If you’re looking for the best things to do in Manjimup and tips on when to visit, how to get there, and where to stay, this guide from a Perth local will be invaluable.
Manjimup is surrounded by state forests in Western Australia’s South West. It was previously a timber town but is now well known for its fresh produce, Pink Lady Apples, and beautiful forests.
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Things To Do in Manjimup
Manjimup is an outdoor lover’s delight. Surrounded by natural beauty, there is plenty to do and see. This map will help you plan your itinerary.
Manjimup Heritage Park
The 12 hectare Heritage Park is a key tourism precinct in Manjimup. It incorporates a large adventure playground, museums, natural bush, and walk trails.
The Power Up Electricity Museum shows the evolution of electricity, from the first light globe to solar energy. It costs A$14 per adult, A$8 for children over four, and A$30 for a family (includes 2 adults + 3 children, or 1 adult + 4 children).
Learn about the history of the State’s timber industry at the State Timber Museum. The price is A$5 per adult, A$2 for children over four, and A$12 for a family.
Kids will love the large adventure playground with flying fox, a fort with slides, and a tall 17m lookout tower with a giant enclosed metal slide. Our girls loved the flying fox but weren’t too keen to try the towering slide.
Wander through the native bushland and discover Australian and non-Australian trees. From August to November, a wide range of wildflowers can be seen. Be careful of snakes during the warmer months, when they are more active.
Go back in time to how Manjimup would have been in the 1950s and 60s in the Historic Hamlet area. As you visit replica, and some original relocated buildings, learn about the life of a timber milling town. We found this part interesting and informative.
At The Steam Museum you will find out how steam was used to power the sawmills. It is free to enter and fascinating to see how steam-powered the sawmills and sped up the processes.
At the Rail Relics display, see locomotives and haulers from the 1890s, and the equipment used to pull logs through the forest. Kids can climb and explore them.
PARK Manjimup Café has a beautiful outdoor seating area with timber decking and tables. It is open for breakfast and lunch from 8 am 7 days a week and for dinner from 6 pm Friday and Saturday. Call 9700 9013 to make a booking.
The Manjimup Heritage Park is one of the best things to do in Manjimup with kids and offers some indoor attractions if it’s raining. It’s also a good choice for a picnic, with lots to do for children and toilet facilities. We went here a couple of times during our stay.
You can download a copy of the Heritage Park map.
Manjimup Town
Manjimup Visitor Centre is at the start of the town, opposite the Timber & Heritage Park. They provide maps and information on Manjimup and the surrounding area.
Manjimup Town is a regional centre for the largest shire in the South West region. Supermarkets, including Woolworths and Coles, are located here and shops, like Target.
There are a few restaurants/cafes in town; Manjimup Chinese Restaurant, Southern Roasting Co, Cilantro Cafe (Indian), and Two Little Black Birds Cafe.
The King Jarrah Tree
The King Jarrah Tree can be found just outside of Manjimup town centre, on Perup Road. This massive tree is thought to be over 500 years old and is 2.6m in diameter and 45m in height.
As you turn off Perup Road, there are picnic tables, bbq, and toilets. A 600 m walking track loops around the King Jarrah tree. From September to November, look for beautiful wildflowers. The path is suitable for prams and wheelchairs. You will also see what remains of Queejup’s birth tree, a Noongar stockman who was born under this tree.
It’s amazing to see such an old tree, but it wasn’t a highlight of Manjimup.
The Four Aces, One Tree Bridge & Glenoran Pool
Four Aces, One Tree Bridge, and Glenoran Pool are south west of Manjimup on Graphite Road.
A gravel car park is just off Graphite Road with a path leading along Donnelly River to Glenoran Pool.
Glenoran Pool is touted as an ideal place to swim on a hot summer day and used to be the local swimming pool for the settlement of Glenoran. However, a sign says that swimming is not recommended due to the strong current, cold water, and varying depths.
Head back to the car park and under the road bridge (the suspension bridge over Donnelly River was built as a safer alternative for cyclists and hikers of the Munda Biddi Trail and Bibbulmun Track) to One Tree Bridge.
As you may have guessed, One Tree Bridge is made from a single karri tree. Local settlers Herbert and Walter Giblett built the bridge in 1904 by felling the enormous tree, so it dropped across the 25m wide river. The rest of the structure was made with local jarrah trees and was used to cross the Donnelly River until 1943 when it disintegrated and fell into the river. What is left of One Tree Bridge is an important part of the local history.
A 2.1 km trail can be walked through the towering trees from One Tree Bridge to the Four Aces and return. Four Aces are a straight row of 400-year-old Karri trees, but the true beauty is in the forest around them with fallen trees covered in moss.
Fonty’s Pool
Archimede Fontanini created Fonty’s Pool in 1925. It was used to irrigate his vegetables but soon became a favourite spot for families to picnic.
We stayed at Fonty’s Pool Caravan Park so we could use the pool free of charge. Non-guests can swim here, but there’s a $3 fee. The water was pretty cold in September, but there were tractor inner tubes for the kids to float in. It’s a beautiful and relaxing spot to sit while the kids play.
It would be amazing in summer and the best place to cool off on a hot day.
Manjimup to Deanmill Heritage Trail
The Manjimup to Deanmill Heritage Trail is an easy, 5.5 km (one way) walk along an old rail line. It also forms part of the Munda Biddi Trail, a world-class, off-road cycling trail.
The walk goes through bush and farmland, and wildflowers are abundant in spring.
The tramway ran from 1912 to 1966, linking the sawmill to Manjimup. Deanmill was named after Alfred Dean, the mill’s first manager.
Deanmill is very small with quaint homes and a good example of an old timber town. The old Town Hall was built around 1914 but has been left to deteriorate.
Pemberton
Pemberton is 32 km from Manjimup and is a beautiful area to explore.
Find out all the best things to do in Pemberton and start planning your day!
Events in Manjimup
Manjimup is a popular town for hosting events, including the well-known Cherry Harmony Festival, Truffle Kerfuffle, Manjimup 15,000, and Targa West Rally.
The Cherry Harmony Festival celebrates the region’s fresh produce, including the red cherry. Expect parades, wine tastings, log chopping demonstrations, displays, food stalls, and live music.
The Australian truffle season starts in June with the annual event, Truffle Kerfuffle, starting it off. Manjimup is the heart of Australian truffle country; more truffles are found here than anywhere else in the Southern Hemisphere. The rare black winter truffles are unearthed minutes from here, so the earthy aroma is intense. I haven’t been to this festival yet but had a truffle degustation at Friends Restaurant in Perth. It was divine, and I hope to attend Truffle Kerfuffle one year.
Accommodation in Manjimup
We use Booking.com for most accommodation bookings as they offer free cancellation on most rooms, have a loyalty program (Genius), a price match guarantee, the site is user-friendly and they have great customer support. We also book through Stayz for private accommodation as they are often cheaper than Airbnb.
Camping
We camped at Fonty’s Pool Caravan Park. It’s 10 minutes from Manjimup and easy to get to Pemberton from. It was jam-packed, so we had to queue to use toilets and showers. The sites are also quite close to each other, which didn’t provide much privacy. The pool was great, though, and the site is in a beautiful setting.
Budget
The Manjimup Backpackers Hostel hasn’t received good reviews, so I wouldn’t recommend staying there. The Manjimup Gateway Hotel is a much better budget accommodation option.
Mid-Range
Clover Cottage Country Retreat is a pioneer homestead and trout lake farm on the Warren River. Two-bedroom cottages with limestone cottages with a fireplace, private spa-bath, and a hammock with views overlooking the trout lakes and river valley. The accommodation has full kitchen facilities and a bbq.
Dingup House is a heritage home dating back to 1870 and set on 45 acres. The homestead has four ensuite rooms and one two bedroom unit with an ensuite. The price includes a delicious breakfast and use of the guest lounge/dining room with the log fire.
Farm Stay
Our children thoroughly enjoyed their stay at Diamond Forest Cottages. It’s 10 minutes from Manjimup on a beautiful hobby farm. You can read more about it and see photos on our Diamond Forest Farm Stay Review or book here.
Manjimup distance from Perth & how to get there
Manjimup is in the South West region of Western Australia, about 295 km south of Perth. The driving time is around 3 hours and 15 minutes, through stunning countryside once you leave the main highway. It’s a lovely road trip from Perth.
International and domestic visitors will fly into Perth Airport. Find details about visas, prohibited items, currency, and safety in this Australia Travel Guide and tips on arriving into WA and other essential travel information in this Western Australia Travel Guide.
There are car hire booths at Perth airport, but it’s best to pre-book your car rental. Choose from Avis, Budget, Europcar, Sixt, Hertz, Enterprise, and Thrifty. We compare prices with Discover Cars.
TransWA runs buses via Bunbury that stop in Manjimup. However, it’s hard to get around this region without a car. SouthWest Coachlines also have a service from Elizabeth Quay in Perth to Manjimup.
The Ultimate South West Road Trip
Jump in the car, or campervan, and explore what Western Australia’s South West has to offer. This Perth to Albany road trip itinerary is flexible so you can choose the length and where you want to go with handy tips to make the most out of your travels.
Manjimup Forecast & Weather
The hottest months are January & February, where the average highs are 27 degrees.
The coldest months are from June to August. During this time, the temperature will be around 14/15, with a minimum of 6.
Most rain falls between June and August, with December to February being the driest months.
I like spring when the fields are green from the winter rain, and the wildflowers are out. The weather can be a bit dicey with a bit of rain.
See the detailed 7-day forecast at the Bureau of Meteorology.
Brief History & Settlement of Manjimup
Firstly, I’d like to respectfully acknowledge the Noongar People, the Traditional Owners, and First People of these lands. I would like to pay my respect to the Elders past, present, and future, for they hold the memories, the traditions, the culture, and hopes of the Noongar People.
Manjimup’s meaning is derived from local Aboriginal words’ Manjin’, meaning ‘an edible reed’ and ‘up,’ which is ‘meeting place.’
Manjimup was first settled by Europeans in 1856 when timber cutter Thomas Muir settled there.
Agriculture and Forestry are now the town’s primary industries. With its rich soil, Manjimup produces gourmet foods, including black truffles, cherries, and chestnuts to apples, avocados, wine, and olive oil. This region supplies a significant portion of the State’s food as well as exporting internationally.
The Cripps Pink apple, or Pink Lady as they are better known, was developed here in the 1970s by John Cripps.
Western Australia’s South West Travel Guide
This detailed travel guide provides information on all the regions that make up Australia’s South West. Read about the destinations, including what to do and where to stay.
Western Australia Travel Guide
For other ideas on where to visit in Western Australia along with the best things to do, where to stay, how to get around, and other essential information, click on the link below.
Save money planning your holiday
Flights: We use different sites to get the best possible price for flights. Check matrix.itasoftware.com to get an idea of the cheapest dates, but you can’t book through this site. Compare the cost of flights with Trip.com and try different routes.
Accommodation: We mainly use Booking.com for accommodation as they consistently have the lowest rates with free cancellation on most properties. We also book through Stayz for private accommodation as they are usually cheaper than Airbnb.
Car Rental: To compare rental car company prices, we use Discover Cars, an award winning car rental comparison website. They offer competitive pricing in over 10,000 locations worldwide and are highly-rated.
Tours: We use third-party sites Viator, Get Your Guide & Klook due to their free cancellation policies, instant confirmation, price guarantees, and mobile ticketing. We occasionally book through Red Balloon too.
Travel Insurance: Cover-More protects the travel dreams and experiences of more than 15 million people worldwide every year (including us!). Part of Zurich Insurance Group, they cover 22 countries across five continents with leading positions in the USA, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Ireland, India and New Zealand. Protect your trip against several COVID-19 scenarios during the current coronavirus pandemic.
FAQ
What is Manjimup known for?
Manjimup is known for its truffles, cherries, and apples.
What is the population of Manjimup?
According to the 2016 Australian Census, Manjimup had a population of 4349. However, I’m sure this figure is a lot higher now.
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Another place I have never heard of Wendy, but would now like to visit should I ever get to Western Australia. Great post filled with loads of informative Info. Love the festival name Truffle Kerfuffle😁
It’s a great name isn’t it Liz.
I love learning about the history of a place and the origin of its name! This looks like a great place to get out in nature and relax. That would wonderful to photograph the large trees including ones covered in moss! And I love truffles, cherries and pink lady apples so I’d be in heaven there!
The food is a major draw Vanessa.
Australia has been on our travel wish for a looong time! Manjimup looks like a lovely place to discover and relax in.
So has US for us. The distance is just so great isn’t it.
Another incredible destination in Western Australia!.I love that there are loads of Natural things to do and outdoor spaces to enjoy fresh air.
You also definetely got me with the truffles! The black gold!! .Hope to visit Australia soon and put in use all your incredible guides!
Thank you, the truffles are delicious!
Manjimup looks like a fun getaway in Western Australia, Wendy! I could see myself sitting in one of those tubes at Fonty’s Pool on a hot day. The Cherry Harmony Festival sounds like a fun event that I’d love to attend if I were in the area.
Those tubes looked a lot of fun but it was too cold while we were there.
You must have covered half of Australia by now Wendy. Never heard of this place. I like that a tree is an attraction. It’s a sign we are going in the right direction.
This area has very nature focused attractions, which I think is a good thing too.
Another great place to add to my Australia list!
Thank you Kasia.
I love Pink Lady apples. I didn’t know they were from Australia. I love coming across super old trees too. This 500 year old one looks super healthy and well taken care of. I know we would love to visit here and stay at the farm, which a cool experience.
Pink Lady apples are very popular here too, and we’re lucky to have them growing so close to Perth.
Farm stays are a fantastic accommodation choice.