BunGeo for Nature Lovers

Book ahead:

Accommodation in the Ferguson Valley for two nights at either:  

• Evedon Lakeside Retreat has lovely cabins set on 320 acres and it has a restaurant on site (open for breakfast and lunch Thursday to Monday and dinner only on Friday and Saturday, book ahead). You can pre-order a breakfast tray and hampers too.
• Wellington Forest Cottages were built in the 1920s, there are eight cosy timber forestry cottages, all self-contained with three-bedrooms. Note, the toilets are outside and guests must bring their own linen.
• Ferguson Farm Stay has 10 fully self-contained chalets accommodating from four to eight people that offer uninterrupted views to Bunbury and the ocean. They are constructed from local rammed earth finished with cedar and pine, have generous verandas equipped with gas barbecues and outdoor settings.
• Camping in the Wellington National Park -There are three campgrounds at Honeymoon Pool for tent camping only. Potters Gorge Campground has campsites suitable for caravans, campervans and tents.
• Mountain Bike Hire (if needed) from Crank n’ Cycle, Melo Velo, or Traaverse which also hires kayaks and canoes including a drop off and pick up service.
• Dolphin Cruise and Swim

DAY ONE: PERTH TO DARDANUP

Depart Perth nice and early and drive two-and-a-quarter hours to Dardanup for morning tea at the famous Dardanup Bakery. Savoury or sweet, find a delicious morning tea treat from flaky croissants and handmade pastries to sandwiches, sausage rolls and house made pies with interesting flavours and specials such as Chinese barbeque pork apple and crackle. Pick up some fresh sourdough bread and perhaps some dinner provisions.

Drive 11 minutes to the Crooked Brook Forest for an easy bush walk along the 0.6km forest path, a concrete loop that circumnavigates Crooked Brook. The trail is particularly pretty in spring when the wildflowers are blooming and is accessible in the wet. The covered shelter has picnic tables accessible for wheelchairs.

Take a short 15-minute drive down Wellington Mill Road to Gnomesville, a quirky little place filled with thousands of gnomes, one of the world’s biggest communities of gnomes – it’s where gnomes go to live happily ever after. Be sure to check out the ‘Gnoman Empire’.

It’s just a ten-minute drive to St Aidan Wines and Bush Shack Brewery, both good options for tastings and for lunch.

St Aidan Wines a family run boutique winery, restaurant and events centre. After tasting Saint Aidan wine that they describe as “art in a bottle”, it’s good option for lunch with a seasonal menu designed around local ingredients. The mouth-watering menu includes seared Western Australian scallops with bresaola crumb, grilled Harvey haloumi with romesco and salsa verde and confit duck with blistered cherry tomatoes and charred sweet corn. The other great option at St Aidan Wines is to come prepared and fire up the provided gas barbeque and picnic on the banks of the Ferguson River. Check the website for events that include watercolour painting classes, wine and yoga, and there are outdoor movie screenings in the warmer months.

Bush Shack Brewery offers hearty dishes that you’d expect such as Black Angus and cheddar burger, fish and chips and salt and pepper squid, and less expected dishes like crunchy Korean chicken wings, southern fried chicken salad and jackfruit and bean tacos. The brewery specialises in all-natural, unfiltered beers, ciders and flavoured alcoholic drinks. Think chilli beer, chocolate milk stout, strawberry blonde hazy pale ale, twisted lemon lager, ginger hard cider, and black cherry bliss inspired by retro cherry cola just to name a few.

After lunch, drive 13 minutes to King Jarrah, a majestic Jarrah tree that stands 36 metres tall and is estimated to be between 300 and 500 years old. Take a walk through the nearby Wellington Discovery Forest and you might even find a friendly kangaroo to pose with for a selfie.

Drive to your accommodation, check in, and have an easy evening enjoying your surrounds. It’s 15 / 7 minutes to the Wellington Forest Cottages, 16 / 8 minutes to Evedon and 25 / 20 minutes to Ferguson Farm Stay.

DAY TWO: WELLINGTON NATIONAL PARK

Waking up in the country is peacefully blissful with just the sounds of rustling leaves and birds to rouse you. After coffee and breakfast, drive 30 minutes to The Wagon a cute coffee stop in an old railway wagon. . Stop for a really good coffee sourced from the Margaret River Roasting Co or try a cold pressed juice, green smoothie, turmeric and beetroot lattes, and gluten-free cupcakes. Takeaway some morning tea provisions such as sandwiches and sweet treats.

Walk five minutes to the Collie Town Mural Trail, you can download the map here. There are 40 public artworks on the trail, and the useful map will help discover colourful works by the likes of Ketones6000, Kyle Hughes-Odgers, Amok Island, Andrew Frazer, Shakey and more, hidden down alleyways and brightening up schoolyard walls. The artworks tell a great story of the local flora and fauna, language, history, and culture.

From town, either cycle one and a half hours, or drive 27 minutes, to view the world’s largest dam mural at Wellington Dam Wall covering 8000m2. The unlikely place for incredible work of public art, it’s called ‘Reflections’ and by Australian artist Guido Van Helten, depicting local life from yesteryear that includes portraits of migrants, Aboriginal children and locals. The best view of mural is from the WaterCorp lookout. The dam mural is adjacent to the Wagyl Biddi trails which are free and open every day. The name Wagyl Biddi comes from two Aboriginal Noongar words – the Wagyl is the serpent that moved across the land in the dreaming creating the rivers, inlets and lakes, and Biddi means ‘path through the forest’.

Walk through meandering  jarrah forest on the edge of the Collie River or take to two wheels and ride some of the tracks. The moderate (blue) trails to tackle include the rocky and densely forested Marri Meander (0.8km), Rocky Horror (1.5km), a single track that balances rocky and flow, and it’s recommended you ride it with Drop Dead Fred (1km) to complete a 2.5km loop. Spend the afternoon exploring the Wellington National Park, recharging and nature bathing, or with more active pursuits such as hiking, hill walking, mountain biking, fishing and swimming. Pre-book a SUP, kayak or a canoe from Traaverse and enjoy the icon and central feature of the park, the Collie River Valley. There are plenty of other ways to explore and the serene forest including bird watching, photography, or simply sit back with a glass of wine and a good book.

There is camping in the Wellington National Park. From the moment you arrive your senses will come alive with the sight and smell of native jarrah, marri and blackbutt trees over 17,000 hectares of forest. The Collie River cuts through the Collie River Valley and has carved out many scenic spots where you can picnic, swim, canoe, and fish. There are three campgrounds at Honeymoon Pool for tent camping only. Potters Gorge Campground has campsites suitable for caravans, campervans and tents.

Drive back to your accommodation, approximately 20 minutes.For dinner, either self-cater, book ahead into the restaurant at Evedon, or drive (under 30 minutes) to Collie where you’ll find plenty of dining options, or self cater and have a quiet night in.

DAY THREE: DOLPHIN ADVENTURES

Up early – we suggest 6am – for a quick coffee, check out of your accommodation and drive 22 minutes to Dardanup to call into the famous Dardanup Bakery. With so many tasty and freshly baked goods on offer, the hardest decision will be choosing what to have for breakfast. Stock up on house made pies – think creamy chicken, roast onion, mushroom and Margaret River brie, Chinese barbeque pork with apple and crackle and other mouth-watering specials. The doughnuts, flaky croissants, handmade pastries and sausage rolls are just as tempting and why not grab some freshly baked sourdough to take home with you. Leave by 7.40am.

From the bakery, drive 15 minutes to the impressive Dolphin Discovery Centre, ensuring you arrive well before 8am. This is a special experience where you’re able to observe dolphins in the wild, in their natural habitat, and watch them feed, socialise, jump and play. For an extra special experience, jump in the ocean and swim with the curious creatures. Wetsuits, masks, snorkels and fins are provided, and if you’re not a confident ocean swimmer, there are buoyancy vests too. The cruise and swim takes about three hours and there’s a 90-minute eco cruise too. Spend some time in the informative and interactive Dolphin Discovery Centre to learn about the ocean and sea life of Geographe Bay.

From the Dolphin Discovery Centre, drive about 30 minutes to the Old Coast Road Brewery for lunch. After a swim, you’re likely to be thankful for the hearty dishes on the menu and there are also lighter bites. Think smoky barbeque pork ribs, woodfired pizza, Szechuan squid and plenty of vegan options too like tofu Thai salad. There are 12 brews available for sampling including bitter ale, wheat beer, amber ale, kolsh, stout and saison, and two ciders made from Donnybrook Apples including one with ginger and pear. Owners Andrew and Ivanka have Italian and Croatian heritage and pay homage to their roots with a 1000-tree olive grove reminiscent of those in the Mediterranean. Pick up some take-away beers and cider to reminisce about your BunGeo getaway once you’re back home.

From there, the drive back to Perth is just an hour and a half. Hopefully you did purchase craft beer, wine, cheese and more during your travels to enjoy at home.