With winter leaving us (slowly) and spring twining itself around our hearts - the forests is slowly becoming a visual feast for the eyes.

Our wildflower tours have recommenced, they give you a wonderful opportunity to get into places you may not like to take your treasured vehicle (hey something has to take you home!) with our guided commentary and local knowledge, stories and guides we give you a wonderful experience and create memories to treasure!

These sneaky sundews surprised me today 😜

When you think of the Southern Forest region you may think about winding forest rails, tall trees that scrape the sky, great food and wine and picture perfect views that greet you at every bend in the road.

Yes that’s just part of the journey... imagine it by pedal power...

We have our mate Nathan back onboard (he also moonlights as a DJ, a DBCA fire crew, Ambo officer and Fire and Rescue volunteer). He’s an awesome friend and mate and a pretty good guy that we love to have around!

We have given him control of the Facebook page - so if you are thinking about heading trialling our trails jump online and chat - or send an email, and or just pick up the phone.

The past few months have been exciting for us, with the added media attention placing a spotlight on the beautiful town of Pemberton Western Australia and the Southern Forest region in terms of quality accommodation, amazing food and memorable tour experiences.

On the 29th April Destination WA showcased our Beach & Forest Eco Adventure tour with Chrissy. It was a fabulous day out filming and the dunes look amazing (like always!) there is nothing quite like the #Yeagarupdunes all to yourself in the middle of the D’Entrecasteaux National Park - beauty, wonder, awe and peace all wrapped into one destination. Certainly one of Mother Nature’s great achievements.

If you missed it you can watch it here .

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With the 2018 Truffle Kerfuffle starting soon on the 22nd June, our tours have also been included on the itinerary to make the event encompass the whole region.

You may have noticed Graeme’s Instagram posts tagging the event to help bring awareness to more than just the black gold aka black Truffle - and to cement this region as an ecotourism destination.

As part of the story from the region the tours have been included in articles around Australia including this one from The Sydney Morning Herald . A great promotion of the region!

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We have to give our friends at #AustraliasSouthWest a huge shoutout and thank you - the recent photo shoot with #FrancesAndrijich has given a memorable library of imagery for promoting the #Southwest and #SouthernForests - we spent the day with Frances and Sarah taking them to our secret spots so their library includes some of the best locations we know about! You can see them pop up in editorials and stories about the region - beautiful imagery 😊.

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Flight network have included us as one of the top 31 experiences in Australia - wow what an honour!!! You can have a read or check it out here.

A huge thank you to everyone involved in promoting this stunningly beautiful region.

Graeme & Toni

Yes the 2017 Annual Beach Cleanup has come and gone - with an under average 6m3 of rubbish collected by our fab volunteers - great to see the beach so clean!

Thanks once again to the 20 plus members of TrackcareWA who made the effort to visit the region and stay at the Yeagarup Hut for a few days - it was most appreciated!

The Sunday was the ‘jump onboard’ part of the clean up with 5 fabulous volunteers plus ourselves cleaning from Lake Yeagarup to the Yeagarup hut.

Some of the quirky stuff we found included this ‘Kraken’ of a rope and a boat! The rope was dragged up the hill but dumped by others doing the right thing - we had enough people onboard to man handle it over the crest before dragging it through to the lake and into the trailer.

A huge thank you to Tangaroa blue ocean care society / Keep Australia Beautiful Council to organise the paperwork, bags and event; Parks & Wildlife for signage and extra bags and additional support and all our Marvelous volunteers who gave up their weekend to join us in keeping the coast clean. 😊

When most people think of Pemberton, they think of a quiet, quaint timber milling town in the southwest.

With the Forrest Hwy, the distance to Pemberton is now comparable to Margaret River with drive times no less than 3.5 hours (via Hamar St, SW Hwy and Martyn Paleasey Drive through Dardanup and Boyanup taking off an additional 15min travel time. )

So - when you get to Pemberton, what has changed?

Not much! We are still quiet (quieter now the mill has shut), you probably won’t be seeing your neighbour, camping is picking up as people take a quick opportunity to bush camp with an actual campfire before the fireban is implemented.

However new businesses have started, old businesses have changed hands and have a new lease of life.

Pemberton is fun, it is an active place so bring your mountain bike, bring your canoe or kayak and your hiking boots. If you don’t have any of these then you can hire bikes here and canoes are available to hire at Karri Valley Resort or on a tour with Andy on a Pemberton Hiking & Canoeing trip our camping with our sister company WA Wilderness.

The sky’s are clearing - and the stars are amazing! Our new tour brings in the new with the old as we have young Kieran, our local expert on astronomy and the stars available for private charter or on location.

The restaurants, wineries, galleries and local farm stalls are top quality - so a delicious way to remember your Pemberton holiday.

And of course our tours - travelling through our amazing Yeagarup Dunes and now 18 years operating there is no better way to discover our outdoors.

If you have a teenager just heading out onto the road a tag along tour with Graeme is a great way to introduce them to 4WDing in a safe educational way.

So if fun is what you are after - Pemberton has it in spades. If you want more assistance I will happily flick you an itinerary to guide you to your next holiday here in Pemberton. Contact Toni for more information!

Looking to DIY a Bibbulmun Break with a group of friends? Then check out the Bunkhouse in Pemberton's cafe strip. Comfortable dorm style accomodation in the centre of town - with your Bibbulmun Track Transfers included!

Sleeping up to 12 with seperate lounge, outdoor BBQ and Minigolf - and 20% off wine and 4WD tours for those days where you don't want to walk!

Book in early - we only have one of these special places 🌳❤️🌳❤️🌳

Dear friends! Today we're thrilled to announce that one of our tours - Pemberton Wildflower Tour - has been elected as an Unordinary Trip of the Month at InfoHub.com, the #1 travel portal on the Internet specialised in the out-of-ordinary , special interest vacations.It is the perfect time to look at our Wildflower tours with the display looking amazing. Western Australia is a well recognised destination for its stunning annual display of wildflowers, and we are happy to see our tour highlighted this way!In light of this, Infohub have offered our guests a special prize! Any of you who book the above tour before October 25, 2017 may be eligible for a very special prize from InfoHub's sister-company GPSmyCity - publisher of travel apps for Apple and Android. The GPSmyCity app features offline city maps, self-guided walking tours and travel articles for 1,000 cities worldwide, using which you can turn your mobile into a personal tour guide. With this app you can explore Perth or other major urban destinations in Australia and further afield on your own, at your own pace. The GPSmyCity app works offline so there's NO need to worry about roaming charges when traveling abroad.A lucky winner, chosen randomly, will get a one-year full membership of the GPSmyCity app including access to ALL the content - over 6,500 self-guided city walks and travel articles – to the total value of over $8,000!!!

Book now and enjoy the travels with Pemberton Discovery Tours !

I was googling 'Fathers Day' and I know it is celebrated at different times of the year depending on what side of the world you live on. Ours is this Sunday 3rd September.

What began as a day to fill a fairly deflated spot on the retail calendar is now a great reason to celebrate the father figure in your life.

Before you head out to do that last minute shopping - have you had a chance to go through the last years worth of photos - how many have you taken of your family?

We are so busy taking photos of our friends and our food that sometimes family misses out... and what better occasion than at a Fathers Day lunch.

For Father's Day - why not change your screen wallpaper on your phone, and the phone's of your family to be a mix of images of where you want to be and who you want to be with - and include your family in those photos.

Just these two simple things can change the perspective of your life.

To the fathers in my life: happy Fathers Day! 2017 has been an amazing year for us all.

This was going to be a post about buying a last minute gift voucher for a tour or camping trip - but I lost my way. 😊 You know where to find me.

Walking the Bibbulmun Track is a bucket list item for many people we have met on our journey.Here are some suggestions for making it easy for you, a friend or a family member to make it achievable.1. Break it into achievable bites... we have met some inspirational people since we started our business, one of which had severe Tourette's syndrome - this did not stop her one bit - she broke down the walk into bite size bits she knew she could manage. Eg have you thought of changing the day walk distance from 22km to 14km? 2. 1000km trail over one year - scary!1000km as a 10 year plan = 100km per year... more achievable.Can you fit into your year 3 weekends away to walk the track?

3. Don't be a princess (you are welcome 😄 ) Is it absolutely imperative to walk North to South or South to North - in the same direction?

Do you really need to walk with no gaps? What is stopping you from jumping over the place - make it into a holiday you want to be on with different destinations each time you walk!The ease of pick up and drop offs can also help if you are flexible... there are TransWA buses which maybe able to drop you off however won't be able to pick up and whilst some walks are shorter a one way track transfer may give you the security of walking back to your car.

An idea - print out a map of the track - stick it up on the pantry door and highlight the sections as you do it - kind of like a child's dot-to-dot.4. Create a team... who are you walking with? Are you catching up regularly (it doesn't matter if you haven't 😜). Have you spoken to the Bib track foundation (they can point you in the right direction for a local expert to assist you with your walk).Your starting group of friends may not be your ending group - everyone is on their own journey so be prepared to change your plans. The foundation can also help find a walking buddy if you find yourself with extra days off and no one available to be your partner.5. Track Transfers - our specialty here in Pemberton - so contact the people on the ground - they will do their best to check on conditions or assist you with finding our track and trail problems prior to you stepping onto the trail... also assist with storing a car if required. These include small town Taxi and tour operator services on the trail. Making sure your transport is registered with Parks and Wildlife is one way to ensure you will be dropped off at the right place!

❤️🌳❤️🌳❤️🌳❤️🌳

Some 18 years ago we were asked if we could help the Bibbulmun Track foundation with their holiday packages - by giving walkers options for safe and reliable track transfers. We now have our Bunkhouse accommodation available for small groups (up to 12 people) which makes it really easy to walk the trails around Pemberton. We can assist with track transfers from Donnelly River Holiday Village through to Walpole - and will happily guide you through the safest and best way to move around the Southern Forest Region.🌳❤️🌳Check us out online or call Toni on 08 9776 0484 for more information!PS - I start my Bib track odyssey this year - if your looking for a local walking buddy give me a call! 😊

As Winter comes to its end, the forest has already started coming to life with the purple native wisteria already engulfing anything left in its wake. The Karri forest and coastal Heath will change over the coming months as the enslaught of flowers start transforming the forest green into a mosaic of colour.

Just in time for Spring School Holidays 🌳

And what a time to bring the kids, grab extras and be prepared for some Blooming Wild fun for all ages.

It starts as you travel into this region - the Nannup Tulips are in full bloom - and transform this beautiful hamlet into a quaint piece of European Heritage!

Or if your coming through via the SW Hwy Balingup are doing their bit with the Medieval festival happening this weekend (so where is your costume!!!) - the decorations are cute and make a cool selfie spot!

The waterfall at Beedelup is absolutely stunning with the full sound effects of the water cascading under the suspension bridge captivating and enthralling the 4 to 14 year old market (they love that bridge :) especially when there is a PO'ed mum grasping onto the rails whilst they are trying to swing it...😬

Wendy's Night walk and Frog tours start from the 26th September throughout the Spring event - and our nights are beautiful, cool but stunning when the clouds part and the Milky Way is in view (it leaves us in Summer so make sure you see our winter skies).

Make time for trout fishing (with Justin and Kylie at the newly reopened Old Vasse Trout and Marron Farm) - where you are likely to catch a monster trout (cleaned and ready to take home for family dinner) to visiting Forest Fresh Marron for an easy way to select your perfect crustacean (there are wineries and restaurants in town who can cook your catch for you if you don't feel like doing the deed 😜)

The three climbing trees are a massive challenge and option for parents of teenagers - an easy out is to let them know they are only allowed to 'climb their age'... and is why I am still only 28.😂🤣😂

If you can make it to the top the view is totally worth it... I'm just lucky Graeme has his permit for the drone and took some amazing images so I can see the view (and share it with you if you have read this far).

Of course our favourite activity for families is the Yeagarup Dunes trip - and best of all you don't even need a 4WD yourself! (If you do and you prefer to travel with others then a tag along in your own 4WD is a great safe option for peace of mind) or jump onboard with us for a guided journey with loads of stops, sand sliding and kite flying on the Yeagarup Sand Dunes, fabulous flowers (the coastal Heath is where we get the majority of our orchids) and a chance to drive along a beach to the mouth of the river on this educational (remember - its for the kids 😜) and memorable journey with an amazing guide 😍 ok I'm a bit biased there 😊.

There is a great deal for people who have made it this far - use the promo code 'Pemby10' when you book now to receive 10% off your family tour.

So grab the family, and any extra's and head south for an experience to remember!

With National Day of Trees only yesterday, our carbon footprint was definitely on our minds.

You may already know that Graeme and I purchased a piece of farmland in the wheatbelt in 2007 to rehabilitate as part of reducing our carbon footprint.

40,000 trees later sections of the property are unrecognisable!

We planted for diversity - and as the property was severely salt damaged only had a limited selection of plants from which to choose... so you find old man Saltbush next to a Casurina next to a flat top Yate and we even managed to plant and keep alive a few Callistemon sp. so the birds are loving it!

This year started with a bit of a worry as the rains fell and the river rose. The Bibikin Rd bridge caused a dam effect on the Coblinine River - completely flooding our property for a day. Our neighbours took a photo for us which is certainly memorable - floods like these have not been seen since the 50's and even then that was not this bad! However we need not worried - the trees loved the excess fresh water and have certainly thrived!

We are really looking forward to heading out there shortly - and seeing how nature weaves its magic wand; what plants survive the competitive and stressful environment and how the plants tollerate the shock of reaching the salt layer - we have seen how some eucalypts just die at 3m tall... fingers crossed ours are more tolerant.

This has been an exciting and interesting part of our life, and part of our family journey - we'll keep you posted with more photos after our trip.

Tired of holidaying next to your neighbour?Wanting an escape from the technology that rules your (and the kids!!!) life?City smog getting up your nose?

Why then we have the perfect solution!

That sounds super corny however these three reasons are the most common reasons for people 'discovering Pemberton'.

If you have never been or you are planning your first visit then the ecotour would have to be one of the most amazing experiences you could treat yourself too.

As a teaser, Graeme put together the following Pemberton trailer - so we hope it makes you visit and stay a little longer (we would also love to see you! ❤️🌳❤️🌳❤️🌳❤️)

Winter has arrived with crisp clear starry night skies, misty mornings snuggling up to a fire at night. This is also the time of year when Singapore families find Pemberton an attractive place to visit - 🌳☔️☔️🌳

The following activities have found their way onto many check lists:

Trout fishing for your dinner! Yes King Trout have reopened and rebranded as ' Old Vasse Trout and Marron Farm ' where you can catch your trout and have it cleaned! Most restaurants in town will happily cook your catch and serve it with chips and salad - a worthy feast for you and your family!!! Closed Wednesdays.

Lavender Pancakes - at the Pemberton Lavender Berry Farm - and they continue to be amazing!!! But watch out as often eyes can be bigger than your stomach! Open Wednesday - Sunday from 9.30am.

Yeagarup Dunes Adventure : this would be our number one activitiy for Singaporean families - a fun and safe adventure suitable for the whole family (yes bring 奶奶, 外婆/姥姥, 外公/姥爷and 爷爷)

The 'Beach & Forest Eco Adventure is a 4.5 hour experience taking in the Yeagarup Dunes, the old growth Forest and then driving along the beautiful beach to the mouth of the Warren River - and has been a favourite for many families traveling to and through the region.

The dunes are 4WD accessible only and a degree of skill is required.

This tour can also be done as a tag along in your own 4WD - a good way of trying out a new 4WD or discovering another corner of Australia safely. If you are travelling from overseas please confirm your hire vehicle is insured for travelling off-road. You may find jumping onboard a more exciting experience!

Learn about the forest, the trees and the unique animals.

There are so many activities and adventures to discover - another must do (but don't have to do the lot) is the self drive Karri Forest Explorer drive takes you past 2 of the regions climbing trees; the Gloucester Tree is located in Pemberton township and the Bicentennial Tree is in the Warren National Park - both fire towers are a must see but not necessarily a must do - it is totally up to the individual!

Whatever you do - breath deeply, take only photos (and share with your friends back home 😜☺️) You are in one of the greenest places on this planet - and we welcome you.

Before you go - download a copy of the map to your device 😄 the phone numbers can really help you plan your holiday!

We have met many people traveling through our region who drag along their old faithful camera - and are devistated if they forget it or find the battery flat or the SD card full prior to jumping on a tour.

We often forget that the little computer on our pocket possibly has a higher resolution than the camera we bought 5 years ago!

For hints, tricks and hacks there are a number of websites that start you on the right track the Great Walks or Hubspot's Marketing Blog website is a good start for the more experienced user but to start off you may just have to find a quiet coffee shop and play with your phone to find and use the camera icon.

Usually you will find that the volume switch or on off button may have a role in taking the image - this can be easier than pushing the onscreen button.

Finding, using and playing with your phone settings to create amazing images is just the start.

Once you have returned from your holiday with all your fabulous images you can then (again finding your favourite cafe) upload them to a photo book site and receive a hard copy coffee table book for you to enjoy!

With the change of government in our state we are actually quite excited to see three things we love about our business actually be part of the new department name.

We would love to say a huge thank you to Jim Sharp for supporting initiatives at grass roots level. You are a fantastic advocate for tourism and parks and conservation.

Since we started in 1999, we have been lead by tourism and conservation (mind you getting quite used to changes in name be it Department of Parks and Wildlife, Conservation and Land Management or Department of Environment and Conservation) and initially found some of the rules quite strict however found, over time and experience, that you need this regulation when you are the intermediary between the public and government.

Thanks again to Jim - your knowledge, support and enthusiasm has been a fabulous stabiliser to the industry; you deserve every accolade. All the best, thank you Jim.

As the days tick over, this weird summer season is evolving into another perfect chance to escape onto the Bibbulmun Track.

With many trail websites popping up, we have found many have now proved themselves as becoming ones to 'Save to Homescreen' and reading prior to your arrival into our Bushwalking Mecca (AKA Pemberton, Western Australia here in our wonderful Southern Forest region).

New South Wales Parks have created the Bushwalking101 website to assist walkers in the 3 p's of success aka Preparation, Preparation and Preparation. This interactive website offers downloadable checklists for the perfect day walks as well as gives you useful information on which gear (footwear etc) to choose for your holiday. It is a fabulous resource and certainly one to bookmark.

The TrailsWA websitehas now become the Mecca for all things trails, previously 'trailforks.com' and 'everytrail.com were seen as the goto sites online - the new version of "Top Trails" has surpassed this. The App is amazing and worth downloadingprior to leaving home.

Pemberton was the "Trail Hub Trial Town" for the project - and with numerous trails including the Bibbulmun Track and Munda Biddi Trail as well as the Warren River Walktrail and the Relentless Blue Mountain Bike Trail all on the Top Trails website there was a good reason to choose our holiday destination as the inaugural Trail Hub town in Western Australia.

So if you are looking at walking the walk or riding the trail then and download our if you are needing assistance with getting onto the trail from town.

If you are keen to DIY or just run a day ride then we do have the tour route out to (this returns past a winery and a brewery so is a wonderful day out!) The is also available as a download and you can visit them on facebook as well (follow the links.)

I hope you enjoyed our first blog post for 2017; and that it assists you in getting off the couch and out into our wonderful outdoors!

It feels like the start of September, the sun coming and warming the green fields in bursts, sun showers often, but we feel that winter is losing its grasp on us as the days lengthen.

The flat leaves lying prostrate on the ground are usual indicators that something unusual is growing... these Mosquito or Midge orchids were growing near the Warren River and too pretty for words 😄 hence the photo...

The flowers are now coming out regardless of weather - and there are a lot of them!

If you are heading south drive past and spend some $ in Yarloop and Waroona - the flowers in the forests in the bushfire zone are brightening up a horrific burn.

See you soon!

After a lot of rain, and still even more rain we are finally seeing colour in our forests; a lot of colour.

The purple and yellow seem to peep out first; then the rest follow.

Pictures coming your way!

Exploring the National Parks surrounding Pemberton by 4WD can be an exhilarating experience – there are quite a number of 4WD destinations in the region which are fun to explore. These include; Marlimup Beach, Meerup River, Coodimurrup and Fish Creek, Broke Inlet, Yeagarup Dunes, Black Point, Lake Jasper not to mention the numerous ex-forestry trails through the Karri loam country.

Before you head out you may wish to take some advice from Graeme Dearle – owner Pemberton Discovery Tours.

The opportunity to load up the four wheel drive and head off is normally a priority for any avid four wheel outdoor adventurer. Escaping the madness of the city for something a little more simple and down to earth can make your adrenalin running just thinking about it.... Well, maybe it’s time to start planning your next trip down south!

Fortunately there are still some destinations left on the map in reasonable proximity from the city of Perth for some decent outdoor exploring. Pemberton is surrounded by a number of national parks encompassing a large mixture of forest drives and coastal experiences and located only a four hour drive south of Perth. It has become a popular destination over the years as a four wheel drive destination.

The D’Entrecasteaux National Park has the majority of four wheel drive opportunities. The park stretches 130km from Black Point, south of Augusta all the way down to Walpole, following some of the most spectacular coast line in Australia accessible only by four wheel drive vehicle and home to Western Australia’s true giant and the king of the forest (Eucalyptus diversicolor) Karri; the word majestic is the only word that truly describes this tree and its forest.

There are a number of ways to access the coast by four wheel drive vehicle - and in doing so you experience a complete contrast of landscapes. The pristine and isolation of our national parks needs to be appreciated and respected by all users, the opportunity to be able access this amazing country is a true privilege that has being lost elsewhere around Australia due to misuse and land use changes.

Four wheel driving can be a fun and rewarding experience – providing you keep in mind that it can be hazardous if you don’t have the appropriate expertise or are not travelling with the right equipment.

The minimum you should carry onboard:

A good supply of potable waterFirst aid kitA good jack and base plateRecovery equipmentShovelCompressor

If you have the right gear and the know how of using it you are more than likely to have a good time – also remember safety in numbers as you may require a second vehicle to get you out of that sticky situation. (Don’t rely on a recovery service as there isn’t one!!) If you need a tractor you will be required to fork out around $1000 - John has a high success rate and can be called on 9776 1432)

Whether you are experienced or just a novice there are tracks and circuits through the south west that can suit you. Remember that the road rules that apply on the main roads also apply off-road. The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) maintain the national parks and state forests so you have to abide by their rules whether they be in regards to tyre pressures or roads closed due to dieback, maintenance or safety issues.

For more detailed information on road conditions or any other national park information The Pemberton (DEC) office can be contacted on 08 9776 1207

There are a variety of different tracks in the national park that can be used to explore the park. Maps to help find your way around can be purchased in town at our shop - the Pemberton Discovery Centre.

One of the best circuits out of Pemberton is the Yeagarup/Warren Calcup Hill circuit. This is one of my favourite half day tagalong circuits in the park that I provide for anyone who may not know the area or may not have the expertise and confidence to attempt by themselves. This particular circuit can be restricted seasonally by the river mouth, and high tide.

Normally only accessible from December to April, unless you have the required skills or you are travelling with a responsible four wheel drive club or group, I wouldn’t recommend you attempt the crossing of the Warren River mouth or any other crossing in the park as a number of victims do come stuck on a annual basis.

You will need to reduce your tyre pressures to suit the current conditions in the Park this is not only to be able to gain access in to the sandy boggier areas but is to help maintain the condition of the track, reducing your impact on your visit is crucial in maintaining our access to this amazing area.

If you are looking at camping - you will not go past the Yeagarup Hut - a private group booking campsite you can book the whole facility! Visit www.wawilderness.com.aufor more details.

Don’t forget to take out what you take in and report any one who disrespects the use of our National Park to the Police or DEC all you need is a rego. Visitor Leave no trace Australia.

Litter reporters are able to report someone throwing litter or dumping matter from a car, trailer or boat to Keep Australia Beautiful Council by:

I’m on UHF 10.

Graeme Dearle is owner of Pemberton Discover Tours, and a certified trainer and assessor. He has been guiding in the region for over 16 years prior to that he was a field tech travelling off road through inland Australia.

We are really excited to be involved with the 2016 Truffle Kerfuffle and have organised some pretty special tours for guests to book before, during and after the event.

We start the weekend off with a daily run through the forests, dunes and along the coastline

near Pemberton - Yes you have guessed it! It is the "Beach & Forest Eco Adventure" with a significant twist - we have upgraded the lunch and included Truffle!!!

To Book - head to the TK website at this link

The afternoons are also options to sit back and let us drive for you as we discover the beautiful wineries and valleys of the region. This TK version of our "Pemberton Wine Discovery Tour" does have a heavy emphasis on food - expecially the truffle!

We do pick up from accommodation for this tour - so let us know where you will be staying and we can organise everything from there.

To Book - once again head over to the TK website

If you still haven't booked accommodation there are still rooms available onsite with our 'Glamping' http://www.trufflekerfuffle.com.au/whats-on/wa-wilderness-glamping-at-fontys-pool/

Pemberton Discovery Tours is a family run business, operating since October 1999 and with over 5000 fantastic tours under its belt.

The Beach & Forest Eco Adventure experience is well developed and has been highly recommended by tourism familiarisations to the area by our national and state tourism organisation over the past 10 years.

We have also been fortunate enough to be showcased on 8 different television programs including The Great Outdoors and Postcards WA (twice!) and have fantastic reviews on Trip Advisor, Facebook and other websites.

If you are coming to Pemberton by conventional 2WD vehicle, bus or hire car, this tour is the only way to access this amazing area.

The selection of questions and answers below are taken from experiences we have had in the shop and may assist you in deciding to take our AMAZING ADVENTURE!

F A Q 's

What do we bring?

Please bring your water (we have some onboard but it is inaccessible whilst we are driving). We do have water for sale at the shop and will happily fill any water bottles you may have in the car (check under the seat).

Also ensure you are wearing appropriate clothing and don’t forget your camera equipment/batteries, hat, sunscreen, bathers or umbrella (in season) and a sense of adventure!

Where do you meet, where do you park, how do we get in touch if we are running late?

Departure is from the Pemberton Discovery Shop - Located 'downtown' at 12 Brockman St Pemberton - next door to the Mill House Tearooms, opposite the road to the Pool and Caravan Park.

There is free parking in the street or down the side of the building. If you have a large van you can park in the Pemberton Sports Club Carpark.

Please contact us via phone on 08 9776 0484 or SMS my mobile 0427133335 if you are running late.

Tours duration and availability.

We endeavour to run tours will run with a minimum of 4 passengers, however this does depend on vehicle and guide availability.

Beach & Forest Eco Adventure runs from 9am - 1pm OR 2pm - 6pm

The Black Point tour runs for between 8 and 10 hours with a minimum of 4 passengers*

The only days we do not operate are Christmas Day (reopening 2pm Boxing Day)

Do you have a layout/tour itinerary available?

Yes, it is available to view on the individual tours - scroll down the page or .

STILL UNDECIDED TO JOIN US?

HERE ARE SOME OTHER REASONS…

We are only here for one night.

Great - we would love you to stay longer however what we offer you is something you will not be able to do yourself - complete with a guided view of the region. You may decide to do the tour as your special experience of Pemberton and you will not be disappointed.

If you are only in for one night, book in advance to grab a 2pm departure the day of arrival - otherwise if you choose a morning tour we can make sure you are back on the road, with a full tummy (ie lunch) 1pm.

If you decide not to join us - that's ok – grab a brochure and now you have a very good reason to return to Pemberton.

We always recommend joining us during Wildflower season – but love each and every season as they all offer a good reason to return to Pemberton.

We don’t do tours

Ok this is fair for personal reasons – however do you have the capacity of going out to the area’s we visit without taking a tour?

The tours are small in number and are not in the same category as tours who can take a larger number of people. Often once people who say this and have been persuaded to do the tour are so grateful they return every year to repeat the experience. So we hope we can change your mind!

We are the tour people who 'don't do tours' do!

It is too expensive

Based on comparison with equivalent tours, our clients often comment on the good value.

Our fees include National Park Entrance Fees (of $6.60 per person), delicious picnic Lunch or home made afternoon tea and the services of a professional and proficient guide for 4 hours including GST.

Small groups enable a very personalised aspect to the tour; and we are fully insured, accredited and licensed with the Department of Parks & Wildlife, Transport, Ecotourism Australia, Tourism Council Western Australia, Australia's South West, Pemberton Visitors Centre and Tourism WA.

So we hope this gives you a better understanding of our pricing.

We don’t have a 4WD

The tour seats up to 13 passengers in a heavily modified 4WD Arkana converted Landcruiser.

The vehicles uniqueness is often a topic of conversation. Our second vehicle is a Toyota Prado which can seat up to 4 adults or a family of 6.

So you don’t have to drive yourself... you hop onboard with us!

We have our own 4WD vehicle

We have found that 20% of people joining us onboard our vehicle have their own 4WD. They would prefer to park it up and join us onboard for the tour so they don’t damage their own vehicle and often means of transport home.

Alternatively have you considered a tag along tour? Our guided tag along tours are a great way to enjoy the great outdoors as part of a guided group. We offer UHF communications and have a compressor available. The tours have commentary and, based on the experience of the driver, some instruction and guidance on the different terrains. Perfect for someone with a new 4WD or for someone wanting to learn to drive a 4WD (ie teaching the wife to drive a 4WD –that happens a lot!).

We don’t do 4WD tours

We try hard not to be perceived as a 4WD adventure tour however the label sticks as it is the only vehicle that can get us into these parts of the national park.

We endeavour to offer an adventurous experience through terrain which is only accessible by 4WD.

The safety of our passengers, the environment and the life of our vehicles are too precious to us to destroy by careless actions….

Also the majority of our clients are doing the tour to see the sights and would not appreciate a purposely bumpy ride.

The kids are too young

Cameron, Kieran and even Georgia (our kids) have grown up on the tour – and from the age of 2 months they participated on the tours. We have found that young children tend to sleep on the bumpy bits :o)

We often have kites onboard and encourage the families to roll down the dunes and have fun in the beautiful clean sand.

Child seats are available for infants and juniors.

We do have family rates and are negotiable for infants off peak season.

Every family we have had onboard the tour has loved the trip as it offers time out for the adults as children are entertained.

Children are very welcome and LOVE the tour.

DEFINITELY A MUST DO WITH KIDS!

I or my children get car sick

We do tell people that it is a 4WD adventure although we are not out to throw the vehicles around the dunes, however sections are bumpy.

We advise people to medicate themselves for car sickness should they require it under normal situations.

However please let the guide know if you feel ill as they will arrange priority seating and extra stops to alleviate symptoms.

I have had back surgery/bad back.

We do not recommend the tour to people who have back surgery in general however have had a number of people over the past 17 years who have chosen to do the tour – one in particular said that his back was pulled back in!

Again the tour is not a ‘throw the vehicle around’ tour however sometimes the tracks are poorly maintained and the roads can be bumpy. Please advise the guide at time of booking and priority seating and extra stops can be arranged.

Seniors and Disabilities.

I am reminded of a tour which the 86 year old lady passenger said to Graeme “don’t worry I was young once too and I love a bit of excitement” If you are travelling this far from home to Pemberton then you are already out of their comfort zone <insert evil laugh here> and so the tour is suitable for you!

The terrain is not smooth – however we endeavour to ensure the safety and comfort of all our passengers.

The tours take in around 70km of national park which is considered inaccessible to the majority of visitors to the town and the seniors market is a large component of our business.

We recognise the largest draw card to seniors who do our tour is the price (it is good value with the $16 discount for seniors including lunch) and the small tour group size.

The tour groups are small, so we value all of our clients’ discussions, questions, input and experience to the tour so you don’t end up feeling like you are taking up the tour guides time.

We don’t speak English

The tour travels through 4 totally different terrains in as many hours and every international visitor we have had on our tour has enjoyed the experience.

We find they often returning to the shop and emailing home and friends photos they have taken on the tour.

Worried about safety

All vehicles are maintained in accordance with the Transport WA vehicle maintenance schedule.

All vehicles are fitted with a satellite phone, fire extinguisher and safety instructions should an event occur. All our guides are licensed with F class licences and hold current first aid certificates and are proficient drivers and guides.

What happens if it is raining

The locals say Pemberton rains 9 months of the year and drips off the trees the remaining three.

So every business in Pemberton caters for wet weather.

Our tours depart daily all year round – the scenery and experience differs greatly during wet weather with some amazing opportunities for photography.

We have found that our tours during wet weather offer our clients the opportunity to witness raw nature at work and it can be a very emotive experience.

We do carry umbrellas onboard and ask our clients to wear appropriate clothing and footwear.

We would like to fish

Fishing is no longer available unless booked as a private tour.

We like to travel during quiet times.

During quiet times we have found our percentage of small groups increases. This is mainly because the type of traveller changes – often people coming during the quiet times are more likely to take a guided tour than people heading down for a quick break. – it is really beautiful having the place to yourselves. Also often if people get a good deal on accommodation they have funds available for tours and meals out.

We will miss out on hay ride (etc)

Under different circumstances, pick up can be from selected accommodation (ie at 9.15am for the Pumphill hay ride, from a restaurant for a special birthday breakfast, from an accommodation place for a large group booking or the caravan park if you have a motor home or are without transport) so let us know when booking.

We would like a private booking or full day tour

Private group bookings are available, couples and singles are encouraged to join the normal tour however private rates are available on all tours.

Let us know if you wish to do something out of the norm – it is normally not a problem to organise the tour for your private group.

Spring is everywhere we look…

The tightly budded flowers are hinting at a fabulous display for this 2015.

Further south, where the fires hit Northcliffe, there are wonders to be seen with the bushfire reaching places which had never seen fire in many years.

The orchids and tiny spectacular plants that make this region their home are coming out in all their glory.

The ‘Blooming Wild’ festival will be held in the region this September, October and November and is a wonderful time to visit.

Be prepared to see the forest dressed in all her glory!

Yeagarup Dunes in D’Entrecasteaux National Park is a mobile system of aeolian (wind blown) dunes currently moving inland at a rate of 4 metres a year.

This coastline experiences an annual cycle of sand being removed from the beaches over the stormy autumn to spring seasons during big swells and a slow, gradual beach building with sand being redeposited over the summer months.

During the last Ice Age, which occurred from approximately 25,000 to 8,000 years ago, the northern hemisphere was completely encased in ice. The southern hemisphere wasn’t so badly affected but the climate became much drier and windier than today.

Along the D’Entrecasteaux National Park coastline there was an extra 30 kilometres of land as the sea level had receded dramatically with water being taken up in ice in the northern hemisphere. Throughout the southern hemisphere, sand was deposited along the new coastline and the sand was piled up into massive dune systems by the winds.

When the Ice Age ended, the sea level rose and submerged much of the coastline. The Yeagarup Dune system was too large to be swallowed by the ocean and over the past 12,000 – 8,000 years has been blown further inland by the winds.

The prevailing winds through the area are generally south-westerly and are moving the dunes in a north-easterly direction. The high rainfall of the area (currently around 1100 mm annually) helps to pack the sand down and prevents it from moving more rapidly.

Over Summer/early autumn when the area receives lower rainfall levels the winds tend to be from the north or north-east, pushing the dunes back onto themselves slightly. The sand has a high silica content and the grains pack down tightly, forming high ridges along the top of the parabolic dunes. These ridges will eventually reach a critical point and then fall, creating drifts of soft sand at the base of the dune.

Along the inland face, the dunes are progressing over Jarrah/Marri forests growing on old established, stabilised sand deposits and changing wetlands. Naenup Swamp, which is evident on old historic maps of the area, has almost completely disappeared. A large dune has been approaching Little Yeagarup Lake and has forced the water to push further to the north, doubling the surface area of the lake over the past couple of years.

Yeagarup Dunes is currently 8 kilometres inland from the coast and coastal heathland vegetation has encroached behind it. Throughout the dunes, old Jarrah stumps are being re-exposed after being buried for thousands of years as the sand moves through.

Pemberton Discovery Tours have been visiting the Dunes since 1999 and offer a safe and easy way to enjoy this unique National Park.

Sources: Shannon and D’Entrecasteaux National Parks Management Plan No. 71 2012, Department of Environment and Conservation, Conservation Commission Western Australia. Geology of Western Australia’s National Parks – 2nd Edition, Peter Lane, 2011