📅 PFR's Margaret River Regional Trip! — Friday 18 to Sunday 20 September 2026
🏃♂️ Our official event: Margaret River parkrun on Saturday 19 September at 8:00am.
🌈 This is an official Perth Frontrunners club event, so you'll need to be a member to join the fun. Partners of members are also welcome - so if you're not a member, either sign up, or start flirting.
🍷 We've got a great line-up of events duing the weekend (below), but you'll have plenty of free time to explore - Think wineries, breweries, beaches, bushwalks, long lunches, coffee stops and plenty of time to socialise.
✨ Whether you're chasing a PB, a pinot, or both, there's something for everyone.
📍 Looking for more inspiration? There's heaps to see and do in Margaret River and surrounds. Check out some additional ideas HERE.
WHATSAPP GROUP
Are you only getting half the story? Join our WhatApp group for the trip HERE.
CARPOOLING AND ACCOMODATION
🚗 Have a spare seat in your chariot? Need a lift south? Post in the WHATSAPP CHAT and work your transport magic.
🎶 Carpools are encouraged and may include road-trip playlists, unsolicited life updates and vigorous debates about the best Kylie album.
🛏️ Accommodation is BYO — you'll need to book your own place to stay. See our suggestions on the EVENT PAGE.
FRIDAY Afternoon (18th Sept) - ROADTRIP! PERTH TO MARGARET RIVER
⏰ We recommend leaving Perth by 3:00pm if you can.
🛣️ Margaret River is just under three hours' drive from the city (traffic, EV charging/queuing/smuggness, coffee stops and bakery detours are extra).
🏡 On arrival, check into your accommodation, settle in and switch into weekend mode.
FRIDAY Evening (18th Sept) - from 6.00pm - DINNER & DRINKS @ The River Hotel
🍷 Dinner in town from 6:00pm. Last food orders 8.45pm.
Shuffle into The River Hotel (40 Wallcliffe Rd, Margaret River) for food and a completely innocent amount of wine.
🌈 Expect good company, great pours, and at least one person insisting they are “absolutely fine” while holding a glass like it’s a life raft.
SATURDAY Morning (19th Sept) - 7:50am briefing for 8am start - PFR JOINS MARGARET RIVER PARKRUN
🌈 Rock up in your PFR merch — it's high fashion and really tells the locals this ain't their normal Saturday stroll.
🏃♂️ 7:50am briefing, with an 8:00am sharp start. [No wine yet. We checked.]
📣 The Margaret River parkrun team will brief participants on the course. Preview info is available HERE.
📍 Course: a scenic 5km loop along both sides of the Margaret River — north side out, south side back, all on trails.
🚶♀️ Run, jog, walk, or “strategically conserve energy for later activities” — all styles welcome.
🧃 Official timing requires a parkrun barcode. If you want your moment of glory recorded for eternity make sure you register / bring your barcode. If you've got a barcode, find it HERE . If you need to register for parkrun, you can do that here: HERE
📍 Meeting point: Rotary Park (Johnston Street), Margaret River, just north of the bridge on Bussell Highway.
🚗 Parking is limited, so we encourage walking, running, or dramatic early-morning fitness energy to get there.
🚙 If driving, park at Margaret River Brewhouse (200m away) and enjoy a warm-up stroll. And before you ask, the Brewhouse opens at 11am....
SATURDAY Morning (19th Sept) - 8.50am - PFR GROUP PHOTO
📸 At 8:50am, we’ll gather for a group photo to prove we have exercised at some point during the weekend and otherwise prove that we were all awake, active, vaguely coordinated before brunch and most importantly, able to open our eyes for the moment of the photo.
🥐 Grab a takeaway coffee, breakfast or well-earned nibble at Hairy Marron Bike Hire and Cafe (69 Bussell Highway). And yes - that name isn't a joke, apparently Marron are hairy... who'd have thought.
SATURDAY Day (19th Sept) - 10am to 6pm FREE TIME TO EXPLORE MARGS AND SURROUNDS
🌈 The rest of Saturday is yours to explore Margs - so go forth and conquer the town and surrounding region.
🌲There's heaps of places to check out - wineries, breweries, chocolate factories and food places to tempt your tastebuds. if you’re feeling outdoorsy and mildly adventurous - there is also the stunning karri forest of the Margaret River valley and nearby Boranup, as well as the stunning beaches of the Leeuwin Naturaliste National Park.
☕ Prefer to keep it chill? Stay in town — coffee, shops, wandering, and sitting somewhere nice doing absolutely nothing are all highly valid activities.
🍽️ Grab some dinner in town, before the evening's party. There are an array of pub food options, restaurants and takeaway shops in town to choose from.
✨ Basically: you’ve been set loose in Margs. Godspeed. Here are some ideas:
Margaret River Open Studios (Art Exhibition): Full details here (pages 44 - 55)
🍷 Voyager Estate – one of the region’s iconic wineries, with a beautiful cellar door, gardens and wine tastings.
🦇 Lake Cave – descend beneath the forest to an underground lake and some seriously impressive limestone formations.
🌊 Hamelin Bay – a gorgeous stretch of coastline where you might spot the famous stingrays cruising through the shallows.
🌳 Boranup Karri Forest – take a scenic drive or short walk among the towering karri trees.
🍺 Margaret River Brewhouse – a popular, relaxed option for lunch, local beers and a bit of recovery after the morning run.
SATURDAY Night (19th Sept) - 7.00pm until Midnight - PARTY TIME! (aka disco)
📍 Venue: Margaret River Tennis Club, 51 Wallcliffe Road, Margaret River
🎾 Yes, it’s that time again — our legendary regional trip party is ON. Long-time attendees of our regional events will know this as our "disco" (🎉). Long-time attendees will also know that some attendees find the term "disco" (🎉) cringe, so the term "disco" (🎉) has been limited to 4 instances in this Wiki.... "disco" (🎉)... that's now 5. 🎉
👗 Theme:“I had nowhere else to wear this!” Think: wildly overcommitted, technically impressive, deeply specific, or completely impractical for normal life. If Woolies checkout staff would stare, you’re on the right track.
🌈 The more unnecessary, the better — this is not the night for subtlety.
🍸 Licensed bar available on site until 11pm, because hydration is important (in all forms).
🍿 Light snacks provided to keep you upright and social.
☕ Join us for a relaxed coffee and morning tea by the beach at Gnarabup (9:00am).
📍 About 10 minutes from Margaret River, near White Elephant Cafe (parking available nearby).
☕ The Club is shouting attendees each a coffee / beverage - just mention Perth Frontrunners at White Elephant Cafe and they will put it on our tab (please pay for any food you order etc - we ain't made of $$ :) )
🍰 PFR will provide light baked goodies.
👋 Then it’s farewell Margaret River… and back to Perth until the next trip!! :-)
All good things have to eventually come to an end. But only until our next event... :-)
