This essentially north south route traverses the lower south west corner of W.A. It is dual lane sealed.
Note. It was not clear to me where the South Coast Highway transitioned into the South Western Highway.
So Denmark was chosed as this transition point!
Note. In the south west of W.A., in general, roadside parking is only signed when it's on your left
side. Not sure why, but guess to stop one crossing to the other side of the road against oncoming traffic. This
means that parking spots on the opposite side of the highway, to which we travelled, may be missed in these notes.
0 km (320.0 km) Denmark. Signed caravan parking along road to south immediately west of bridge. This parking seemed
a long way to the business centre, which in turn was congested with narrow streets. So we didn't stop!
[26.1 km]
26.1 km (293.9 km) Signed parking .. south side .. sealed loop off/on highway.
Class 2-. 34° 59.48'S. 117° 06.48'E. Hema map 74, K 5.
Table, no shade, 30m max from highway, OK big rigs, CDMA from north east.
[16.3 km]
42.4 km (277.6 km) Bow Bridge.
[11.1 km]
53.5 km (266.5 km) Junction .. north side .. to Valley of the Giants. Info from another traveller is about 200m east of that
junction on the northern side there is a large, good rest area. We missed it as it must be signed from the west.
[4.0 km]
57.5 km (262.5 km) Nornalup .. parking on north side, public phone.
[9.8 km]
67.3 km (252.7 km) Walpole Post Office. Long service road on left of highway gives access to shops. Day parking and info/
tourist centre opposite .. signage, no camping, $1000 fine! Info is public toilets and WATER available.
[13.4 km]
80.7 km (239.3 km) Crystal Springs.
[0.1 km]
80.8 km (239.2 km) Signed parking (from north) .. east side .. long gravel loop off/on highway.
* Class 2. 34° 57.44'S. 116° 35.77'E. Hema map 74, K 4.
Table, little shade, rubbish bins, 30m max from highway, OK big rigs, no TV, weak CDMA.
[39.7 km]
120.5 km (199.5 km) Signed parking (from north) north .. east side .. small level gravel loop off/on highway.
Class 2-. 34° 39.21'S. 116° 29.75'E. Hema map 74, J 4.
Tables, bush fire place, rubbish bins, 20m max from highway, just OK big rigs.
[11.4 km]
131.9 km (188.1 km) Junction .. south side .. to Shannon National Park.
[3.4 km]
135.3 km (184.7 km) Junction .. west side .. to Northcliffe. Parking area on corner. We took the route to Northbridge.
-----------------------------
0 km (78.6 km) Turn west to Northbridge .. Middleton Road.
[26.1 km]
26.1 km (52.5 km) "T"Junction .. signed (south) to Northcliffe.
[2.4 km]
28.5 km (50.1 km) Northcliffe .. east side .. large parking bay opposite shops .. park area adjoins, no camping signs.
Class 5 ($1000 fine for camping). 34° 37.94'S. 116° 07.47'S. Hema map 74, J 3.
Tables, some shade, 4 WATER taps, bush BBQ's, rubbish bins, good CDMA, public phone opposite.
Public toilets on corner ahead. Cafe and servo around corner.
[0.1 km]
28.6 km (50.0 km) Junction .. ahead (south) to Windy Harbour, we went right (west) to Pemberton.
[18.0 km]
46.6 km (32.0 km) Junction .. north side .. Rowes Road to Brockman Sawpits rest area. Travel in 1.5 km via good
dirt road to circular turning/parking area. Restored saw pit on display.
* Class 2. 34° 31.26'S. 116° 01.14'E. Hema map 74, J 3.
Table, shade, fire paces and wood, rubbish bins, quiet, just OK big rigs, weak TV, weak CDMA.
[0.2 km]
46.8 km (31.8 km) Signed parking .. south side .. Conellys Flat .. small level gravel loop off/on highway.
Class 2-. 34° 31.90'S. 116° 00.50'E. Hema map 74, J 3.
Table, no shade, rubbish bin, 20m max to road, barely OK big rigs.
[12.2 km]
59.0 km (19.6 km) Junction .. west side .. to Nannup.
[3.0 km]
62.0 km (16.6 km) Pemberton .. Post Office.
[16.6 km]
78.6 km (0 km) Junction .. South West Highway. Parking spot on north west corner. Gravel, partially unlevel, area,
near entrance gates to properties.
Class 3 to 4. 34° 21.45'S. 116° 09.62'E. Hema map 74, H 3.
Shade, rubbish bins, 10m max from highway, OK big rigs.
-----------------------------
DENMARK to BUNBURY .. SOUTH WEST HIGHWAY .. continued.
[35.0 km] This section, along highway, not travelled. Distance taken from a map.
170.3 km (149.7 km) Junction .. above, 16.1 km south of Manjimup.
[6.1 km]
176.4 km (143.6 km) Junction .. west side .. to Diamond Tree Lookout.
[10.0 km]
186.4 km (133.6 km) Manjimup .. Post Office.
[9.3]
195.7 km (124.3 km) Palgarup .. public phone, east side.
[6.2 km]
201.9 km (118.1 km) Signed parking .. west side .. medium size sealed level loop off/on highway.
Class 2. 34° 07.45'S. 116° 12.12'E. Hema map 74. H 4.
Table, afternoon shade, rubbish bin, 30m max from highway, OK big rigs.
[8.5 km]
210.4 km (109.6 km) Yornup .. post box, east side.
[11.4 km]
221.8 km (98.2 km) Junction .. west side .. to Nannup.
------------------------------
0 km (93.8 km) Turn west towards Nannup. We took this loop via Nannup and back onto the South West
Highway at Balingup .. thus we didn't travel that section of the Great West Highway.
[20.9 km] Road has lots of hills and bends!
20.9 km (72.9 km) Bridgetown Jarrah Park .. signed, north side .. 400m dirt track to small circular turning/
parking area. Suspect track forms a loop .. looping back onto highway 1.1 km further west.
Class 2. 34° 01.74'S. 115° 59.03'E. Hema map 74, H 3.
Toilets, tables, shade, bush fire places, OK medium size rigs, no time limit, very weak CDMA from east.
[1.1 km]
22.0 km (71.8 km) Junction .. north side .. suspect other end of track referred to above.
[0.8 km]
22.8 km (71.0 km) Junction .. Gold Gully Road .. south side. Follow this road 5.6 km and on right is Willow
Springs camping area set back from road .. sign not conspicious. Also, in area is signs of ? and old saw pit.
Water (? the spring) is signed 100m before camp area. Opposite side of road is an overgrown picnic area.
* Class 2. 34° 02.76'S. 115° 55.55'E. Hema map 74, H 3.
Tables, shade, bush fire places, rubbish bins, OK big rigs, no time limit, 1 weak TV channel, no CDMA.
[5.5 km] Back on road towards Nannup.
28.3 km (65.5 km) Junction .. left to Nannup.
[3.3 km]
31.6 km (62.2 km) Junction .. right side .. Karri Loop .. small dirt loop off/on highway.
Table, 10m max from road, OK small rigs, not investigated.
[11.1 km]
42.7 km (51.1 km) Long clearing adjacent to highway (? fire break) ? possible parking.
[8.3 km]
51.0 km (42.8 km) "T" junction .. turn north towards Nannup.
[0.5 km]
51.5 km (42.3 km) Nannup Post Office.
[0.3 km]
51.8 km (42.0 km ) Junction .. west side .. signed info centre. Smallish semi circular parking area in front of
info centre. Caravan Park adjoins to the west. WATER tap noticed on rear of caravan park toilet block,
which is close to that semi circular parking area. Suggest ask info centre or caravan park caretaker.
The road to Balingup is to the east at the above junction.
We went, by mistake, ahead at that junction which is the road to Busselton .. 1 km along that road is an
info bay on the left.
Class 3. 33° 58.29'S. 115° 45.65'E. Hema map, 74, H 3.
Tables, some shade, 30m max from road, OK big rigs.
[19.3 km] Along road to Balingup .. another hilly road with lots of bends (follows river).
71.1 km (22.7 km) Maidment Bridge .. west side .. smallish parking spots on each corner.
Class 3. 33° 51.69'S. 115° 52.04'E. Hema map 74, G 3.
Shade, 25m from road, OK big rigs, but exposed to road.
[10.3 km]
81.4 km (12.4 km) Wrights Bridge. Signed rest area south of bridge on west side. Along entry road, signed
camping to the left which we didn't investigate as we were worried about turning around. Toilet in this area.
Picnic area signed left a bit further ahead .. circular track returning to that point with picnic area at end.
Class 3 to 5. 33° 50.63'S. 115° 55.11'E. Hema map 74, G 3.
Tables, shade, fireplaces, parking really only suited for small vehicles, relatively close to river.
[12.2 km]
93.6 km (0.2 km) Balingup .. Post Office.
[0.2 km]
93.8 km (0 km) Junction .. South West Highway.
------------------------------
DENMARK to BUNBURY .. SOUTH WEST HIGHWAY .. continued.
[1.4 km]
223.2 km (96.8 km) Bridgetown .. Post Office.
[0.6 km] Through town.
223.8 km (96.2 km) Signed Info Bay .. east side (towards northern outskirts of town)
Class 5. 33° 57.17'S. 116° 08.11'E. Hema map 74, H 3.
Smallish sealed parking area. WATER tap on Info display sign.
[27.4 km] This section of South West Highway not travelled .. distance taken from a map.
251.2 km (68.8 km) Junction .. in Balingup .. west side referred to above where we entered from Nannup.
[0.2 km]
251.4 km (68.6 km) General store/servo on west side .. agents for the "Transit Facility" in Balingup.
Take road opposite servo end of general store, next left over single lane bridge, left again to
Transit Facility .. south west side of Balingup Brook and adjacent to sports ground. Sites on
each side of road. $13 pvpn, $10 key deposit.
* Class 1 (fee). 33° 46.94'S. 115° 59.19'E. Hema map 74, G 4.
Toilets, showers, tables, some shade, WATER, fire place, rubbish bins, 3 days maximum, power, OK big rigs.
[5.7 km] Continuing from General Store.
257.1 km (62.9 km) Mullalyup Servo.
[6.9 km]
264.0 km (56.0 km) Kirup Servo.
[16.8 km]
280.8 km (39.2 km) Junction .. west to Collie, adead to Donnybrook.
[2.2 km]
283.0 km (37.0 km) Donnybrook Post Office. Off street parking just south of Post Office, signed caravan parking.
[0.2 km]
283.2 km (36.8 km) Parking .. off street .. west side .. not as busy as parking area further south.
[36.8 km] This section of Highway not travelled, distance taken from a map.
320.0 km (0 km) Bunbury.
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