48 hours in The Donnybrook-Balingup Region

48 hours in the . . .

DONNYBROOKBALINGUP REGION

Think picture-perfect historic towns surrounded by rolling hills, fertile farmland and orchards. The Donnybrook-Balingup region, set in the picturesque Preston and Blackwood valleys, is WA’s must-do destination any time of the year.

DAY ONE Perth to Donnybrook

Jump in the car and get ready for two days of Donnybrook-Balingup seasonal goodness. Allow three hours to reach Balingup from Perth.

If by chance you find yourself in the tiny town of Kirup, we suggest you stock up on the best produce in WA. For starters, the pub has new owners and is up and running, offering home-cooked meals. There’s A2 Bulk Foods, a fabulous little store with great organic/gluten-free and health food options and snacks. Newy’s Vege Patch, an organic fruit and veg shop, has built up a cult following. Ten minutes down the road, on the way to Balingup, there’s Blackwood Emporium 1864, a cafe and chocolate shop in Mullalyup.

Where to Stay

Balingup takes its name from Balingup Pool, located on the Balingup Brook which flows through the town. Check into Tourism Hall of Fame winner, Balingup Heights Hilltop Forest Cottages, where you will wake up to stunning views. Kids will love the chance to collect eggs and feed the animals on this wonderful hillside spot. Heritage lovers should venture to the Blackwood Inn in Mullalyup or find secluded luxury at Mumbles Boutique Stays near Donnybrook. To truly reconnect, attend a Mindfulness and Meditation Retreat at Balingup’s Origin Centre. Fans of the great outdoors can camp around a log fire at Glen Mervyn Dam, or along the Blackwood River at Wrights Bridge.

Pie Time

It’s impossible to name an Aussie who doesn’t love pie, especially in the cooler months. Savour some of the best at The Mushroom at No 61. Winner of a plethora of national Great Aussie Pie medals, their

LUSH PASTURES NEW

Balingup and other picturesque villages in the region have quirky stores, tempting cafes and countrystyle events which draw visitors from far and wide.

pork and mushroom in creamy cider sauce pie is a must-try. They also serve a range of seasonal menu items from Thai beef salad to pulled pork with Asian slaw and Friday nights are all about fish and chips. Return to your accommodation for the night with a bottle of Cherry Port (2020 Australian Fruit Wine Show Gold Medallist) from the Balingup Fruit Winery. It’s sure to warm the cockles of your heart - and may count towards your five a day (#winning).

DAY TWO Breathe in High Country

Rise and shine! Get outdoors, climb a hill and breathe in the misty morning air.

Mustang Sally Loves Wine

After an early morning walk, we can indulge. Let Mr Mustang Hire take you on a Donnybrook Tour, Taste and Tapas adventure savouring all things food, wine and beer. Their stunning Mustang is a 1965 classic called Sally (yes, from the song) and with its eye-catching turquoise blue exterior and luxurious white interior, it is a beautiful way to spend the day. The tour includes cruising to four fantastic Donnybrook wineries, including Barrecas

Wines, Oakway Estate, Barton Jones

Winery and Smallwater Estate, with wine, beer and olive oil tasting as well as delicious fresh food all included on the day.

Bring Your Bike

Road cyclists and MTB; get ready for some pumping action. Put the pedal to the metal at private Preston Valley MTB park, Cycletrek (you can stay there too) or sign up for a gravity day at WA’s premier Enduro park Linga Longa Bike Park. Alternatively, tackle the Boyanup to Donnybrook section of the Munda Biddi track, finishing at the Donnybrook Motel which offers bike wash down facilities and storage. Road cyclists can clock up the kilometres along stunning backroads or the famous Balingup to Nannup tourist drive.

Walk Among Spectacular Trees

Experience the beauty of Balingup’s Golden Valley Tree Park. It’s a magnificent arboretum with trees from around the world grown in a landscaped setting strewn with a series of walk trails. The seasonal colours are spectacular, and there are more than three thousand individual trees planted, some specimens of which date back over 120 years to when the first farming properties were established.

If there’s one thing you can say about us in the BunGeo, it’s that we love a good ancient tree. If you do too, be sure to behold the 129-year-old oak tree on the National Register that graces the surrounds of the Donnybrook Visitor Centre. The Balingup Avenue of Honour is also a beautiful avenue of old oak trees, recognising local men and boys who lost their lives in the First World War.

Brunch Time

Enjoy breakfast before you leave; drop into the Old Shed Cafe - both serve deliciously hearty breakfasts. Blackwood Daily Grind has a great range of acai bowls and fresh fruit smoothies. Seek out local produce like 4Shot Coffee Roasters and Rokewood

Olive Grove.

Curious Crafts & Creatives

Walk the streets of Balingup - it would have to be one of the prettiest towns in Western Australia, with some super-cute stores and galleries for you to peruse. Be bedazzled by Balingup Goldsmith’s custom jewellery, uncover the fabulous collection of handmade art and craft at the Balingup Vintage Peddlers, and overload the senses at the iconic Tinderbox, purveyors of handmade essential oils, natural skincare, and aromatherapy creations. Balingup is also home to the largest arts and craft centre in the southern hemisphere - The Old Cheese Factory. If getting busy with knitting needles is your thing, Cat n’ Canvas is a beautifully quirky wool and knitwear shop, attracting knitting fans from Perth and further afied.

Then venture onto Donnybrook for more fabulous finds including DonnyBooks (how bookshops should be!), and the talented creations of the Donnybrook Artisans. There’s also Abandoned Art, a new shop opened in Donnybrook, offering tattoos and art works. If you’re after some new

TUCK IN Take your pick from welcoming pubs and cafes if you've worked up an appetite, from grazing boards to hearty country fare.

threads, Wear Art has some great one-off items, compounding Donnybrook’s claim to be something of an arty/crafty hub in the region. If you’re keen to explore more artisans at work - like Salted Earth Studio - ask for a list from the local visitor centre.

An Apple a Day

To truly experience the delights of the Apple Capital of the West and home of the Lady Williams apple, head to Spring Valley Organic Orchard located between Donnybrook and Balingup. Spring Valley has 1,200 fruit trees (mainly apples and plums) along with a market garden and a flock of chickens who happily roam around the farm. For six months of the year (up until August generally) they are open for pick your own.

The Fruit Barn in Donnybrook also regularly opens their nearby orchard for apple and stone fruit picking days - just keep an eye on their website as picking is seasonal. Bring a picnic lunch full of BunGeo produce and make a day of it. A free family fun activity that your kids will love!

Or drive (and eat) your way along South West Highway where you’ll find roadside stores and packhouses selling seasonal local produce.

Family Fun

The hugely popular Apple Fun Park is in the midst of being upgraded and rebuilt - it’s due to reopen in the September/ October school holidays (fingers crossed). When it does, expect much fun and games to be had once more.

Old fashioned service

The Donnybrook Hotel makes a virtue of offering the kind of old fashioned pub service and fare we all love; the newly renovated hotel, which opened post-Covid, also has accommodation options if you’re keen to stay in situ after a feed. There’s a beer garden, pool tables, a weekly raffle while you watch the footy, and a DJ if

you fancy cutting a rug.

Surprising Fusion

Tonight hunt down Donnybrook’s Village Harvest Restaurant. This inconspicuous restaurant Asian-fusion restaurant is a local secret. A Neil Perry protégé, Chef Chris Ngu is all about local produce and connecting with customers.

Get Trekking

Whichever direction you head, there are wild walking paths to follow in DonnybrookBalingup. Find plenty of short walks to navigate and enjoy the great outdoors or the more adventurous can tackle a section of the Bibbulmun Track. Most accommodation operators are happy to pick and drop you along the track.

Two of the most popular (and rewarding) sections are the Kirup-Grimwade area (20kms from Balingup) or, if you are after something less strenuous, walk only a few kilometres from the Balingup townsite to Golden Valley Tree Park.

DAY THREE Caffeine Fix

Stop at the Blackwood Daily Grind in Mullalyup or the Crazy Cow Coffee in Donnybrook for a pick-me-up and scrumptious foodie options. One should consume their freshly pressed juices and gluten/dairy-free slices, but the cake looks so good, and so do the toasties. They both offer drive-thru too.

Well, what are you waiting for? Slow down, breathe the fresh air, and find your BunGeo story in Donnybrook Balingup now.

DON'T MISS

FESTIVALS FUN

Find storybook magic at Telling Tales, soak up all of the beautiful historic crazy at the Balingup Medieval Carnivale, (scheduled for August 28) devour apples and more at the Donnybrook Apple Festival, get your ‘farmer’ on and kickstart your green fingers at the Balingup Small Farm Field Day (both planned for April 2022) or find the region’s best creatives and upcycled lovers at the Balingup Art and Craft Fair (scheduled for May 2022),. Bike adventurers are not forgotten with the Collie to Donnybrook Road Cycle Event, off-road SEVEN race, DIRT and the MTB Empire Cup 2020 at Linga Longa. Also don’t miss the Winter Solstice Markets in Kirup, and Telling Tales in Balingup (traditionally in July) which has been rescheduled for October 2021. The Festival of Country Gardens is also flagged for October

FIND THE ULTIMATE OUTDOOR WEDDING VENUE

Recently engaged…or maybe are very soon to be? Spend your break finding beautiful potential outdoor wedding venues.

Perched up a massive hill, amongst towering pine trees, Linga Longa Estate is home to WA’s most amazing outdoor chapel. At Lewana Cottages create memories in an open barn overlooking a glistening lake. Brookhampton’s The Berry Delightful is a private farm-style venue bursting with character, mystery and natural beauty. For the ultimate garden wedding with a relaxed country atmosphere, head to

Jalbrook Estate in Balingup. Beware; an alpaca may join the wedding photos. If you’ve always dreamed of saying “I do” in a vineyard, look no further than Oakway Estate, Smallwater Estate Winery, or Barton Jones Winery/Coughlan Estate. Get married in a church that’s not a church. The former St Thomas Anglican Church has been reinvented as the quaint Old Thomson Brook Church and is perfect for intimate wedding ceremonies surrounded by natural bush. And, for blow-your-mind styling and stretch tents, seek out BOS Tents and Events; a passionate husband and wife duo based in Balingup, specialising in boutique, contemporary pop-up events. •