Bridgetown and beyond is beautiful at any time of the year. Some of the roads are narrow and winding. Some of the hills are steep. If you stop to gaze or photograph, do so at the top, not half way up. Some roads have cattle grids – you may pass over these unless there is a sign saying “Private Road”. If you pass over these, watch our for animals, domesticated and native (and farmers children), especially in the twilight of dawn or dusk. If you do decide to go on a drive, let us know, in case the road is closed, or something !.
DRIVE 1: BRIDGETOWN – MARANUP FORD – GREENBUSHES – BRIDGETOWN (51kms)
Turn right at our drive and drive back to the South West Highway. Turn right, and drive over the Blackwood River bridge. Immediately after, turn right and head along the Brockman Highway toward Nannup. After 14kms, turn right on a gravel road to Maranup Ford. Cross the River by the ridge that replaced the original ford. The property on the right just before the bridge is one the oldest in the district, and has been in the Egerton Warbuton family for decades. It is consecrated as a church but services are no longer held there. The hill beyond the bridge is steep. Continue to Greenbushes, passing the tin mines that have operated since 1888. There are many old buildings in the Greenbushes township, including the old schoolhouse. Continue to the Southwest Highway. Turn right to return to Bridgetown.
DRIVE 2: BRIDGETOWN – BALINGUP – NANNUP – BRIDGETOWN (113kms)
Turn right at our drive and drive back to the South West Highway. Turn left and travel through town to Balingup. There are many things to see and do in Balingup, including the Tinderbox (herbal and health), the Bakery (Australian award for their pies), Rose Cottage (Antiques), Birdwood Fruit Winery, and the Balingup Cheese Factory Craft Centre. Continue on the Cheese Factory road to Nannup. The road is narrow and winding and follows the Blackwood River passed picturesque farmland, pine plantations and bushland. At Nannup, being a “mill town” with timber cottages, there is a timber mill , antiques, and the tulip farm 3kms south of town. Its time to turn back to Bridgetown along the Brockman Highway.
DRIVE 3: BRIDGETOWN – JARRAH PARK – DONNELLY RIVER – BRIDGETOWN (73kms)
Turn right at our drive and drive back to the South West Highway. Turn right, and drive over the Blackwood River bridge. Immediately after, turn right and head along the Brockman Highway toward Nannup. After 20kms, turn right into the Jarrah Park. There are two walk trails: The Shield Tree Trail (700m long) which is named after a “shield Tree” which has been used as a reference point for a 1mile grid since 1924. The tree fallers Trail (2.6km) wanders through Jarrah & marri woodland, then Karri then blackbutt and then back through the jarrah/marri. The parking area also has BBQs. 1km past the Park entry, turn left into Sears Rd to Donnelly River. This is a fantastic place to feed and pet kangaroos and emus. Return to Ford House via Mockerdillup Rd. The second turn left is to Nelson Grange, built by John Alnutt. This was where apples were first commercially grown in the district
DRIVE 4: BRIDGETOWN – MATTAMATTUP VALLEY – SUTTONS LOOKOUT (3kms)
Turn right at our drive and drive back to the South West Highway. Turn left and travel through town turning right at Steere St, where the Shire Offices are located. Continue passed the Convent, High School, Doctors Surgery, Swimming Pool, up the hill to a T junction. Turn right, then right again into Blechynden St. Take the second turn left around the hill to the Rotary Wishing well, where there is a wide panorama of Mattamattup Valley. Turn back onto Blechynden Rd and take the next left to Suttons lookout. Continue downhill toward the Blackwood River. Turn right and follow the river back to Hampton St.
DRIVE 5: BRIDGETOWN – PENINSULA RD – BRIDGETOWN (12kms)
This is a drive particularly worth doing at sunrise or sunset when kangaroos are at their most active. Turn right at our drive and drive back to the South West Highway. Turn left and travel through town turning left at Peninsula Rd, past the Hospital and showgrounds. After 4kms, turn right toward the peninsula, which is really just a sharp bend in the Blackwood River. If you continue along this road, you will arrive back in Bridgetown. Ignore the cattle grids, but remember parts of this road are private property so proceed slowly and with care
DRIVE 6: BRIDGETOWN – HESTER – TWEED ROAD – BRIDGETOWN (71kms)
Turn right at our drive and drive back to the South West Highway. Turn left and travel through town and up the steep hill, turning right at the top toward Hester. This road passes the Bridgetown Golf Course and then through the timber town of Hester. There are a couple of very sharp bends in the road immediately after the railway crossing. Continue to the Boyup Brook Rd. Cross this onto Winnijup Rd. Continue until you have driven over the Blackwood River. Take the next turn right along the Tweed Valley though Silverlands into Tweed Road. This comes out at the South west highway, just 1km south of the river. Turn right, cross over the bridge back to Bridgetown.
DRIVE 7: BRIDGETOWN – BOYUP BROOK – BRIDGETOWN
Turn right at the southwest highway, cross the river and turn left at the first road (Tweed Road) 600m past the bridge. Drive through forests and farmland for about 15kms until you come to a T intersection. If you turn left onto Winnejup Road, you will soon come to an old long iron bridge over the Blackwood. Continue for another 20 minutes until you come to the intersection of the Boyup Brook Road. Turn left back to Bridgetown(10kms), or right to Boyupbrook. If you turn right, you will continue to another T intersection. Turn left for 4kms, then left again on the bitumen to Boyup Brook. The town, a service centre for sheep/wheat farming is also the centre for country music at Harvey Dicksons.