Southern ForestsThe clear, crisp air and rich landscape of this region produce and nurture the magnificent forests of karri, marri and tingle trees associated with this picture-postcard area. Its exquisite landscapes are a blend of vine-clad hillsides, fertile orchards and majestic forests that host a myriad of bird and plant life.
The region boasts a number of tranquil inlets, streams and rivulets brimming with life. Trout, perch, and marron (native freshwater crayfish) present popular fishing opportunities in the fertile rivers and streams. Licences for trout and marron fishing can be obtained from the local Post Office (strict seasons apply).
Steeped in history from the pioneering timber industry, the rich soils and cooler climate of the region now produce award winning wines. It has grown to take its place as the third largest wine region in Western Australia and many boutique wineries offer cellar door sales and tastings. It is rich with fine produce year round, reflecting the influence of our European cultural heritage. Traditional agriculture and horticulture is complemented by niche epicurean treats including chestnuts, marron, trout, cherries, ginseng, green tea and more recently, the black truffle.
Manjimup
This town takes centre stage in a thriving fruit and vegetable industry. Visitors can spend time bushwalking, taking forest and river tours, wine tasting, fishing or enjoying the magic of an organised black truffle hunt. When in Manjimup one must visit the Diamond Tree Lookout Tower. Built as a fire lookout in 1941 it is one of three climbing trees in the Southern Forests. It stands 51 metres high and visitors can climb to the top for panoramic views of the forest. For a tranquil picnic try Glenoran Pool or the King Jarrah Tree. Several marked walk trails wind through the forest from the King Jarrah. Each year the town revs up for moto cross events at Manjimup’s world renowned “Cosy Creek” circuit. Visitors to the town can also take advantage of the regional aqua centre which has a fully enclosed heated pool, fitness centre and cafés.
Fresh Produce
The famous “Pink Lady” apple was developed in Manjimup and the horticultural industry continues to evolve with new pursuits including avocado farming, green tea and the rare gourmet black truffle. You can pick up the freshest of produce at the farm gate including apples, pears, cherries, nectarines, kiwi fruit, chestnuts, hazelnuts, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots and corn. An annual event not to be missed is Manjimup’s Cherry Harmony Festival held in early December. The town comes alive for the three day festival in celebration of the start of the cherry season. Several varieties of cherries are grown in local orchards and are available from November to January.
Historic Sites
The Manjimup Timber and Heritage Park provides a fascinating insight into the local industry and logging heritage. The Park contains a café, museum, historical hamlet, vintage machinery and a blacksmith’s forge.
Another landmark is the Four Aces, a straight row of karri trees that are over 300 years old and stand only 1 kilometre from One Tree Bridge. As the name suggests, the bridge was made from a single karri tree and survives as a testament to the ingenuity of the early pioneers. Seven kilometres from Manjimup is the popular Fonty’s Pool. Created in 1925 by Archimede Fontanini as a pool to irrigate his vegetables, it soon became and still is a favourite spot with families for picnicking and enjoying a summertime swim.
Pemberton
Nurtured by its cool Mediterranean climate and fertile earth, Pemberton’s scenic variety consists of green pastures, acres of rolling vineyards and crystal clear streams. Visitors can indulge in the taste sensations offered by many restaurants, cafés and wineries that specialise in fresh gourmet food and home grown produce. Recreational activities such as canoeing, fishing, swimming and bushwalking are popular pastimes.
The Bibbulmun Track winds past the town and through some of the most enchanting stretches of karri forest. Relax and take a journey through the forest on a tram or steam train along the heritage listed Pemberton-Northcliffe rail line. Pemberton’s timber heritage is maintained through its working timber mill and several galleries that produce unique handcrafted works. Beautiful art and craft pieces can also be viewed and purchased in the local shops.
National Parks
Pemberton adjoins the Gloucester National Park, with its towering karri trees and clear rivers. Here you will find ‘The Cascades’, where the Lefroy Brook tumbles over a series of rocky shelves, which vary from a gentle flow in midsummer, to a raging torrent in winter. The rocky rapids provide a place for an outdoor lunch, a leisurely stroll, or a few peaceful hours of fly fishing. Each year, the district bursts into dazzling colour with the onset of the wildflower season in spring, lending a magical charm to the area.
The Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree is a dizzying 75 metres high, and the Gloucester Tree towers 61 metres above the forest surrounding Pemberton. Visitors can climb to the cabin for sensational views of the karri forest. Warren National Park covers 2,982 hectares in the heart of the karri forest, south-west of Pemberton on the Old Vasse Road. The undulating oneway trails of Heartbreak and Maidenbush follow alongside the Warren River, sometimes meandering at water level or high above it. The bubbling rapids of Heartbreak Crossing and the Warren Lookout, offer a scenic picnic spot along the trail. Freshwater streams and rivers are hidden amongst the karri forests. Beedelup Falls in the Beedelup National Park has one of the most amazing suspension bridges
The falls are in full flow during winter and spring and can be viewed year-round along a walk trail or from the two nearby bridges. The Beedelup National Park includes dense karri forest, mixed with jarrah and several beautiful stands of pure marri. For the four wheel drive enthusiast, the D’Entrecasteaux National Park covers 118,000 hectares with some rugged and secluded four wheel drive tracks. The Yeagerup Dunes offer adventurers the chance to witness vast mobile sand dunes which are steadily moving inland, swallowing up forest lakes and woodlands as they go. Local tours will take you on an amazing adventure amongst the dunes or visitors can experience the national park from the water with a cruise along the pristine Donnelly River. The river is flanked by magnificent karri trees, river banksias and peppermints.
Wine and Marron
The Pemberton area produces excellent quality wines. Most offer cellar door sales and will tempt you to a delicious meal in a relaxed and charming setting. Don’t forget to try the region’s delicacy, marron, a freshwater crayfish that provides a unique gourmet treat when enjoyed with a glass or two of fine local wine.
Northcliffe
Visitors will delight in the natural beauty of the area thriving in unique flora and fauna, much of it found nowhere else in the world. The Southern Forests Sculpture Trail provides an opportunity to view world class outdoor sculptures scattered through an attractive bush setting. Shannon National Park is set in some of the most magnificent karri country in Western Australia, covering the entire basin of the Shannon River.
Popular recreational activities include salmon fishing, mountain biking and bushwalking along pleasant tracks that follow picturesque coastline or wind through majestic karri forests. Energetic visitors will enjoy the 187 metre climb up the granite outcrop that forms Mount Chudalup. The views across the forests are well worth the effort. Scenic drives are also very popular in the D’Entrecasteaux National Park and offer outstanding photo opportunities of the attractive coastline. Visitors may be lucky enough to spot humpback and southern right whales and seals from the cliff tops and lookouts.
Walpole
The township offers a wide range of activities for visitors including swimming, boating, sailing, inlet cruises, fishing, bush walking, and climbing. The Walpole Inlet is a small estuary connected through a narrow channel with the bigger and deeper Nornalup Inlet. The Walpole area is famous for its red tingle trees. The Giant Tingle Tree near Hilltop Road is over 450 years old, and measures 24 metres in girth at its base.
Walpole Wilderness Area & Walpole-Nornalup National Park
Vast, natural landscapes cover the southern forests through to the coast protecting more than 363,000 hectares of national park, nature reserves and forest conservation. There are seven National
Parks within the Walpole Wilderness Area – Mount Frankland, Mount Frankland North, Mount Frankland South, Mount Roe, Mount Lindesay, Shannon and Walpole- Nornalup. The area is roughly the size of countries such as Luxembourg and Samoa. The National Park covers nearly 20,000 hectares of diverse vegetation, from towering karri and tingle forests to coastal heath and wetlands. With its rocky headlands and big swells, the beach here is also popular for fishing and surfing. In spring, the landscape is transformed into a vivid tapestry of colour with wildflowers.
Walpole Wilderness Discovery Centre
The Walpole area features three sites called the Walpole Wilderness Discovery Centre. The aim of these sites is to educate visitors about this wonderful protected area. The sites are – The Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk, Swarbrick and Mount Frankland Don’t leave the area without visiting the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk. The 600 metre walkway rises 40 metres above the forest floor and provides a breathtaking experience with a birds eye view of the forest. A meandering boardwalk takes visitors through a grove of veteran tingle trees called the Ancient Empire. You can even walk through the hollowed-out butt of one tree.
Travelling 8km along North Walpole road, heading towards Mount Frankland, you will find Swarbrick. It is home to some of the oldest trees in Australia, specifically Western Australia’s famous old growth karri forest. It features forest art exhibits and a giant 39-metre long ‘Wilderness Wall of Perceptions’ which encourages people to explore perspectives of the forest and wilderness. Mount Frankland, dominated by an impressive peak is 29 kilometres north of Walpole. Classed as an adventurer’s playground, this area provides a range of walking and viewing opportunities. Follow the Summit Path or walk around the base of the granite outcrop, but remember to dress appropriately as the temperature can change rapidly. It is a popular spot to rock climb or abseil the 150 metre drop (permit required). The Knoll is a peninsula which divides the Nornalup and Walpole Inlets. A mosaic of vegetation and landform features are found here. Adjacent to the headland the majestic karri and yellow tingle forest grow right down to the inlet. It is accessible by the one-way sealed Knoll Scenic Drive. Circular Pool is a beautiful natural pool in the Frankland River. This area is the scene of raging torrents of water after the winter rains, causing large amounts of froth to foam. The leaching of tannins from vegetation causes this brown colouring. It’s a beautiful spot to picnic and there is a number of viewing platforms that provide ideal lookouts over the river, pool and forest.
Rugged Coastline
Twelve kilometres west of Walpole is the turn-off to Mandalay Beach with a spectacular coastline and site of the 1911 shipwreck of the Norwegian barque ‘Mandalay’. This stretch of coastline offers great views of Chatham Island and is popular with anglers. Stroll along the boardwalk and read the interpretive information about the wreck which can sometimes be seen in the sand. Accommodation in the area ranges from cosy cottages through to secluded hideaways or for something different spend a few nights on a houseboat.
Editorial and images courtesy of Australia's South West.
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