Perth to Manjimup drive: Distance, time & best road trip stops
Attractions between Perth and Manjimup: 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 5th 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.
Perth 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.
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.
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.
Click through to the next section: Balingup to Bridgetown.