Horse Sense

Shambala Nature Retreat runs genuine programming — not just accommodation — on 118 acres of untouched bushland at Osmington, a short drive from both Margaret River and Cowaramup. The centre hosts seasonal retreats, ceremonies and custom immersions built around Ayurveda, permaculture and conscious-living practice, and the property itself can be hired out for retreats and events run by others. Guests stay in a solar-passive earth dwelling built to sit inside the surrounding forest rather than clear it. The land carries its own weight here: 118 acres to walk, a forest loud with birdsong, and — with the nearest town lighting far enough away to matter — genuinely dark skies once night falls, which makes stargazing a real drawcard rather than an afterthought. For a retreat organiser after Margaret River acreage with accommodation already built in, or an individual after a wellness stay grounded in actual practised programming rather than a spa menu, Shambala is one of the most complete offerings in the region.

A family-run farm stay on twelve acres of bush gardens just minutes from the Margaret River township, home to a mob of friendly animals guests help feed each morning. Nature trails and playgrounds run through the property alongside a year-round heated indoor pool, and photo shoots with the animals can be booked through Julia Whale Photography.

La Foret Enchantee is a nine-acre private estate on the banks of the Margaret River at Burnside, five minutes from both the township and the coast. Two luxury cabins sit in the river valley — the palatial Lodge with its outdoor stone bath, and the fairytale Hide with a six-metre wall of windows — where a European-inspired garden meets peppermint and marri bush, and the estate hosts intimate outdoor events.