Things To Do in The Swan Valley

Most Swan wineries are small, family-run affairs, many with links to early Italian or Yugoslav origins. One exception is Houghton Wines, Dale Road, Middle Swan (tel. 08/9274 9540; www.houghton-wines.com.au), Western Australia's oldest, biggest, and most venerable winery. The tasting room is light and airy, and there are lovely picnic grounds, where jacaranda trees blossom gloriously in November. There's a pleasant cafe, and an art gallery housed in old beamed timber cellars lined with barrels (still in use). Hours are 10am to 5pm (cafe 10am-4pm) daily except Good Friday and December 25.

The other big-name winery, and winner of the "Best Tourism Winery" award in 2008 and 2009, is Sandalford Wines, 3210 W. Swan Rd., Caversham (tel. 08/9374 9374; www.sandalford.com). It has twice-daily 90-minute winery tours (minimum five people), for A$22. A very popular tour is "Become a Winemaker for a Day," Saturdays at 11am. Besides the winery tour, you get to blend your own wine, which you can drink over a three-course lunch, all for A$125. The winery also has a pleasant restaurant (lunch noon-3pm) with a pretty vine-covered alfresco area. It's open 10am to 5pm daily except Good Friday and December 25.

In general, the tastings at the Swan Valley wineries are free, with some wineries charging a small fee for their premium offerings.

The Margaret River Chocolate Company has an outlet at 5123 W. Swan Rd. (near the Reid Hwy.), West Swan (tel. 08/9250 1588). It's open daily 9am to 4:30pm, except December 25. An addition to the sweet scene is Mondo Nougat, 640 Great Northern Hwy., Herne Hill (tel. 1300/997 875 in Australia, or 08/9296 0111; www.mondonougat.com.au), run by a migrant family following their southern Italian traditions. The cafe opens daily except Monday.

Caversham Wildlife Park (tel. 08/9248 1984; www.cavershamwildlife.com.au) is a reserve of 4,300 hectares (10,621 acres) with a collection of 200 species of mostly Western Australian wildlife, the majority kept in natural surroundings. You can stroke koalas (but not hold them), feed kangaroos, pet farm animals, take a camel ride, and sometimes cuddle joeys and wombats. There are barbecue and picnic sites, train and tram rides, and a cafe. It's at Whiteman Park, West Swan, and open daily 9am to 5:30pm (last entry 4:30pm), closed December 25. Admission is A$22 for adults, A$9.50 children 3 to 14.

Antiques lovers should browse the strip of shops on James Street, Guildford (most shops are open daily), or visit Woodbridge House, a beautifully restored 1883 manor house on Ford Street, West Midland (tel. 08/9274 2432). The house is open Thursday to Sunday from 1 to 4pm; closed December 24 to February 6. Admission is A$5 adults, A$3 children under 16, and A$12 families of four. The Riverside at Woodbridge cafe opens 9am to 5pm daily (except Wed) for breakfast, lunch, and tea.