High on words in Margaret River

When I think of autumn leaves in Margaret River, it’s usually those found between the covers of a book. For each May, hordes of book lovers descend upon the region for the annual Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival.

Of course there’s still the surf, there’s still the wine, there’s still the intoxicating beauty of nature. But for three days, everyone’s high on words.

Now in its 18th year, MRRWF 2026, which runs from May 15-17 at Nala Bardip Mia, the Margaret River Heart, boasts the kind of program you might expect in larger urban setting such as Sydney or Melbourne — but without the pretension.

There’s David Szalay, winner of last year’s Booker Prize, appearing alongside Booker shortlisted Susan Choi, Perth-based crime fiction bestseller Dervla McTiernan, and Margs regular, philosopher A.C. Grayling, whose new book For The People “mounts an urgent defence of democracy against the gathering forces of authoritarianism”.

Speaking of Grayling, should you still crave an extra shot of continental sophistication, he and social philosopher Sarah Wilson sit down for a session entitled Table For Two At Cafe Les Deux Magots. Which turns out to be not a far-fetched title at all, since both writers live in Paris and regularly converse over a cafe au lait or a Bordeaux red. It’s enough to make you green with envy.

Did I say “green”? Enter seasoned environmental warrior Bob Brown, who teams up with Wilson and poet-oceanographer Prema Arasu for a closing panel on hope and action in the face of despair. And for true diversity of programming, one has only to cite the inclusion in the program of comedian Shaun Micallef, and journalist and human rights advocate Antoinette Lattouf.

Actor and novelist Bryan Brown will also be present.

While regional residents such as the brilliant Bernice Barry are showcased alongside the interstate and international guests, the Margaret River region itself is further showcased by the festival’s again returning to Busselton’s Shelter Brewing Co hub.

Here, McTiernan joins WA crime writer David Whish-Wilson and Heather Rose, whose memoir Nothing Bad Ever Happens Here maps grief and healing across a wild Tasmanian childhood. Writers’ workshops abound across both towns — flash fiction, historical fiction, speculative writing — with the new “4 for 3” pass making it easier to devote an entire weekend to your chosen craft. For the reader not yet ready to write, the new Saturday and Sunday day passes offer a more passive but no less stimulating alternative.

When all’s said and done, autumn is a lovely time to be in Margaret River. The summer crowds have abated. A softer pastel light illuminates the Augusta coastline. A walk along the Cape to Cape Track in the crisp morning air sharpens the senses for the conversations and workshops ahead. The Leeuwin Estate winery — an indelible part of the history of the writers’ festival — is always worth a visit, while a spot of dinner at Vasse Felix — or indeed any one of the town’s snug, relaxed restaurants — will ensure the body is as well-nourished as the mind.

+ The 2026 Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival runs May 15-17. Tickets and full program at mrrwfestival.com