Inclusions
3 nights accommodation at Lewana Cottages or Blackwood Inn - Innkeepers House
Harris River Estate Wine PrivateTasting Experience available Wed-Sun
$50 voucher for a traditional publunch or dinner at the quintessential Donnybrook Hotel
Guided canoe along the Collie Riverwith Traaverse
Wine or beer and shared pizza &wine-tasting at Oakway Estate on either Sat & Sun
Bonus offer $20 discount on cellar door purchasesat Harris River Estate
Day 1:
Start your quick-stay escape by stocking up on local delights for snacking over your busy couple of days of eating and produce shopping. Drop into Ha-Ve Cheese (in Harvey) for oh so creamy cheeses, the Crooked Carrot Café for home cooked delights and Miami Bakehouse for
award wineries pastries. Feeling thirsty? As you make your way to Donnybrook, drop into one of wineries or breweries of the Geographe Wine region - one of Western Australia’s most captivating and diverse wine regions. A warm welcome awaits you at your chosen accommodation in the Donnybrook region. Choose from secluded heritage listed fully self-contained cabins surrounded by native bush vegetation at Lewana Cottages, or a boutique retreat at the peaceful Blackwood Inn - Innkeepers House, bed & breakfast.
Plan ahead for dinner. Staying at the Innkeepers House? A private dining experience at the inhouse restaurant can be arranged, or head into Donnybrook and enjoy good old-fashioned country pub service when you dine at the Donnybrook Hotel (voucher included in package). Or indulge in an evening of authentic Asian fare at Village Harvest (whose highly acclaimed chef Christopher Ngu trained under Neil Perry), with a seasonal and sustainable food menu that focuses on premium local produce. Bookings recommended.Don’t want to drive in the dark and feel like staying in? Grab some gourmet goodies from Orchard Cafe or Daily Grind Café to nibble on. Staying at Lewana cottages – make use of your BBQ and cook up a storm with the days seasonal produce haul, topped off with some South West meat that you can pick up at the Donnybrook Butchers.
Now dinner plans are sorted, hit the road and start discovering. With an Italian heritage, the produce-dripping region is home to some of the Geographe Wine Region’s best up-coming wineries. Spend the afternoon exploring the Donnybrook Wine Trail, sampling premium South West wines and visiting wineries, breweries, cideries and local producers. Drop into the Donnybrook or Balingup Visitor Centre and pick up a copy of the region’s wine trail map and list of the days open wineries (or phone ahead to ensure they are open/serving food). Have a chat to the friendly locals and ask what produce is ready for picking and the best places to source it. Wednesday departures: Hungry and winery restaurants are not open? Swing by Orchard Café or Daily Grind Cafe before you head out of town, to pick up local gourmet picnic supplies that you can enjoy on the winery lawns.
During your day’s picturesque drive, ensure you stop to pick your own apples and other seasonal produce at Spring Valley Orchard or Fruit Barn’s local orchard (advance bookings essential), or direct from one of the regions many local farmgates and packhouses.
Day 2:
Awake and inhale the country air. Breakfast is included at Innkeepers House, BYO provisions at Lewana or head to one of Balingup local cafes for breakfast. Spend the morning exploring the Village’s boutique quality crafts. Stock up on handmade herbal products at theTinderbox, find pottery and timber products at the largest art and craft centre in WA, theOld Cheese Factory Craft Centre, discover stunning handcrafted jewellery atBalingup Goldsmith, pick up some local art at the Village Pedlars or make your way to Jalbrook Gallery to purchase divine alpaca knitwear. If shopping is not your thing, stop in at The Packing Shed and sample Balingup Fruit Wineries small batch ports and liqueurs or head to the Mushroom at No.61 to fuel up for the day’s activities.
Lunch on Saturday or Sunday will be at the multi-award winning Oakway Estate. The boutique winery is famous for its premium wines – most notably the shiraz and chardonnay varieties, along with its craft beer and cellar door café, serving up gourmet pizzas and tasting plates. Enjoy a wine tasting experience, followed by a glass of wine or beer and pizza (included in your package) whilst overlooking the vines, blue gums and rolling hills beyond.
Continueexploring the region’s Wine Trail for the remainder of the day. If you need to walk off some of yesterday’s indulgences, head to the Golden Valley Tree Park, and wander through theWestern Australia’s largest arboretum (with 60 hectares of exotic and native trees). It’s a superb collection, recently named one of the top 5 locations in Australia to see autumn colours. Other attractions include a tree information gazebo, walk trails, lookout and the historic Golden Valley Homestead. The park is beautiful all year round, but spectacular in autumn! On the way, take a quick detour to Balingup’s beautifulAvenue of Honour, with its majestic oaks that honour the 154 local men and women of the region who enlisted for service during the First World War.
Day 3:
Tastings, trails and tranquilly is on the cards for today. Drive into Collie along the top of the Darling Scarp for picturesque views of the surrounding jarrah forest, hills and farmland. Get picked up at the Visitor Centre for a guided paddle along the Collie River. Traaverse will take care of all of the logistics…all you need to do to paddle on the tranquil and protected waters of the Collie River is bring your bathers! As you kayak along the river,
take in the sights of the majestic Jarrah and Karri trees that tower above an array of native plants. Keep your eyes peeled as your peer into the mosaic of colours for the many native animals that inhabit the area. Kangaroos, Quokkas, Blue Fairy Wrens, Red Tail and Black co*ckatoos, can all be encountered. After your morning kayak, take a scenic exploratory drive to Wellington Dam. Take in the new viewing walk trail, lookouts and improved visitor facilities. Don’t forget your camera to get a snap of the photo realistic images of the mega mural on the Dam wall, the masterpiece of the new Collie Mural Trail, which is arguably going to be (once it is finished) the largest artwork by a single artist anywhere in the world. Still in search of more art? Look out for the many other local artists creations throughout the Mural Trail. Ready for lunch? Make your way to Harris River Estate Winery for a private wine tasting experience (included in your package), in the cellar of the winery. Harris River Estate is not only a winery, but boasts a beer and cider micro-brewery, a restaurant and accommodation. Following your tasting experience, you will have the opportunity to enjoy the Estate’s beer, cider, boutique gin and award-winning wines as you graze on your tasting board on the deck overlooking the picturesque estate grounds and stunning natural bushlands. Picture yourself floating on a crystal blue lake, the wind blowing through your hair and all your cares drifting away? Make your way to, Stockton Lake, Black Diamond, Lake Kepwari for some Instagram-worthy snaps and SUPing (pre-arrange to hire one from Traaverse Tours or BYO).
Day 4:
Bid adieu to your charming accommodation and make your way into Donnybrook. Need some exercise? Walk the peaceful and picturesque path alongside the Preston River. The Preston River Loop traverses through a lush riparian river ecosystem encompassing a suspension bridge, weir crossing and incorporates the Preston River Indigenous Walk Trail and the Waugyl Sculpture Park. On the main street, admire the beautiful Donnybrook Stone on fences, pathways and the foundation of many of its historic attractions along the way. Wander past Donnybook’ssuperb
second-hand book collection. Art lovers should stop in at Donnybrook Artisansto purchase local arts and crafts. If you are after a sweet treat – head into the Donnybrook Butcher for a slice of drool-worthy heaven, from the local sweets producer, Lady Marmalade. Need more supplies to stock the fridge and pantry before heading home? Resupply your provisions at Newy’s Veggie Patch in Kirup, known for their outstanding selection of fruit, veg and local produce.
Leaving on Saturday or Sunday make your way to the multi-award winning Oakway Estate for a final lunch. The boutique winery is famous for its premium wines – most notably the shiraz and chardonnay varieties, along with its craft beer and cellar door café, serving up gourmet pizzas and tasting plates. Enjoy a wine tasting experience, followed by a glass of wine or beer and pizza (included in your package) whilst overlooking the vines, blue gums and rolling hills beyond.
*If you are in Donnybrook for the third Saturday of the month, ensure you stop by the market to buy locally grown produce whilst chatting with the farmers.
**Have the kids along for thedrive? Be sure to squeeze in some timeat the Apple Fun Park in the heart of Donnybrook. Australia’s biggest free-entry playground has play equipment for all ages and is a hit with toddlers through to teenagers. Most wineries on the Trail are kid friendly – pack a picnic blanket and relax on the grass, sipping your wine as the kids run free.
