Things to do in the Swan Valley near Perth

The best things to do in the Swan Valley near Perth include visiting the Old Gaol and Garrick Theatre in Guildford. Elsewhere, beyond the cellar doors of the Swan Valley wineries, are chocolate makers, gin distillers and craft breweries.

The Swan Valley is Western Australia’s oldest wine region, and a half hour’s drive from central Perth. But a day trip from Perth isn’t all about the Swan Valley wineries such as Oakover Grounds and Mandoon Estate.

The easiest way to visit the Swan Valley is on a wine tour from Perth, which includes a cruise along the Swan River.

If going the DIY route, Main town Guildford is fairly pretty to walk around, and contains a number of 19^th century colonial buildings. These Guildford heritage buildings include the Old Gaol and the Garrick Theatre, which is the oldest theatre in WA.

DON’T MISS OUT! 9 fabulous Perth experiences to book today ✅

✅ See the Rottnest Island quokkas the smart way – with a ferry and bike package.
✅ Be amazed by the abundant wildlife – on a dolphin, penguin and sealion cruise.
✅ See clear night skies in a moon-like desert – on a Pinnacles stargazing experience.
✅ Indulge in chocolate, cheese & premium wines – on a Swan Valley food and wine tour.
✅ See the city sunset from the water – on a Swan River dinner cruise.
✅ Watch gold being melted and poured – on a Perth Mint gold tour.
✅ Combine nature with imperious city views – on Kings Park Segway tour.
✅ Face your fears and get the thrill of your life on a – on a 15,000ft skydive.
✅ Find all the best hidden hangouts – on a small bar and street art tour.

Things to do in the Swan Valley, WA: Wildlife parks

Other Swan Valley attractions include the Caversham Wildlife Park in Whiteman Park. This Australian wildlife park which is home to a wealth of cute Aussie creatures.

Visitors to Caversham Wildlife Park can have their photo taken with the koalas and hand-feed kangaroos. For something even tamer, visit the Swan Valley Cuddly Animal Farm in Henley Brook.

Swan Valley food and drink

But really the Swan Valley is all about food and drink – it’s just that this goes way beyond wine. Craft brewing in the Swan Valley is big – Ironbark, the Mash Brewery and Feral are three of the Swan Valley microbreweries open to the public.

There’s plenty of distilling going on, too, for those who like their drinks with a little more punch. The Great Northern Distillery specialises in making Canefire rum. Alongside the tasting room, the Great Northern Distillery offers behind-the-scenes tours for private bookings. Old Young’s, meanwhile, has hoovered up awards and while it takes pride in its gins, the Old Young’s vodka is phenomenally good.

House of Honey in Swan Valley, Western Australia — Swan Valley food includes the specialist honeys at the House of Honey. Photo by David Whitley/ Australia Travel Questions.

What to do in the Swan Valley, WA: Chocolate and honey

To anchor all that booze, tastings are also available at the Margaret River Chocolate Company’s outlet and the House of Honey. The latter specialises in highly localised Western Australian honeys produced in native forests.

Another good Swan Valley attraction is the Maalinup Aboriginal Gallery, which occasionally hosts bush food-tasting events.

There are also several fresh produce specialists, covering everything from macadamia nuts to fruit juices, which have been linked together in a special Swan Valley visitors’ trail. It’s worth downloading the trail map as a PDF and saving it to your phone before heading out to explore.

5 great day trips from Perth – make your visit special

Rottnest Island ferry transfer – with bike hire and snorkelling gear. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Pinnacles desert – with koalas 🐨 and sandboarding.
Wave Rock day tour – with wildflowers & Aboriginal culture.
Margaret River wineries experience 🍷 – with tastings, caves & Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse.
Full day Swan Valley wine tour 🍷– with lunch.