Bridgetown

Bridgetown is in the heart of the beautiful Blackwood River Valley and only three hours drive south of Perth. The town is renowned for its crisp and seasonal mornings, with mist shrouding hilltops in the winter, stunning autumn and spring colours and a cool retreat in the summer.
Bridgetown is surrounded by tall forests, wonderful scenic drives, and is arguably one of the most picturesque towns in Western Australia.
As the only heritage listed town in the South West, Bridgetown has many fine old buildings that have been painstakingly restored, creating a wonderful mixture of old world charm with modern facilities.

Heritage sites, art galleries, wood furniture, country cafes and boutique shops nestle side by side on the vibrant main street. Walk the parks and riverside, take in a horse or wagon ride through state forests, sample local wines and fresh home-grown produce, or enjoy a picnic gazing out on a valley vista, the choices abound!

Wood craft & art galleries are crammed into every nook and cranny. Bridgetown even has the ONLY Jigsaw Gallery in the Southern Hemisphere, housing the Worlds Smallest Wooden Jigsaw. From the main street shops to magnificent old country houses converted to stunning studios and workshops, you are sure to find that unique ‘something’ to add to a private collection or for a treasured gift.

Due to the number of historic buildings and sites around the Shire, several self-drive/walk guides have been developed. These are available at the Visitor Centre and some of the beautiful sites to see include;

Austin and Maranup Fords, Bridgedale (listed with National Trust), the Old Gaol, several Churches (1890’s and 1900’s), the Railway Station, original Hotels, Post Office and Road Board buildings, most of the main street shops also have tales of times gone by.

Greenbushes is a bushwalkers paradise! The Bibbulmun Track has a special diversion into this stunning area, known as the Greenbushes Loop. The New Zealand Gully Walk and Mining Heritage Walk are also in the area, all of which commence at the Greenbushes Discovery Centre. Other bush walks and parks include the Hester Forrest, Bridgetown Jarrah Park, Blackwood Riverside Walk, Karri Gully, Memorial Park, and Geegelup Brook.

With a growing population of early retirees, the love of good food and wine is on the up. The region hosts a small number of wineries with open cellar doors, with many more vineyards supplying the grapes for wineries in the Pemberton and Margaret River regions.
The choice of restaurants and cafes is many, some with live entertainment at various times throughout the year.

For more information. please contact the Bridgetown Visitor Centre on phone: 1800 777 140, fax: 08 9761 1105, email visitors@bridgetown.wa.gov.au or visit the website http://www.bridgetown.com.au