There’s a moment, getting behind the wheel and heading out of the city, when it feels like a physical weight finally lifts off your chest. You can breathe a little easier, your shoulders drop, and whatever urgency you carried with you begins to loosen its grip. But add the knowledge of what’s waiting at the end, and that ease deepens into the thrill of a weekend filled with exceptional food, local wines, and experiences only the Great Southern can deliver.
Running from 5 to 8 March 2026, Taste Great Southern is one of Western Australia’s premier regional food and drink festivals, bringing together the region’s producers, winemakers, growers, and world-class chefs across some of the state’s most striking locations. And while the events themselves are reason enough to head south, the journey there is part of the pleasure.
Why treat it as a single destination when you can make a trip of it? Add a night or two either side of the festival, take the longer road, pull into towns you might usually pass straight through, because trust us, the Great Southern rewards curiosity.
The Direct Route (With Worthwhile Pitstops)
If you’re on a mission to get down to enjoy the festival, Albany Highway delivers a clean, straight-line run from Perth to Albany in around four and a half hours. It’s efficient, yes, but it also slices through the Wheatbelt, where small towns make for excellent breaks from the steering wheel.
Around two hours south of Perth, Williams makes a strong case for your first break. The Woolshed, once a working shearing shed, is now a lively community hub doing far more than roadhouse basics. If you’ve set sail early, The Woolshed breakfast burger is worth timing your drive around, and the surrounding stores stock local gourmet goods, op shoppy goods, wine, and handcrafted timber pieces, should roadside retail therapy be on the cards.
Further south in Kojonup, Koja Place, housed within the Visitor Centre, offers a thoughtful insight into the town’s Indigenous and agricultural history through photographs and artefacts. Before you leave, the Kojonup Bakery supplies everything required to keep morale high on the road: a proper country pie or sausage roll, plus a bee sting or jam-and-cream doughnut for later.
Regional Loops Worth Taking
If the idea of driving straight through doesn’t quite sit right, there are plenty of ways to veer off course.
Stay on Albany Highway initially, then turn east onto North Bannister-Wandering Road, letting it pull you deeper into the Wheatbelt. You’ll find the scenery on this route shifts as you go through broad agricultural landscapes and pass grain silos and towns shaped by both farming and cultural diversity. The drive threads through Narrogin and Wagin, before continuing south to Katanning, a town that rewards an overnight boutique stay at the WAGFG Stays pick, the Premier Mill Hotel. Often overlooked, Katanning surprises with its depth. Shaped by waves of migration, its food culture reflects a rich multicultural backbone, and staying overnight allows time to properly explore both its flavours and its spaces. If a long day on the road calls for a gentle landing, head downstairs for a drink at The Cordial Bar before venturing into town – perhaps for a warming bowl of pho at Vietnamese Cafe and Pho on Clive Street.
After a good night’s rest, continue south through Mount Barker, where a mandatory pit stop awaits at Mount Barker Country Bakery. Their extensive pie offering caters to lovers of country classics as well as those keen to try something a little different – Sri Lankan pork curry, anyone. This is a quieter way south, but one that feels distinctly West Australian.
But if you’re after a southbound journey that veers off the usual Caves Road track, once you reach Busselton, head inland via Vasse Highway. You’ll wind through towering Karri forests and rolling farmland. Just before Nannup, stop at the nationally awarded Cambray Cheese for a tasting and to stock up on grazing supplies, then stretch your legs in town with a coffee and freshly baked scone at Nanna’s Pantry. For lunch, Timbers Manjimup offers a feast of the area’s finest produce, paired with a wine list that champions local. Across the road, their microbrewery turns ‘imperfect’ fruits and produce into a lineup of seasonal beers, infused with ingredients like strawberries, feijoas, and citrus, offering a true taste of the region’s creativity.
From here, head east through the towering forests that trace the Frankland River, a region long recognised for producing some of Western Australia’s best cool-climate wines. Take your time along the way, weaving on and off the road to make cellar-door stops and taste the diversity for yourself. Frankland Estate, Alkoomi and Ferngrove are all strong starting points.
By the time you roll into the Great Southern for Taste Great Southern, you’ll already be tuned into the region’s pace and produce.
Events are selling fast. Explore the full Taste Great Southern programme and book events now before they sell out.