Shire of Augusta-Margaret River

About the area

Key Statistics

Location

The Shire of Augusta-Margaret River is located in the South West Region of Western Australia, about 250 kilometres south of the Perth CBD. The Shire of Augusta-Margaret River is bounded by the City of Busselton in the north, the Shire of Nannup in the east, the Southern Ocean in the south, and the Indian Ocean in the west.

Included Areas

The Shire of Augusta-Margaret River includes the localities of Alexandra Bridge, Augusta, Baudin, Boranup, Bramley, Burnside, Courtenay, Cowaramup, Deepdene, East Augusta, Forest Grove, Gnarabup, Gracetown, Hamelin Bay, Karridale, Kudardup, Leeuwin, Margaret River, Molloy Island, Nillup, Osmington, Prevelly, Redgate, Rosa Brook, Rosa Glen, Schroeder (part), Scott River, Treeton, Warner Glen and Witchcliffe.

Land Use

The Shire of Augusta-Margaret River is predominantly rural, with townships at Augusta, Cowaramup and Margaret River, and smaller settlements at Gracetown, Karridale, Prevelly/Gnarabup and Witchcliffe. The Shire encompasses a total land area of 2,240 square kilometres, including substantial areas of national park and coastline. Rural land is used largely for agriculture, particularly viticulture, cattle grazing, sheep grazing and horticulture. Tourism is an important industry.

Name Origin

The Shire of Augusta-Margaret River is thought to be named after Lady Augusta Murray or Princess Augusta Sophia, and the Margaret River, which was thought to be named after Margaret Wyche.

Indigenous Meaning

The original inhabitants of the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River were the Wardandi Noongar Aboriginal people.

Settlement

European settlement dates from 1830 following exploration by Governor Stirling, although population was minimal until the 1850s. Land was used mainly for agricultural purposes, particularly dairy and beef farming and timber production. Some growth took place during the interwar period, aided by the Group Settlement Scheme and the opening of the railway line from Busselton to Margaret River. Significant population growth occurred from the 1970s, as wine and tourism industries developed. Substantial residential development took place from the early 2000s, with the population rising from under 10,000 in 2001 to over 14,000 in 2016.

Major Features

Major features of the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River include Blackwood River National Park, Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park, Scott National Park, Wooditjup National Park, the Margaret River, Hardy Inlet, numerous wineries and vineyards, various beaches, several caves (Jewel Cave, Lake Cave, Mammoth Cave and Moondyne Cave), Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, Eagles Heritage Wildlife Centre, Margaret River HEART, Gloucester Park, Margaret River Recreation Centre, TAFE WA South Regional (Margaret River Campus), Cape to Cape Track, Boranup Forest Maze and various state forests.

Transport

The Shire of Augusta-Margaret River is served by the Brockman Highway and the Bussell Highway.

Shire of Augusta-Margaret River

economic profile