleep comes deep and easy.

We drive into town for breakfast at the Frankland Farmhouse Diner, Frankland River’s newest – and only – café. There are homemade sausage rolls and stacks of the local newspaper, The Franklander, on the counter. We take our coffees outside to sip in the sunshine and, during a lull in service, owner Aleksandar Sasa Bacich emerges for a chat. After 22 years working as a chef in Margaret River, Bacich bought a farmhouse in Frankland River. He has a vineyard and enough olive trees to make his own olive oil for the diner, which opened in October. “I love the pace here,” says Bacich. “In Margaret River right now, the surf is busy, everyone’s kind of stressed. It’s much more relaxed here.”

The drive back to Albany takes about 90 minutes and completes our triangular route. We visit Blush Retail Gallery, which exhibits artists from The Great Southern. Founder Angie Fryer-Smith, a painter herself, shows us around the space. For dinner we walk down the block to Liberté, a restaurant run by chef Amy Hamilton, who serves cocktails, wine and a seasonal menu of French-Vietnamese sharing plates. Through the bar window we watch the sun set over the bay.

A morning flight delay lets us squeeze in one more beach outing – time seems to move slower here anyway. We drive along the bay to Torndirrup National Park on the peninsula, struggling to choose between delightful names: shall we investigate Bald Head, Salmon Holes or Frenchman Bay? In the end we choose Misery Beach. The name speaks to a time when whale blood dyed the sea red during hunting season. Now little is left to divulge Albany’s fierce history: Misery Beach is a stunning, secluded spot, with glassy aquamarine waters, white-gold sand and only a couple other people enjoying the splendid isolation. — L

The Great Southern address book

Albany

eat
Liberté
Cocktails, wine and French-Vietnamese sharing plates.
162 Stirling Terrace, Albany WA 6330

see
Blush Retail Gallery
A contemporary art gallery showcasing artists from across the Great Southern.
York House, 133 York Street, Albany WA 6330

eat
Bred Co
A bakery serving sourdough, sausage rolls, pies and pastries. It mills its own flour onsite using The Great Southern grain.
15 Albany Highway, Albany, WA 6330

Denmark

visit
Butter Factory Studios
An art gallery and artists’ studios in an old butter factory.
10/12 Mount Shadforth Road, Denmark WA 6333

eat
Bar Tarifa
For tapas and live music.
89 Strickland Street, Denmark WA 6333

drink
Moombaki Wines
Drop by the cellar door for an excellent wine-tasting at a boutique family-run winery. 
341 Parker Road, Kentdale WA 6333

Frankland River

stay
Alkoomi Wines
Wine, olive oil and vineyard chalets stays in a beautiful setting.
1141 Wingebellup Road, Frankland River WA 6396

eat
Frankland Farmhouse Diner
Top-notch coffee and simple fare, open for breakfast and lunch.
Lot 1 Shop 6 Cranbrook-Frankland Road, Frankland River WA 6396