Perth to Bridgetown drive: Distance, time & best road trip stops

Attractions between Perth and Bridgetown: Dardanup and Boyanup

From Bunbury, the road trip route heads south along the South Western Highway.

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.

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.

Perth to Bridgetown 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.

On the Donnybrook to Balingup 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.

Perth to Bridgetown 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.