Doing it Differently

As a creative, connected and flexible community, the Margaret River Region has always done things a little differently.

The region’s businesses that have the ability to change their way of operating in order to comply with newly introduced government regulations and still provide services while doing so. We’re talking take-away, delivery around the region, and a winery-turned-hand sanitiser manufacturer. As a community, we are finding the balance between servicing the community by operating, and servicing the community by changing our offerings.

There is still good food, great wine, and farm-fresh produce available. Here’s where and how to access it.

Yallingup Cheese Co is offering takeaway hampers

The Colony Concept, Metricup

Take-away packages of skincare items, honey, and pre-prepared meals are available for pick up from the Harmans Mill Road farm, with contact-less purchasing available. If you can’t leave home, owners Simon and Sarah Green are offering delivery across the region. Be in touch with them via their website or Facebook to find out more.

Beerfarm, Metricup

The Beerfarm is launching a Beer & BBQ Drive-Thru so that you can still get your beer & gourmet BBQ fix while respecting social distancing! Stationed directly out the front of their Metricup venue, you can pull up, peruse the weekly-rotating menu and place your beer and BBQ order at the window of the food van. Vegetarian options are available.

Yallingup Cheese Company, Yallingup

One of the region’s foremost cheese companies is drawing together local produce to sit aside their cheeses and Goon Tycoons wines. Hampers include Brie, beer-washed rind, chorizo, crackers, olives and a bottle of red. It’s a little bit of self-isolating luxury. Deliveries are made to the Dunsborough, Yallingup, Margaret River and Cowaramup areas on Tuesday and Thursday. Busselton Wednesdays.

Wise Wines, Eagle Bay

From award winning Shiraz production to… the making of hand sanitiser. Using ethanol previously designated for use in the production of gin, this Eagle Bay winery has moved into production of hand sanitiser. The winery is selling to Perth, supplying the mines, and selling at their winery. It’s the kind of adaptation that keeps local workers employed, and local communities safe.

Rocky Ridge Brewing, Busselton

For now the cellar door at Rocky Ridge Brewing Co is open between 3pm and 6pm daily for take-away brews. If you can’t leave home on account of self-isolation, there is a next day delivery service running between the Busselton and Margaret River townships. Financial hardship is also taken into account – “karma” growler re-fills invite you to pay what you can.

Margaret River Distillery, Margaret River

Limeburners Whisky, Giniversity and Tiger Snake Australian Whiskey brands have shifted focus to creating hand sanitiser. This single expression is very high proof and has been aged for less than a week, but it’s premium stuff. The distillery now have limited supply of 1 litre pump packs of hand sanitiser available to pre-order through their website.

Simmos Icecreamery

Small pleasures have huge impact. The response to new legislation, the crew at Simmo’s Ice creamery are offering a grab and go: phone in with your ice cream order and arrive on-site to pick up your pre-packaged tubs. Pick up and payment is contact-less. Staff only need five minutes notice. The grounds and the shop is closed, but otherwise it’s ice cream as normal.

Join other creatives in a virtual arena with Emergence Festival

Pre-Packed Meals, The Margaret River Region

Siobhan Halse has been single-handedly manning the stoves at The Larder in the Margaret River township to produce pre-prepared meals available for delivery. Order via direct message on the business’s Facebook page. Non-contact delivery options to your door include soups, curries, dips and pates. Other businesses across the region are also offering deliveries and takeaways which are updated via this page.

Premium Home-Delivery & Takeaway, The Margaret River Region

Fine dining has taken an enormous hit. Take home and frozen meals are part of the current solution for Yallingup’s Chow’s Table. Ordering is online only via the restaurant website, with a minimum of five containers per order. Delivery is made to Dunsborough, Yallingup, Vasse, Busselton and surrounding areas. Pick up is available from the House of Cards cellar door off Caves Road. If you’re after more fine-dining deliveries and take home meals, Miki’s Open Kitchen, Blue Manna Bistro, and Cullen are all jumping on board to help you.

Grab and Go Cafe Round-up, The Margaret River Region

Take away food options are a lifeline for cafes looking to keep businesses running, and hungry folk looking for food outside of their own dining rooms. The Sea Garden Café in Prevelly is offering heat ‘n’ eat frozen meals for pick up, with limited delivery on Friday, Saturday and Sunday between 5pm and 7pm. Burger Baby in the Margaret River township is offering free home delivery for orders more than $60 in Margaret River. There is a $15 delivery fee for Prevelly and Cowaramup, with over-the-phone payment. Take away delivered from café to car is an option at Busselton café, the Urban Coffee House. Payment all contact-less. Business deliveries around the Margaret River township are on the agenda for Margs Café, with order of $50 or more being eligible for home delivery.

Busselton Jetty, Virtual Tours

The Busselton Jetty is still open for walkers but please practice social distancing. For those that can’t make it, they are now offering free and paid Virtual Tours to allow you to experience the iconic Jetty and the beautiful marine life of the Underwater Observatory from the comfort of your home. The Virtual Tours and Workshops can provide an escape from the monotony of ‘staying at home’ or are a great resource for families schooling from home. Tour online now!

Emergence Creative, Streaming Worldwide

The Emergence Creative Festival has been postponed until March 2021. But creative types can always find innovative solutions to curly problems. Tune in this Friday March 27th between 2pm and 4pm via the Creative Corner Facebook page and join other creatives in a virtual arena – Emergence Creative Congregation: In Isolation There’s Innovation. For a few hours, listen in to a live stream of guest speakers and live music, following by a virtual Happy Hour between 4pm and 5pm. It’s creative conferencing in a post-COVID-19 world.

Busselton Jetty Observatory — Virtual tours at Busselton Jetty. Photo: Osprey Creative.