Australia's South West
Australia's South West
The natural beauty of the south-west corner of Western Australia offers a variety of scenic attractions, such as the ancient ranges, national parks, spectacular coastline, secluded beaches, whale watching, local vineyards, restaurants, art and craft centers, wildflowers and the magnificent tall timbers forests of the mighty karri trees.
To the west, the small holiday town of Dunsborough is the gateway to the Cape Naturaliste area, caves and pristine beaches of Yallingup and surrounding area are major highlights. See local art and craft, and the world-renowned wine growing region at Margaret River.
The Stirling Range National Park is home to more than 1,500 plants and 140 species of birds. Five of the peaks are over 1,000m high. The surrounding towns of Denmark and Walpole are popular peaceful holiday destinations and the Valley of the Giants Tree-Top Walk provides a unique experience.
Albany
The City of Albany on the Southern Coast is a thriving multicultural city with many attractions and is well known for its whaling history and rugged natural attractions.
Whilst in Albany visit the many museums, art and craft galleries and restaurants now housed in old convict buildings and settlers cottages. Take a tour of the old whaling station, dive the HMAS Swan wreck, visit the Natural Bridge and Gap natural wonders or simply relax with some fishing or hiking.
Augusta
Augusta is surrounded by some truly magnificent features. Running through Augusta is the mighty Blackwood River which provides visitors with many activities including fishing, boating, canoeing and water skiing. Being located where the Indian and Southern Oceans meet provides outstanding scenery and caters for those who wish to go shore fishing or between June and December, whale watching.
For those who prefer to get up close and personal with nature there are numerous walk trails around Augusta and the Cape area that take in some of the most beautiful sites along the coastline.
Borden
Borden is a small town an hour and a half drive north of Albany. The town's main feature is the large grain storage facility. Grain is deposited here during harvest and transported throughout the year by road-train to Albany where it is shipped all over the world.
Borden is also situated only half an hour's drive north of the world-renowned Stirling Range National Park - walks, wildflowers, wildlife and spectacular natural beauty await those who visit this area.
Bremer Bay
Bremer Bay is located 180km east of Albany and is predominately a fishing and tourism town. The surrounding natural environment includes the pristine beaches of Bremer Bay and Point Henry Peninsula as well as the unique flora and fauna of Fitzgerald River National Park.
Visitors are also attracted to the area to watch the Southern Right whales’ calf in the calm bays between July and October.
Bridgetown
Bridgetown is nestled amongst the hills on the banks of the Blackwood River and has the rare combination of old world charm and modern facilities. Renowned for its gardens and restored and historic buildings Bridgetown is the only town given ‘Historic Town’ status by the National Trust of Australia.
Visit the bridges across the Blackwood, the most recent was built in 1981 and is the last of the large wooden bridges to be built in Western Australia. It is the colossal jarrah structure stretching 127.5m.
Bunbury
Two hours south of Perth is the port city of Bunbury. It’s location on the Indian Ocean, Koombana Bay and Leschenault Inlet is evident in the city’s lifestyle and strong maritime history.
Koombana Bay is home to over 100 bottlenose dolphins and the Dolphin Discovery Centre. Other attractions include 3 international golf courses; wineries; arts and craft; and of course an array of water based activities.
Busselton
Just 3 hours south of Perth Busselton is an ideal base to explore the Cape’s region of Western Australia. Take a short drive to explore Dunsborough, Yallingup or the world renowned Margaret River wine region.
Busselton is home to the longest wooden jetty in the southern hemisphere and its underwater observatory allows visitors to experience a fascinating artificial reef.
Cheynes Beach
Cheynes Beach is a beautiful location 70 km east of Albany. The protected bay offers visitors kilometers of calm beaches to fish, go boating, undertake water sports or spot passing whales.
Surrounded by Waychinnicup National Park visitors to Cheynes Beach can undertake a number of bushwalks to discover the unique flora and fauna of the area.
Denmark
Located on the banks of the Denmark River and surrounded by tall karri forests and pristine beaches, Denmark is the perfect place to get back to nature. Just 45 minutes west of Albany the town offers a number of world class wineries and local cuisine that includes fish, marron, venison and other local produce.
The town beaches are postcard perfect and a visit to William Bay and Greens Pool is a must for visitors to the region. There are a number of walks ranging from gentle to challenging along the coast that allow visitors to take in the overall beauty of the area.
Manjimup
Manjimup has developed as an agricultural and commercial centre of the South West. Manjimup is located 304km south of Perth and is accessible via the South West Highway.
Manjimup boasts a number of attractions including marron and trout fishing, 600yr old King Jarrah, Diamond Tree Lookout tower and Fonty’s Pool. There are many secluded picnic spots and walk trails available near natural swimming and fishing spots.
Margaret River Region
Margaret River is perhaps most renown for its’ world class wineries and surfing breaks. The region also boasts a number of gourmet food outlets and is an ideal place to base yourself as you explore the Leeuwin Naturaliste Ridge.
The Leeuwin Naturalist Ridge provides the coast line with rugged cliffs, protected bays and outstanding vistas. For the more adventurous set out on part of the Cape to Cape walk trail that stretches from Cape Leeuwin to Cape Naturaliste.
Mt Barker
Just 45 minutes from Albany is the town of Mt Barker.
Famous for its award winning table wines, vineyards and wildflowers Mt Barker is an ideal holiday destination. Offering easy access to a number of natural attractions Mt Barker also has ample shopping and recreation facilities ensuring a comfortable and memorable holiday.
Nannup
Nannup, known as the ‘Garden Village’, is a small town located in the centre of the south west region 280km from Perth. The town is situated on the banks of the Blackwood River and is surrounded by rolling hills.
Make sure you visit one of the many festivals held in Nannup including the Nannup Music Festival in March and the Flower and Garden Festival held in August.
Pemberton
Pemberton is surrounded by the towering beauty of the ancient karri forests. Home to 5 major river systems and 6 national parks means Pemberton is a nature lover’s paradise. Whilst visiting Pemberton be sure to climb two of the world’s tallest climbing trees, try some trout, marron or fly fishing, or perhaps explore the waterways by canoe.
If you are visiting in January you may be lucky enough to visit the Wine and Marron Festival which showcases some of the outstanding produce to come out of the region.
Walpole
The secluded town of Walpole is found 120km west of Albany. The town itself is found looking over the Walpole inlet and surrounded by Walpole Nornalup National Park. The natural environment lends itself well to a number of nature based activities including canoeing, swimming, fishing and bush walking.
Whilst visiting Walpole don’t forget to visit the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk to take in a bird’s eye view of the surrounding forests.
Yallingup
Located on the coast 264km south of Perth via Busselton, Yallingup is a true relaxing get-away. Yallingup's appeal is its location. Looking out over the ocean, surrounded by wildflowers and granite foreshores settling into soft white sandy beaches Yallingup is a natural paradise for the weary traveller.
Yallingup is famous for its surf break and fishing locations during the spawning run of the salmon in May and June. Yallingup Beach is also a marine protected area making it a perfect place to swim, snorkel and relax on the sand. Truly a peaceful experience.
Yarloop
Located 125 kilometres or two hours drive south of Perth on the South Western Highway, Yarloop is a historic town where you can step back in time and rediscover the age of steam and timber. The old historic engineering workshops, spanning the era of the steam and horse drawn days, are being restored.
Yarloop is classified as a conservation area by the National Trust due to its historic importance.
