CLOCKWISE
FROM TOP LEFT:
Mountain biking through
the tall trees; Beedelup
Falls suspension bridge;
A cute cottage at Sleepers
Pemberton; Have a dram
at Jasper. OPPOSITE
(from top left): Scale
the mighty Gloucester
Tree; Out on the water
at Lake Beedelup.tramway journey, a rickety yet romantic trip along former milling
lines. But despite its attachment to days of old, Pemberton is gearing
up for the modern era. A chic whisky bar called Jaspers (named after
WA author Craig Silvey’s novel Jasper Jones, whose movie was filmed
in Pemberton) is set to open mid-year, with more than 300 whiskies
and bourbons perched on its weathered brick walls. Optimistic about
the town’s future, they’ve also built larger holiday cottages
overlooking the train line. Gazing out through misting rain from the
slatted rear deck of my one for the night, I notice that forest edges
each side of town, like an escarpment, dark and dramatic in the haze.
The trees beckon so I drive to the Gloucester Tree, a grand dame
that stands 58 metres proud, making it the world’s second tallest
fire-lookout tree. Its seven-metre-wide trunk still bears a curl of
pegs that act as a spiral ladder, leading to a lofty platform cabin.
Once used to spot bushfires on the horizon, nowadays it’s open for
anyone brave enough to climb. I force myself up, my heart lurching
with every metre until vertigo sets in. Perched on the platform, the
wind blows strongly and leaves flutter through the air like snow
falling. It may be beautiful, but it’s terrifying.
I calm my nerves at nearby Jarrah Jacks, a boutique brewery
perched atop a hill that’s raked with vineyards. The incline is so
steep, kids gleefully slide down on pieces of cardboard while
their parents sip on craft brews such as the Karri Pale Ale. It’s
right about now that I start dreaming about local real estate, and
wondering what I’d be capable of farming. Somehow I don’t think
a business in tree hugging is going to cut it, even if those trees are
some of the tallest in the world.DETAILS
Getting there
Pemberton is an enjoyable
3.5-hour drive south of Perth.Staying there
Split your stay between KARRI
VALLEY RESORT, 18 kilometres out
of town (parksandresorts.rac.com.
au/karri-valley), and SLEEPERS
PEMBERTON cottages, right in its
heart (sleeperspemberton.com.au).Eating there
Check out JARRAH JACKS brewery
during the day (jarrahjacks.com.au),
and TALL TIMBERS wine bar and
restaurant in Manjimup by night
(talltimbersmanjimup.com.au).
Excellent local wineries include
PEMBERLEY OF PEMBERTON
(pemberleyofpemberton.com)
and SALITAGE (salitage.com.au/
the-winery).Playing there
With a few days up your sleeve,
jump on a SOUTHERN FORESTS
FOOD AND FARM EXPERIENCE
(southernforestsfood.com/
foodandfarmtours).PHOTOGRAPHY: FLEUR BAINGER (LAKE BEEDELUP, SUSPENSION BRIDGE); JASPERS PEMBERTON (MOUNTAIN BIKING, GLOUCESTER TREE); VICTORIA BAKER (JASPERS BAR, SLEEPERS COTTAGE PEMBERTON)
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