Bunbury to Manjimup drive: Distance, drive time & best stops

The best stops on a Bunbury to Manjimup road trip are Donnybrook, Balingup and Bridgetown. By car, the distance from Bunbury to Manjimup is 135km, with a 1h31m driving time.

Planning a Bunbury to Manjimup road trip itinerary

The Bunbury to Manjimup drive links the second largest city in Western Australia to an orchard and forest-surrounded town with a surprising amount to do. Drivers might come this way if on a road trip from Perth to Walpole or Bunbury to Albury.

Bunbury offers Geographe Region wine tours, swimming with dolphins and dolphin-watching cruises. For more Bunbury tours, browse here. For the best Bunbury accommodation deals, look here.

For Manjimup accommodation deals, head here.

This guide should help you plan your perfect Bunbury to Manjimup road trip itinerary.

Click through on the links for more detailed links about individual towns and attractions – and remember to stock up on your road trip essentials before setting off.

Bunbury to Manjimup distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Bunbury to Manjimup is 135km. You can expect a driving time of around one hour and 31 minutes, almost entirely along the South Western Highway.

What to book in Bunbury – 5 fabulous experiences.

Koombana Bay dolphin-watching cruise – the dolphins live in the bay, so you’ll definitely see them.
Geographe region wine tours – explore boutique wineries in the up-and-coming region.
Swimming with dolphins. They’re wild – this is not a dodgy aquarium experience.
Forest, wine and brewery day tours.
Dolphin Discovery Centre entrance tickets.

The best things to do in Bunbury include going on a dolphin-watching cruise on Koombana Bay. They depart from the Dolphin Discovery Centre.

Top Bunbury accommodation choices

The best places to stay in Bunbury are:

For Koombana Bay location, near the Dolphin Discovery Centre: Discovery Parks Bunbury Foreshore.
For good quality apartments on the coast: Bunbury Seaview Apartments.
For affordable rates in a city centre location: Rose Hotel and Motel.

The first town of interest along the route is Dardanup. Here, the Dardanup Heritage Park serves up old industrial and military machinery, and you can admire glass art at the 5^th Element Art Glass Studio and Gallery.

Next comes Boyanup, which offers a couple of places to eat and drink. Try the Old Boyanup Bakery Café or the Bull & Bush Tavern.

Fans of old trains can also visit Boyanup’s South West Rail and Heritage Centre.

Bunbury to Manjimup road trip: Donnybrook to Balingup

On the way into of Donnybrook, you’ll pass Licciardello and Son Orchards, which has a fresh fruit and veg shop by the South Western Highway.

Donnybrook has a few wineries with cellar doors open to visitors. These include Barrecas and Coughlan Estate. Other things to do in Donnybrook include seeing wildflowers on the 5km Sandhills Walk, although the kids will probably prefer the Apple Fun Park playground.

Donnybrook accommodation options include the well-rated Donnybrook Motel, which has a seasonal outdoor pool, and the more characterful Country Charm B&B.

Road trip essentials that many travellers forget

Search on the web, and you’ll find ludicrously long lists of equipment to take on a road trip. Australia Travel Questions isn’t going to do that to you. But it is worth buying the following road trip items before setting off. Click through for a good range of options.

Charging cables – yes, you’ll probably need a spare at some point.
Car charger adaptor – in case your rental car has the old-fashioned cigarette lighter rather than a USB.
Multi USB charger – for those hotel rooms that don’t have enough power sockets.
Fold-up chairs – to make anywhere a picnic spot.
A really good water bottle – go for a bigger one than usual to last the longer drives.
Packing cubes – save space but, more importantly, avoid unpacking everything every night.

On the Donnybrook to Bridgetown leg of the journey, you’ll pass Western Australian Marron – an aquaculture farm, the Zein Estate winery and a mix of forests and orchards.

Kirup has a couple of places to eat and drink, but not much else to grab the attention. You’ll pass along the edge of the East Kirup State Forest afterwards.

Further along, Balingup has a little more to offer. Things to do in Balingup include wines made from local fruits at the Balingup Fruit Winery and strolling through the botanic garden-style Golden Valley Tree Park.

Bunbury to Manjimup drive: Balingup to Bridgetown

The next town on the South Western Highway is Greenbushes, on the highest part of the Darling Scarp. Here you can walk the Mining Heritage Trail or learn more about the local timber and mining industries at the Greenbushes Discovery Centre. You can also take in the views from the Mine Lookout.

Greenbushes is the last realistic stop before reaching Bridgetown.

The best things to do in Bridgetown include walking through the Blackwood River Park, admiring jigsaws from around the globe at the Brierly Jigsaw Gallery and tasting locally-made ciders at the Cidery and Blackwood Valley Brewing Company.

Bridgetown accommodation

The best places to stay in Bridgetown are:

For riverside elegance, surrounded by gardens: Ford House Retreat.
For central location, with a bar and restaurant: The Bridgetown Hotel.
For great, wallet-friendly value: Thistle Do Bed and Breakfast.

Bunbury to Manjimup road trip: Bridgetown to Manjimup

Continuing south from Bridgetown to Manjimup, you’ll cross the Blackwood River, then pass Yornup State Forest and the Wilgarrup Nature Reserve. Neither is especially worth visiting.

Things to do in Manjimup include truffle-hunting tours, learning about the timber industry at Manjimup Heritage Park, going for a cruise along the Donnelly River and swimming at Fonty’s Pool.

The best places to stay in Manjimup

The best Manjimup accommodation options are:

For heritage and charm: Dingup House.
For cottages with fireplaces and a trout lake: Clover Cottage Country Retreat.
For a solid motel: Kingsley Motel.