KARRI COUNTRY - PEMBERTON
by Graeme Olsen
The most decorated tourism town
in the south west is also one of the most beautiful.
Whether you're after dense forest with massive trees,
or a secluded white sandy beach along a rocky coastline...Pemberton
has it all.
Two of my favourite types of landscapes
are beaches and forests. I've always dreamt of retiring
to a place that could offer me both. A little house
which is surrounded by forest, yet overlooks the
ocean. Is that too much to ask? Well, maybe it is,
but the Pemberton area is the spot that is most
likely to be able to provide it. It's literally
where the forest meets the ocean.
| Pemberton is probably best
known for it's forests. Big ones. Pemberton's
high rainfall (1400mm per year) and red loam
soil ensure that Western Australia's largest
tree, the Karri, grows in abundance. These
trees grow to an average of around 85 meters
tall, which makes for thick forests with a
very peaceful and unique undergrowth of ferns
and other greenery, an abundance of wildlife,
and bubbling streams.
Except some streams don't bubble, they
roar. Try having a conversation while standing
on the swinging bridge over Beedelup Falls
and you'll know what I mean. Absolutely
fantastic. Pemberton is surrounded by three
national parks, and each one of them hides
a variety of experiences for the forest
fanatics.
For those of you who aren't content just
to look from the bottom up, there's a number
of Karri trees you can climb. In the 1930s
and 40s a number of fire lookouts were constructed
in the tops of some Karri trees, as a way
of spotting
|
|
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| forest fires early. Some of
those are still there today, and can be climbed
so as to take in an absolutely stunning view. |
Then there's the beaches.
The Pemberton area is right on a part
of the south west coastline that boasts granite
outcrops, white sandy beaches, karri forests, wet
lands and estuaries, and "mobile sand dunes".
Most of these areas are only accessible via 4WD,
but even with conventional vehicles you can access
camping grounds and other spots with good fishing,
swimming, surfing, coastal bush walks, whale watching,
and fantastic scenery.
The shifting sand dunes are called
the Yeagarup Dunes, and they are slowly moving inland,
covering up forest lakes and woodlands as they go.
This is another local attraction that can only be
accessed by 4WD, unless you walk from Yeagarup Lake.
Don't worry if you don't have a 4WD, there's heaps
of tour operators available who will take care of
you and give you a great day out.
Pemberton is also home to some great
freshwater fishing spots, especially trout and marron.
Whether you've got all your own gear and want to
fish on your own in a quiet spot, or go on a fishing
adventure tour, you're guaranteed a great day out.
And as if all that wasn't enough,
there's the town of Pemberton itself. It's not called
the most decorated tourist town in the south west
for nothing. The town and its surrounds are full
of things to do such as adventure tours, horse riding,
berry farms, cafes, restaurants, tram trips, steam
train rides, locally made oils, lotions, and creams,
picnic areas, sporting facilities - the list is
just too long to go on.
If you're thinking about a trip to
Pemberton, it's best you plan ahead to get the most
out of it. You'll want tips on where to stay and
what to do, plus information on any restrictions
or costs for the national parks.
The best place to start for this stuff
is the Pemberton Tourist Centre. There's heaps of
info on their web site at www.pembertontourist.com.au, or you can email
enquiries to them at pemtour@karriweb.com.au.
They kindly provided information and photos for
this story.
August 2002
