In the farthest reaches of southwestern Australia, Cowaramup is a simple rural town evoking an era gone by. Just north of Margaret River, its main draw for tourists is its proximity to the Margaret River Valley wine region.
Cowaramup is the closest town to the Vasse Felix, Howard Park and MadFish wineries, making it a good base for those touring the Margaret River Valley region. There are also some other gourmet attractions nearby including the Margaret River Cheese Company and the Margaret River Chocolate Factory. The town itself is simple and surrounded by farmland.
The town of Cowaramup sits 12 kilometres north of the Margaret River. The Bussell Highway, Route 10, passes through the city reaching all the way to the southwesternmost point of Australia. There is some public transportation in the Margaret River area, but it is often restricted to main routes. Visitors are probably better off renting cars and driving themselves. Perth is a three-hour drive up the coast.
Locals call Cowaramup “Cow-Town” as a nod to the city’s long history of dairy farming and of course, the “cow” in its true name. The town is dotted with life-size cow sculptures and in July 2014, 1,352 people set the world record for the most people dressed as cows.