Western Australia: Zones, Regions and Grapes

Western Australia is a state of Australia and, like every Australian state, a protected geographical indication term in its own right. Wine Australia maintains the Register of Protected Geographical Indications and Other Terms, in which Western Australia sits above five zones: Central Western Australia, Eastern Plains - Inland and North of Western Australia, Greater Perth, South West Australia and West Australian South East Coastal. Of those, Greater Perth and South West Australia carry the state's registered regions, from Swan District on the edge of Perth to Margaret River and Great Southern in the south. The state body is Wines of Western Australia, which provides support to producers and regional associations through advocacy, representation, administration and communication, and which lists nine wine regions on its regional guide: Blackwood Valley, Central WA, Geographe, Great Southern, Margaret River, Peel, Perth Hills, Southern Forests and Swan Valley. In Wine Australia's National Vintage Report 2026, Western Australia recorded the largest crush of the three smaller states at an estimated 28,378 tonnes, with the three smaller states together accounting for just over 3 per cent of the estimated national crush of 1.27 million tonnes.

• Western Australia sits above five zones in Wine Australia's GI register
• Wines of Western Australia lists nine wine regions on its regional guide
• Estimated 2026 crush of 28,378 tonnes, the largest of the three smaller states (Wine Australia)
• The national 2026 crush was estimated at 1.27 million tonnes, the smallest in more than 25 years (Wine Australia)

The registered regions run from the outskirts of Perth to the Southern Ocean, and Wines of Western Australia publishes altitude, rainfall and temperature figures for each. Swan District sits at 0 to 283 metres, with average rainfall of 151 mm and an average temperature of 24.7 degrees over October to April, and harvest from early February to late March. Perth Hills, in the Darling Ranges, runs from 10 to 573 metres with 183 mm of average rainfall and an average temperature of 24.4 degrees over the same months. Peel spans 0 to 592 metres and stretches from the Indian Ocean to the Darling Range and beyond the Darling Plateau. Further south the figures cool and wetten. Margaret River lies at 0 to 234 metres on deep, well-drained gravelly loams, with average rainfall of 202 mm and an average temperature of 20.9 degrees from October to April, and harvest from February to late April. Geographe records the highest October to April rainfall of the group at 354 mm, with an average temperature of 22.4 degrees. Great Southern, which Wines of Western Australia describes as Australia's largest wine region, lies along the Southern Ocean on the state's south coast and spans 0 to 1,083 metres, with 251 mm of average rainfall, an average temperature of 20.0 degrees and moderately fertile brown to grey-brown sandy loams. The Southern Forests, covering the Pemberton and Manjimup wine regions, sit at 108 to 345 metres with 233 mm of average rainfall and combine southern latitude with higher altitude.

• Swan District: 0 to 283 m, 151 mm average rainfall and 24.7 degrees average temperature, October to April (Wines of Western Australia)
• Margaret River: 0 to 234 m, 202 mm average rainfall and 20.9 degrees average temperature, on deep, well-drained gravelly loams
• Great Southern: 0 to 1,083 m along the Southern Ocean, 251 mm average rainfall and 20.0 degrees average temperature
• Geographe: 0 to 406 m, 354 mm average rainfall and 22.4 degrees average temperature

Australian geographical indication boundaries are defined by legislation and entered in the Register of Protected Geographical Indications and Other Terms, which Wine Australia maintains. Geographical indications include zones, regions and sub-regions: generally sub-regions are contained within regions and regions within zones. Zones were initially declared by the Geographical Indications Committee in December 1996 to establish a framework for geographical indications in the wine sector, and are larger areas that cover all of Australia, so it is not possible to grow grapes in Australia outside a GI zone. Regions and sub-regions are defined if they can be demonstrated to meet criteria regarding similarity of grapegrowing characteristics within the defined boundary, on an application presented to the Geographical Indications Committee. Super-zones also exist, incorporating more than one zone, and each state is a protected GI term. Under the Western Australia state term the register lists five zones. Greater Perth holds three regions, Peel, Perth Hills and Swan District, with Swan Valley registered as a sub-region of Swan District. South West Australia holds six regions: Blackwood Valley, Geographe, Great Southern, Manjimup, Margaret River and Pemberton, and Great Southern in turn holds the five sub-regions Albany, Denmark, Frankland River, Mount Barker and Porongurup. Central Western Australia, Eastern Plains - Inland and North of Western Australia and West Australian South East Coastal are listed as zones without registered regions beneath them.

• GI boundaries are defined by legislation and entered in the register maintained by Wine Australia
• Zones were initially declared by the Geographical Indications Committee in December 1996
• Greater Perth: Peel, Perth Hills, Swan District, with the Swan Valley sub-region
• South West Australia: Blackwood Valley, Geographe, Great Southern, Manjimup, Margaret River, Pemberton
• Great Southern sub-regions: Albany, Denmark, Frankland River, Mount Barker, Porongurup

The Greater Perth zone covers the vineyards closest to the state capital. Its registered regions are Peel, Perth Hills and Swan District, and Swan Valley is a registered sub-region of Swan District. Peel dates its first vineyard to 1857 near Pinjarra, with the first commercial shiraz vineyard started by Will Nairn at Peel Estate in 1974, and Wines of Western Australia records over 200 hectares of wine grapes there. Perth Hills lies in the Darling Ranges about a 30 minute drive from Perth city. Swan District, the region directly filed under Western Australia here, takes in the Swan Valley, which Wines of Western Australia describes as the oldest wine region in Australia and places an easy 25 minute drive from Perth's city centre. The valley was originally settled by southern and eastern Europeans who brought fortified wines and traditional winemaking techniques to the colony, and the region is noted for fortifieds along with warm-climate shiraz, petit verdot, chenin blanc and verdelho. There are 40 cellar doors in the region and 180 years of viticulture behind them. The South West Australia zone holds Blackwood Valley, Geographe, Great Southern, Manjimup, Margaret River and Pemberton. Margaret River built its reputation on cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay and semillon and sauvignon blanc blends; government agronomist Dr John Gladstones identified its potential in 1965, and his report led Dr Tom Cullity to establish Vasse Felix in 1967, the first vineyard and winery in the region, followed by Cullen Wines, Leeuwin Estate, Cape Mentelle and Moss Wood. Around 120 cellar doors dot the region. Great Southern produces wine in its five sub-regions and traces its modern history to 1956, when University of California viticulture professor Harold Olmo reported that the Mount Barker and Frankland River areas showed promise for table wines; a trial vineyard was established at Forest Hill near Mount Barker in 1965 and the first wines from those plantings, a riesling and a cabernet sauvignon, were made in 1972. Blackwood Valley saw its first vineyards in 1976 and now has over 50 vineyards covering more than 450 hectares, while Pemberton and Manjimup make up the Southern Forests grouping.

• Greater Perth zone: Peel, Perth Hills and Swan District, plus the Swan Valley sub-region
• Swan District takes in the Swan Valley, with 40 cellar doors and 180 years of viticulture
• South West Australia zone: Blackwood Valley, Geographe, Great Southern, Manjimup, Margaret River, Pemberton
• Vasse Felix was established in Margaret River in 1967 by Dr Tom Cullity
• Forest Hill near Mount Barker was planted as a trial vineyard in 1965, with its first wines made in 1972

Variety emphasis tracks the zones. In the warmer Greater Perth zone, the Swan Valley is noted for fortifieds along with warm-climate shiraz, petit verdot, chenin blanc and verdelho, while shiraz remains the flagship variety of Peel. In the South West Australia zone, Margaret River is known for cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay and semillon and sauvignon blanc blends, varieties commonly associated with Bordeaux. Great Southern's standout varieties are riesling and cool climate shiraz, with chardonnay, pinot noir and cabernet also grown across the region. Elsewhere in the south west the plantings spread wider. Blackwood Valley grows chardonnay, riesling, sauvignon blanc, semillon and shiraz with smaller quantities of viognier and pinot noir. The Southern Forests, covering Pemberton and Manjimup, are planted widely to pinot noir and are also recognised for sparkling wine styles, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and verdelho. Geographe has had success with alternative varieties, among them tempranillo and dolcetto for reds and fiano and arneis for whites. Wines of Western Australia publishes these variety emphases by region; it does not publish planted hectares by variety for the state.

• Swan Valley: fortifieds, warm-climate shiraz, petit verdot, chenin blanc, verdelho
• Margaret River: cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, semillon and sauvignon blanc blends
• Great Southern: riesling and cool climate shiraz, with chardonnay, pinot noir and cabernet
• Geographe: tempranillo and dolcetto for reds, fiano and arneis for whites

Wine Australia's National Vintage Report 2026 estimated the Western Australian crush at 28,378 tonnes, down 33 per cent year on year and 31 per cent below its 10-year average. Western Australia recorded the largest crush of the three smaller states, which together accounted for just over 3 per cent of the estimated national crush of 1.27 million tonnes, the smallest national crush in more than 25 years. Among the cool and temperate GI regions reporting more than 10,000 tonnes in 2026, the change across the two years from 2024 ranged from an increase of 53 per cent for the Adelaide Hills to a decrease of 33 per cent for Margaret River. In the report's table of crush by state and region, Western Australia reported 24,720 tonnes in 2026, made up of 11,649 tonnes purchased and 13,070 tonnes winery grown, a 53 per cent winery-grown share and 2 per cent of the national crush, from 108 respondents. Margaret River reported 17,133 tonnes, Great Southern 4,206 tonnes, Swan District 2,366 tonnes, Geographe 608 tonnes, Pemberton 307 tonnes, Perth Hills 58 tonnes, Blackwood Valley 26 tonnes, Peel 12 tonnes and Central Western Australia 4 tonnes. For national context, Wine Australia describes Australia as the world's fifth-largest grape wine producing country, with a vineyard base of around 150,000 hectares.

• Estimated 2026 Western Australian crush of 28,378 tonnes, down 33 per cent year on year (Wine Australia)
• Reported 2026 crush of 24,720 tonnes, 2 per cent of the national crush, from 108 respondents (Wine Australia)
• Margaret River 17,133 tonnes, Great Southern 4,206 tonnes and Swan District 2,366 tonnes reported in 2026
• Australia is the world's fifth-largest grape wine producing country, with a vineyard base of around 150,000 hectares (Wine Australia)

Primary sources (Wine Australia and Wines of Western Australia): https://www.wineaustralia.com/labelling/register-of-protected-gis-and-other-terms/australian-wine-geographical-indications, https://www.wineaustralia.com/labelling/register-of-protected-gis-and-other-terms/geographical-indications, https://www.wineaustralia.com/market-insights/national-vintage-report, https://www.wineaustralia.com/getmedia/416ecb9f-3c52-46b3-b069-fd12cc18d84e/MI_VintageReport2026_summary_F.pdf, https://www.wineaustralia.com/market-insights/grape-wine-production, https://winewa.asn.au/, https://winewa.asn.au/margaret-river/, https://winewa.asn.au/swan-district/, https://winewa.asn.au/great-southern/, https://winewa.asn.au/perth-hills/, https://winewa.asn.au/geographe/, https://winewa.asn.au/vision-mission/, https://winewa.asn.au/strategic-plan/, https://winewa.asn.au/southern-forests/, https://winewa.asn.au/blackwood-valley/, https://winewa.asn.au/peel/. Secondary sources: https://www.agw.org.au/about/regional-wine-associations/, https://winetitles.com.au/suppliers/wines-of-western-australia/. Last verified 2026-09-16.

• Primary: Wine Australia geographical indications register and National Vintage Report 2026
• Primary: Wines of Western Australia regional and association pages
• Last verified 2026-09-16