Sarina Kamini is a passionate foodie and a champion of the outdoors and nature. Discover her insider tips on how to best enjoy the region.
It’s her endless dedication to spices that drives Sarina Kamini.
First and foremost a foodie, Sarina has worn a multitude of hats – writer, author, host of her own spice masterclass, and film producer. In a nutshell – telling the stories of food through great content is at the heart of the self-proclaimed Spice Mistress, and she has it wrapped up in a pretty little bow.
Sarina Kamini is passionate about the region and her connection to nature which shines through in her ‘favourites’.
Gnarabup in the summer for after school swims. The kids find their mates there, and I can be free to swim a lap of the bay. In winter, wild walks at River Mouth up to Cape Mentelle to check out the osprey who nests on the Cape Mentelle point.
To see the Margaret River. In the summer, it’s a trip to the Rendall Weir to jump off the bridge. In winter it’s a secret swim spot in the forest for a freezing cold skinny dip. When the water is flowing, Yalgardup Falls shows you the energy of the river system. Every season has a different smell and a different colour.
The Margaret River Farmers Market is the number one. All of the local food producers are there. It’s such a great vibe, and the seasonal produce is incredible, picked fresh the day before. Lunch at Leeuwin, where I’ve worked front of house for the past few years – chef Dan Gedge’s food is exceptional as is Tim and Hutchie’s award-winning Chardonnay. Three is a peek into Blue Ginger Fine Foods, just because even city folk are envious of the range of specialty ingredients and – as a Spice Mistress in a regional town – I feel so fortunate to have such access on my own back door.
If I’m not drinking Leeuwin Estate Wines, then I’m all over Amato Vino. Brad Wehr is a minimal interventionist winemaker with a serious commitment to producing great wines from unusual varietals. Smaller winemakers like Brad are part of what makes the wine mix in Margaret River so interesting and contribute to the region’s overall reputation as one of the best wine regions in the world.
Mountain biking with my boys around Compartment 10. If you’re not into bikes, put on a pair of sturdy boots and find a section of the Cape to Cape Track to tramp. You can’t pay for the scenery and the experiences you’ll have.
The shoulder seasons. Autumn for calm winds and warm seas. Spring for the wildflowers and great riding conditions.
For me it’s always the Margaret River Mouth. I go to swim all year around. The sun turns the river to silver, the osprey catch their dinner at the place where the river meets the sea, and sometimes you’ll even spot the odd kangaroo eating dinner in the reeds.
Doing a tour that gets you out into the environment and shows you how the ecology links into the wine, and how the people tie into the land. Margaret River is a story of how producers, winemakers and farmers are coming to grips with telling their own stories through the land in the context of each other. And we are all becoming more cognisant of the lessons Wadandi cultural custodians like Josh Whiteland can teach us. As a visitor, you need help to get beneath the surface, and that’s what our tour guides are so good at.
