Things to do in Balingup, WA

The best things to do in Balingup, WA, are the Balingup Fruit Winery and Golden Valley Tree Park. These attractions are a short detour off the South Western Highway, and the best choice will depend on how much time you have.

Balingup is in the part of south west Western Australia that gets routinely ignored. Visitors tend to branch east towards Busselton, Dunsborough, Eagle Bay and Margaret River, rather than following Highway 1 towards Manjimup, Pemberton and Quinninup.

Where is Balingup, WA?

You’ll find Balingup on Highway 1 (aka the South Western Highway). The Perth to Balingup drive via Bunbury is 229km long, and should take around two-and-a-half hours.

The forest village might be worth a stop on the way back if you’re doing a loop around the south west.

There are two main things to do in Balingup, WA – the Balingup Fruit Winery and the Golden Valley Tree Park. Which you choose to visit may well depend on how much time you’ve got.

Things to do in Balingup, WA: Balingup Fruit Winery

The Balingup Fruit Winery was formerly known as the Birdwood Park Fruit Winery. As the name suggests, this is not a traditional winery. You’ll not find a shiraz or chardonnay here.

The Balingup Fruit Winery makes ports and liqueurs from locally-grown fruit. Options include a cherry port, a mulberry port and various fruit liqueurs. In the mix are Blueberry Bliss, Mango Tango and Nectarine Dream.

There’s a nice novelty factor here, and tastings at the cellar door are free. But anything you buy from this fruit winery is in danger of ending up at the back of the drinks cupboard for weeks.

Golden Valley Tree Park in Balingup, WA

The other main attraction in Balingup, WA, is the Golden Valley Tree Park. This heritage-listed park covers 60 hectares of rolling hills, and acts a little like a botanic garden. The Golden Valley Tree Park is roughly divided into three sections. One has native Western Australian trees, with the tall eucalypts the stand outs. Another has trees from elsewhere in Australia. The third section, with deciduous trees from elsewhere in the world, probably has most of interest. This is particularly the case in autumn, when the colours change and the leaves fall.

The Golden Valley Tree Park is the place to go in Balingup if you’ve got a bit of time. Go for a walk, enjoy the scenery and clear your head. If you’ve got lots and lots of time on your hands, then you’ll pass through Golden Valley on the Bibbulmun Track. Western Australia’s premier long distance walking trail comes through Balingup on the way from Kalamunda to Albany.

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