Dunsborough

Lifestyle & dining

Life here revolves around the water. Meelup and Eagle Bay to the north offer calm, turquoise swimming spots, while the town's own beaches and the Dunsborough foreshore are the social hub on weekends, particularly through the warmer months when the population swells with holidaymakers. The town centre has grown into a proper hospitality strip, with cafes, bakeries and restaurants that lean on the region's produce, plus the cellar doors of Margaret River wine country a short drive away.

It's a food and wine culture without the pretension of some tourist towns, and locals tend to know which spots to hit on a Sunday morning and which to save for a long lunch.

Getting around

Dunsborough is car-dependent, as is typical of towns this size in the South West, but that's part of the appeal — everything from the beach to the shops to the neighbouring communities of Quindalup and Quedjinup is only minutes away by road. Bunbury, the region's major centre, is about an hour's drive north, and Perth is a comfortable three-hour trip via the Bussell Highway and Forrest Highway.

There's no train line this far south, so most households run at least one car, and school and work commutes are generally short and traffic-light compared with the city.

Schools & families

Families are well served locally, with Dunsborough Primary School and Our Lady of the Cape Primary School covering the early years, and Dunsborough Christian College offering a K-12 option without the need to travel further afield. Combined with the beaches, parks and general safety of a smaller town, it's a genuinely practical place to raise children, not just a lifestyle postcode.

Parks & recreation

Outdoor recreation is the drawcard: surfing and diving around Geographe Bay and out towards Cape Naturaliste, walking and cycling trails through the coastal bushland, and the Cape to Cape Track within easy reach for those wanting a longer hike. Dunsborough Lakes and the town's ovals and reserves cater to weekend sport, and the nearby Ngilgi Cave and Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse are popular for visitors and locals alike looking for a change of scenery.

The property market

Dunsborough's property market reflects its status as a premium coastal town rather than a budget alternative to the city. The median house price sits at $1.38 million, having climbed 10.1% over the past year, a sign that demand has stayed strong even as broader interest rate pressures have cooled other markets. Median rent of $850 a week points to solid demand from both holiday renters and permanent tenants, a combination that continues to attract investors as well as owner-occupiers.

Houses dominate the current listings at 81%, with land making up 13% of stock, still available for those wanting to build, while townhouses (4%) and apartments or units (3%) are a niche part of the mix. That skew towards standalone houses and vacant land reflects Dunsborough's character: a town of established homes and coastal blocks rather than medium-density living, which keeps it distinct from more built-up parts of the South West.