If autumn colours make your heart happy, add Golden Valley Tree Park to your must-visit list.
Located just a few minutes south of Balingup and around 2.5 hours from Perth, Golden Valley Tree Park transforms into a sea of reds, oranges, golds and yellows each autumn. We visited recently and were completely blown away by the colours throughout the park.
Golden Valley Tree Park is Western Australia’s largest arboretum, spanning approximately 60 hectares and home to more than 3,000 trees from around the world. While beautiful year-round, autumn is definitely the star season and for good reason.
One of the things we love most about Golden Valley Tree Park is that there are walking trails suitable for different ages and abilities. This visit we explored the World Collection, which remains my favourite section of the park.
The three walks include:
• Sequoia Walk – approximately 10 minutes, easy and wheelchair friendly
• Pair Walk – approximately 30 minutes return
• Oak Walk – approximately 45 minutes return
They’re all relatively easy walks and it’s very doable to complete all three in one visit.
Along the way we discovered towering trees, vibrant autumn leaves, fascinating fungi (as always my favourites are “fairy” red mushrooms!), birds, moss-covered logs and more photo opportunities than I could count. If you’re a photographer, nature lover or simply someone who appreciates beautiful scenery, you’ll be stopping every few minutes.
One of our favourite moments was watching sheep grazing in the surrounding paddocks while calves ran around in the distance mooing away. It all felt very peaceful and quintessentially country WA.
Facilities include:
• Free entry
• Public toilets
• Picnic areas
• Barbecue facilities
• Plenty of parking
• Dog friendly (dogs must be under control)
• Walking trails suitable for varying abilities
There are plenty of beautiful spots to stop for a picnic, and I noticed several families making a day of it.
A couple of things worth noting: the park is maintained by volunteers and relies heavily on donations, and it operates under a Leave No Trace policy, so visitors need to take all rubbish home with them. Also, watch where you’re walking – the resident sheep definitely leave their mark throughout the park!
Golden Valley Tree Park is one of the best places I’ve visited in WA for autumn colours and is absolutely worth the drive from Perth.
Make a Day of It in Balingup
One of the best things about visiting Golden Valley Tree Park is that you’re only a few minutes from the gorgeous little town of Balingup, making it easy to turn your visit into a full day trip.
After exploring the park, we stopped for coffee and scones at The Mushroom at No.61, which was the perfect post-walk treat.
We also enjoyed browsing some of Balingup’s lovely local stores.
The Village Pedlars was one of my favourites, full of quirky gifts, local artwork, handmade crafts and regional produce. I couldn’t resist bringing home a locally made Balingup Worcestershire sauce and loved all the blue wren-themed gifts and artwork.
Another standout was CatandCanvas, a charming little wool store. The owner even advertises her mobile number for “yarn emergencies” if the shop happens to be closed, which gave me a laugh. She also runs knitting workshops throughout the year.
The Packing Shed precinct is worth a wander too, with additional shops and cafés nearby.
On the way home, we drove through Birdwood Park Avenue of Honour, a beautiful avenue lined with mature oak trees commemorating local men and boys who lost their lives in World War I. While beautiful, I also found it quite moving reading some of the ages, with many being only teenagers.
There is also a lovely picnic area beside Balingup Brook at the end of Brockman Street if families are looking for somewhere quiet to stop before heading home.
If you love op-shopping, keep an eye out for the monthly pop-up op shop in nearby Kirup, which is well worth a browse if your visit lines up.
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Jen is the Perth mum behind Perth Mum Explores, sharing family-friendly adventures, hidden gems and memorable experiences across Perth and WA with her son, Jude. With a love for nature, trails, farms, local cafés and seasonal events, she helps families discover genuine, welcoming places to explore together.
