Yallingup from the nearby sand dunes

Yallingup
A true get-away-from-it-all resort which is inhabited by surfers and fishermen
Located on the coast 264 km south of Perth via Busselton, Yallingup is a true get-away-from-it-all resort which is inhabited by surfers searching for the perfect wave and fishermen who, in May and June, fish for the salmon who make their spawning run along this section of the coast. If you are of a romantic disposition you will probably believe that Yallingup really was the local Aboriginal word meaning Œplace of love¹.

Yallingup is one of those retreats which caters for many different levels of tourism. At one level there are the surfers sleeping in their panel vans and 4WD vehicles while on the hillside overlooking the huge dunes and the beautiful beaches are the people seeking an alternative lifestyle and funding it by running restaurants, potteries, wholefood shops, small vineyards, brasseries, and exclusive chalets.

The great appeal of Yallingup is its location. The hills tumble towards the sea, the dunes rise up the hills, the beaches are edged with wildflowers, the granite foreshores set a sharp contrast to the white beaches. It is easy to imagine that some of the residents of this tiny, new settlement really believe that they have found paradise.

The major attractions of the area are the Caves House, a superb building which dates to 1901. It nestles into the hillside surrounded by trees and with excellent views over the Indian Ocean. In the early days visitors were transported to the hotel by horse and buggy from Busselton. Fire destroyed the original hotel in 1938 and it was rebuilt surrounded by terraced gardens and offering an air of elegance and comfort.

Bottle brush 'blooms' on the coast near Yallingup

On the Caves Road, just before the turnoff to Yallingup, is the turnoff to Yallingup Cave. The cave was discovered in 1899 by Edward Dawson who stumbled upon it while searching for missing horses. The following year he conducted visitors through the cave. The guided tour became so popular that the Caves House was built to meet the demand for accommodation. Electricity was connected to the cave in 1904 and Dawson continued to guide people through the cave until his retirement in 1937.

The area to the south of Yallingup is characterised by alternative lifestyle people who survive by craft activities or mixed farming with an emphasis on beef and vineyards - an unusual combination.

Things to see:  

Yallingup Caves
Today tours of Yallingup Cave are self guided with visitors passing through the First Chamber, Main Chamber and Amphitheatre. The cave is noted for its impressive shawls which have been coloured red and orange by iron and manganese.

Yallingup Cave is also known as Ngilgi¹s Cave after an Aboriginal legend which recounted the origins of the cave in terms of a vicious fight between a bad spirit who lived in the cave and a good spirit (Ngilgi) who lived in the sea. The cave is open for viewing from 9.30 am - 4.30 pm every day.

The Water Wheel
5 km south of the turnoff to Yallingup on Caves Road is a 4.5 m diameter water wheel which is reputed to be the largest in Australia which is still working. The water wheel was originally constructed to power a sawmill which it did until 1938. Now it is a tourist attraction.

	Hotels
	Cape Lodge Hotel Caves Rd Yallingup WA 6282 Telephone: (08) 9755 6311
	Caves House Hotel Caves Rd Yallingup WA 6282 Telephone: (08) 9755 2131 Rating: ***1/2
	Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses
	Cairnhill Homestead Koorabin Dve Yallingup WA 6282 Telephone: (08) 9755 2828 Facsimile: (08) 9755 2829 Rating: *****
	Wildwood Valley Guesthouse Wildwood Rd Yallingup WA 6282 Telephone: (080 9755 2120 Rating: ****1/2
	Cairnhill Homestead Koorabin Dve Yallingup WA 6282 Telephone: (08) 9755 2828 Facsimile: (08) 9755 2827 Rating: *****
	Cape Lodge Guesthouse Caves Rd Yallingup WA 6282 Telephone: (08) 9755 6311 Rating: *****
	Yallingup Lodge B&B Dunsborough Yallingup WA 6282 Telephone: (08) 9755 2411 Facsimile: (08) 9755 2511 Rating: ****
	Apartments
	Hideaway Holiday Apts 24 Elsegood Ave Yallingup WA 6282 Telephone: (08) 9755 2145 Facsimile: (08) 9755 2145
	Holiday Homes & Units
	Chandlers Smiths Beach Villas Lot 85 Smiths Beach Rd Yallingup WA 6282 Telephone: (08) 9755 2062 Facsimile: (08) 9755 2062 Rating: ***1/2
	Cottages & Cabins
	Wyadup Brook Cottages Cnr Caves Wyadup Rds Yallingup WA 6282 Telephone: (08) 9755 2294 Facsimile: (08) 9755 2294 Rating: ***1/2
	Lodges & Chalets
	Laughing Clown Lodge Cnr Caves & Hemsley Rds Yallingup WA 6282 Telephone: (08) 9755 2341 Facsimile: (08) 9755 2339 Rating: *****
	Caravan Parks
	Yallingup Beach Caravan Park Valley Rd Yallingup WA 6282 Telephone: (08) 9755 2164 Rating: ****
	Caves Caravan Park Cnr Caves Rd & Yallingup Beach Rd Yallingup WA 6282 Telephone: (08) 9755 2196 Rating: ****
	Camping & Other
	Yallingup Siding Self Contained Carriages Glover Rd RSM 359 Bussleton Yallingup WA 6282 Telephone: (08) 9755 1106 Facsimile: (08) 9755 1232
	Restaurants
	Driftwood Estate Restaurant 13 Caves Rd Yallingup WA 6282 Telephone: (08) 9755 6338
	Gunyulgup Restaurant Gunyulgup Valley Dve Yallingup WA 6282 Telephone: (08) 9755 2434
	Lamont's Margaret River Gunyulgup Valley Dve Yallingup WA 6282 Telephone: (08) 9755 2434
	Laughing Clown Lodge Restaurant Cnr Caves & Hemsley Rds Yallingup WA 6282 Telephone: (08) 9755 2341
	The Crayfish Inn Restaurant Cnr Caves Rd & Canal Rocks Rd Yallingup WA 6282 Telephone: (08) 9755 2101
	Cafés
	Rocks Cafe Smiths Beach Rd Yallingup WA 6282 Telephone: (08) 9755 2332
	Surf Rock Cafe Dawson Dve Yallingup WA 6282 Telephone: (08) 9755 2133
	Yallingup Caves Cafe Caves Rd Yallingup WA 6282 Telephone: (08) 9755 2163