Travel
18 Fun Things to do in Bunbury, Western Australia
If you’re looking for a quiet, seaside escape where you can soak in some sun and let life’s daily stresses ebb away, then you’re going to fall in love with the Bunbury.
Nestled only two hours south west of Perth and 40 minutes north of Margaret River, West Coast Australia’s premier wine growing region, Bunbury offers a relaxing getaway, but with a surprising number of things to do there.
From blissful beaches to wineries to wildlife experiences, there are plenty of things to do in Bunbury to keep any traveler entertained!
If you’re not sure what to do in Bunbury, be sure to add the following to your itinerary…
Things to Do in Bunbury
1. Relax at a Ferguson Farmstay
Just outside of Bunbury is the Ferguson Valley, a growing wine and food region. It’s definitely lesser known than Margaret River, but worth exploring for its humbleness and home-grown flavour.
It was quite dry when we visited, but in the rainier months this area turns into a green lushness to rival Ireland. Rolling hills with views stretching out to the coast of Bunbury on a clear day.
A great place to enjoy the rolling hills of Ferguson Valley is from the picturesque Ferguson Farmstay, a function centre for a lot of weddings, but it also offers boutique accommodation.
When you stay at the 45-hectare property, you get to enjoy the farm activities, such as feeding the farm animals and enjoying a hay ride.
We adults enjoyed sitting on top of the hill, taking advantage of the views across the valley all the way to Bunbury and the coast, while Kalyra and Savannah got to hang out with some farm animals – always a treat for the kids.
They fed the goats and pigs, kangaroos, and chickens, and then had a pony ride. It was Savannah’s first one and she jumped off asking if we could buy her a pony!
2. Marvel at Gnomesville
Australia doesn’t have many zany, quirky attractions or traditions, but Gnomesville is one of them.
The gnomes started appearing to silently protest the building of the roundabout. They were kicked off the roundabout and so a small gnome village was created for them just off the side of the road.
It now stretches some distance back into the forest and is covered with thousands of gnomes that have migrated from all over Australia and around the world.
I’d had enough after 20 minutes, but could not drag the girls away from traipsing through the alleyways of Gnomesville and discovering gnomes like those trapped behind the fence of the detention centre (cracked me up!!), flying planes, playing cricket, climbing logs and hiding in bushes.
It is quite entertaining. Don’t forget to take your gnomes with you when you go and leave a bit of your gnome spirit behind.
Gnomesville is located by the roundabout at the junction of Wellington Mill and Ferguson Roads, Wellington Mill, approximately 30 minutes drive from Bunbury.
3. Enjoy Lunch at St Aidan Winery
We stopped at Aidan Winery for a quick bite to eat – a tasty home-made soup and salad. The name derives from the district’s historic church that sits on its boundary.
It has a pretty outlook and there is a large open space for the kids to turn around on.
We didn’t taste the wines or stay for long, but we recommend it as a place to check out on your visit to the Ferguson Valley.
The cellar door is open every day except Wednesday.
4. Go Wine Tasting at Ferguson Falls Winery
One of the top things to do in Bunbury is to go wine tasting. It’s one of the premier wine growing regions, so you simply cannot visit without sampling the local varieties.
We visited Ferguson Falls Winery, and sat down to a platter of cheese with owner, Peter Giumelli. He told us lots of stories of the region, which highlighted a warm and welcoming community focused on keeping that home-grown flavour and sharing it with the outside community to come and enjoy on a visit.
The outlook over the farm and vineyards offers a tranquil afternoon experience. We left with a couple of bottles of wine – a delicious drop that tells stories. My favourite was the Chardonnay Verdelho 2010.
Ferguson Falls Winery is open on Fri, Sat, Sun, & long weekends from 11.00am to 5.00pm – or call Peter and Margaret to arrange a suitable time for your visit.
5. Visit The Dolphin Discovery Centre
Many small towns along the West Coast have dolphin feeding experiences as a main attraction. We did this experience over in Monkey Mia, which is one of the most famous places to do it.
However, the problem with Monkey Mia is it’s a massive detour from anywhere to get there, and is crowded with tourists, and we were there in quiet season.
We enjoyed the wild dolphin experience at the Discovery Centre in Bunbury more. There were fewer people, it’s not far to drive from Perth, and we saw more bottlenose dolphins (but that’s purely a luck thing, so don’t base your decision on that, as the dolphins are wild).
The Discovery Centre also has more things to do than just feed a wild dolphins in the interaction zone.
Inside there is an aquarium and interpretive centre, offering a wide variety of interactive exhibitions and talks.
The girls loved learning more about octopus here with the ranger. They giggled their heads off when the octopus poked his head out of his aquarium home and spurted water over everyone. What an incredible real life experience for them!
Nearby there’s a quiet and lovely beach just down the road from the Mantra. There are watersports to enjoy, a cafe and a nice beach to sit on. The water is calm and excellent for swimming in.
If you want to swim with dolphins, you can also do a dolphin-eco-cruise from April until November. Cruises take you out to see the dolphins in their natural habitat and depart from Dolphin Discovery Centre Bunbury. The cruise is just 90-minutes.
6. Check Out Big Swamp Parkland (Bunbury Wildlife Park)
Located in South Bunbury is the Big Swamp Parkland, a protected nature reserve known for its peaceful atmosphere and unspoiled natural beauty.
The park is home to 60 bird species, including Australasian grebes, white-faced herons, dusky moorhens and purple swamphens.
Take the easy, 2.5km walk around the Big Swamp, and stop off in a bird hide or lookout to see the birds in their natural habitat.
Afterwards, head over to Bunbury Wildlife Park to see native Australian animals, including some tame kangaroos.
7. Swim in Honeymoon Pool, Wellington National Park
Just a 30-minute drive out of Bunbury and you’ll reach a tranquil oasis known as Wellington National Park, a 25,000 hectare forest known for its indigineous and historic tree species, including ancient jarrah, marri and blackbutt trees.
Running through the park is the Collie River Valley, which has many swimming holes and places to relax in. Our favorite spot is Honeymoon Pool, which can be accessed from Honeymoon Pool Campground.
As you might expect from the name, it’s an idyllic spot with a tranquil atmosphere. There’s a small platform you can relax on, or take the steps down into the pool and enjoy a refreshing swim under the canopies of the trees.
Have a go trying to climb the big rock there, it’s a gorgeous view at the top.
Another spot to check out while in Wellington NP is the Wellington Dam, which has the largest dam mural painting in the world on it, painted by artist Guido Van Helten.
Afterwards, it’s just a 10 minute drive from the National Park to the little town of Collie where you can pop in for a bite of something to eat.
8. Sip Craft Beers at Froth Craft Brewery
There are over 100 breweries in Western Australia, and even though the City of Bunbury isn’t exactly huge, it’s not short of breweries either.
Chances are that on a Friday night or a cool summers evening, you’ll find many locals sitting in beer gardens at Froth Craft Brewery and enjoying a craft beer and some live music.
This is a great brewery for lunch, offering family-friendly vibes and hearty meals made with local produce.
It’s a “vibe focus” microbrewery with 40 craft beers that they brew in-house, who are always taking part in community events. There’s always something happening at Froth Craft Brewery, and you can easily why you see so many locals here – it feels like stepping into your friend’s house.
9. Take the Kids to Gumnut Park Playground, Donnybrook
While we wouldn’t normally say “take your kids to a playground” as a thing to do, but the Gumnut Park playground is not your ordinary playground.
Just a short drive out to the small town of Donnybrook and you’ve landed yourself in the biggest FREE adventure park in the region.
The park was inspired by May Gibbs’ Gumnut babies, which if you’re not from Australian is a local story tale about two babies, Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, who lived in the bush.
The park has a lot of emphasis on combining nature and play. Kids will love exploring the three gigantic towers made to look like flower pods, before sliding down the twisting slides.
There are two flying fox ziplines, trampolines set into the ground, and climbing frames.
The park has a picnic area, restrooms, and an adventure playhouse for toddlers.
There’s a cafe in the park that sells coffee and light bits, or there are lots of little cafes along the Main Street of Donnybrook too. You can get scrumptious stone fruit in season in the Donnybrook Orchards – better than any you get in the shops.
10. Play at Koombana Beach
Perhaps the best beach in Bunbury is Koombana Beach, which is a beautiful beach that’s known for being the place where the Dolphin Discover Center is located (as mentioned earlier).
However, you shouldn’t just come to Koombana Bay for the wild dolphins, the beach also has a lot to offer. It has calm waters, perfect for swimming and paddling, and it has inflatables on the water and kayaks and SUPs for hire – perfect for a day out at the beach.
Take your kids to the Koombana Playground and Sykes Foreshore Splash Park where they can run around and play on the grass if the beach gets too crowded.
11. Walk the Mangrove Boardwalk
Another great place to visit in Bunbury, just a short walk from Koombana Beach, is Koombana Park.
Take a short walk over Koombana Bridge to the Mangrove Walk, which is a beautiful easy walk through the historic, 20,000 year old mangroves over a wooden boardwalk. It’s amazing, and will certainly calm your senses and restore your energy.
The trail is only 200 meters long and doesn’t take long to visit, so head over to Koombana Park lookout for some nice views of the park on the way out.
12. Learn at Bunbury Museum and Heritage Centre
As with most coastal cities in Australia, Bunbury has it’s fair share of maritime and colonial history.
Located inside a heritage listed former school, built in 1886, the Bunbury Museum and Heritage Center is the place to go to learn about the cities fascinating past.
The building itself was built on the former grounds that housed a Convict Depot, but has only served as a museum since 2016.
The main room of the museum contains an exhibition on traditional owners of the area, explorers and whalers from Bunbury, and other maritime history.
Some highlights of the museum are the original beaver fur top hat worn by the former school principal, and a drive-in projector from the 1958 Mayfair Drive-in Movie Theatre.
13. Marvel at Bunbury Regional Art Gallery (BRAG)
You wouldn’t expect it from the bright pink exterior, but the Bunbury Regional Art Gallery is located in a former convent and is one of the most historic buildings in the city.
The art gallery, which is only visitable by appointment only, contains some of the best public art work in the South West.
They also offer art programs, classes and workshops, as well as other events dedicated to showcasing local artists and their talents, from performance artists to networking events for artists.
Check out the events calendar to see what’s on when you visit.
14. Shop for Local Produce at Bunbury Farmers Markets
We love a good farmers market, it’s the perfect place to pick up fresh produce for a picnic or to prepare a homecooked meal.
What’s special about Bunbury Farmers Markets is they are open daily, as opposed to just the weekend like most farmers markets.
Since the beginning in June 2003, the farmers market has grown exponentially. It’s expansion is due to popularity, but its mission stays the same – to offer high quality, farm fresh, organic food and local produce.
90% of the fruit and vegetables at the market was in the ground just 2 days prior, and 70-90% of that produce came from a farm just down the road. You can’t get fresher than that!
15. Admire Views from Bunbury Lighthouse
Another historic landmark to check out is the Bunbury Lighthouse, which has been protecting ships from becoming shipwrecks since 1870.
The black and white striped building is 25 meters high and can be seen from 27 kilometers away.
The lighthouse was originally built on Marlston Hill, but moved to its present site in 1971.
16. Check Out Sunset from Wyalup-Rocky Point
Head over to Wyalup-Rocky Point, an ancient rock formation caused by lava many millenia ago, and you will witness amazing sunsets.
It’s sandy beach and tranquil atmosphere provide the perfect setting to enjoy a golden hour.
17. Check Out Street Art
The City of Bunbury is not short of art on display, and actually contains the largest collection of street art in regional Australia.
In 2014, an artist called Andrew Fraser started a street art mural collection known as ReDiscover, which featured 40 murals in the CBD district alone.
This collection was expanded to include the Outside The Box collection (2014-2016), which features 30+ large scale murals on a series of 20 electrical boxes in Bunbury’s CBD.
Many of these pieces have been lost, damaged or replaced over the years but many of the originals are still in tact. You can walk around the CBD and see what you can find. Here is a digital map that includes all the murals and electrical box locations.
Another cool piece of art to discover is Wardandi Boodja, a 5-meter steel sculpture representing the Wardandi Noongar people, located at Anchorage Cove.
18. Admire Views from Boulters Heights or Marlston Hill Lookout Tower
If you want amazing views of the city, head up to Boulters Heights, a look out point on. a former dune with amazing views of the city and coastline.
You can see as far as Leschenault inlet and Leschenault Peninsula Conservation Park on a clear day.
Another viewpoint to check out, if you don’t want to hike too far, is Marlston Hill Lookout Tower, which was built to offer 360 degree views of Bunbury and the coastal landscape.
You do have to hike up four flights of stairs, but the views are worth it, and it’s free!
Where to Stay in Bunbury
Mantra Bunbury
We love staying in apartment rentals, and Bunbury is not short of them. We stayed at Mantra in Bunbury, a condo complex that made for a comfortable escape from our camper trailer for a few nights!
The apartments had beautiful views out over the water and we had a very enjoyable afternoon playing tennis together as a family.
For the first time in my life (after many attempts) I actually beat Craig in a game!! Kalyra was most proud of how I carved him up!
Mantra is within easy walking distance to town and the beach, AND we could see the local Moo Brewery from our balcony. We did not test it as we had just come off a joyous festive season and needed a break!
Cottages at Ferguson Farmstay – Peppermint Lane Lodge
If you prefer to be away from the coast and stay in the Ferguson Valley, then head down into the rainforested valley to the beautiful cottages at Peppermint Lodge, which is a quiet retreat suitable for adults only.
Kim, the owner, lovingly welcomed the girls in though for a vintage morning tea served in vintage on the shady verandah overlooking the mountain.
Kalyra and Savannah helped Kim feed the chicken and collect the eggs, which were put into a small bucket (filled with leaves) to be taken to the kitchen for the next day’s breakfast.
Final Thoughts
Bunbury may be a small destination but as you can see, there’s a lot of great things to do here. Whether you’re looking for nature spots, food and wine experiences, or simply a few fun attractions to allow your kids to blow off steam, there’s something for everyone here.
Before you go, I recommend you pop into the Bunbury Visitor Centre to learn about the history of the region in its small museum. You can also pick up a map and talk to the staff about more attractions in the area.
They may have a few hidden gems to discover, too!
Tours of Bunbury
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What are you most excited to do in Bunbury? Share your thoughts in the comments! Or leave a question and we’ll be happy to answer it.
