New Wheels, Same Adventure:

Big news from the forest floor — we’ve expanded our tour vehicle fleet!

Thanks to funding support from the Native Forest Transition Program, we’ve been able to convert a third 4WD vehicle, nicknamed "Hyena", into a comfortable and capable bus-style addition to our fleet. With this new tour vehicle arrival, Pemberton Discovery Tours can now carry up to 30 passengers across three 4WD vehicles — making it even easier to accommodate families, private groups, and small coach series looking for a seamless off-road experience in the Southern Forests & Valleys.

The Native Forest Transition grant has allowed us to invest in this conversion so we can continue to deliver our Beach & Forest Eco Adventure and other nature-based tours at a high standard — even as demand grows. The funding recognises the importance of tourism in regional communities like ours, especially as the local economy adapts to the end of large-scale native forest logging.

Our new "Hyena" bus joins our rugged 4WD fleet to access the iconic Yeagarup Dunes, towering Karri forests and the wild coastline inside D'Entrecasteaux and Warren National Parks. As with all our vehicles, guests will enjoy a small-group, interpretive experience with one of our expert local guides — including picnic lunch, wildlife spotting, and unforgettable moments by the Southern Ocean.

This upgrade helps us offer even more flexibility for group charters, trade-ready products, and accessibility planning going forward. It also gives us the capacity to better support peak season visitation and collaborative packages with other local operators.

We’d like to thank the Western Australian Government’s Native Forest Transition Program for making this possible and for supporting businesses like ours to continue delivering low-impact, high-quality nature tourism in regional WA.

What this means — and how we’re delivering on our commitment

The Native Forest Transition grant was designed to help local businesses diversify and adapt following the end of native forest logging in WA. For us, that meant an opportunity to strengthen our nature-based tourism offering, increase tour capacity, and improve access to the D'Entrecasteaux and Warren National Parks — two of the most significant natural areas affected by the transition.

Here’s what we’ve done:

• Converted a Toyota HiAce into a 4WD tour-ready bus, custom built to suit the off-road conditions of Yeagarup and the Southern Forests region. This vehicle, affectionately named “Hyena”, is fitted for comfort and performance.

• Expanded our tour fleet to three 4WD vehicles, enabling us to seat up to 30 passengers across group tours, perfect for private charters, group bookings, educational experiences and more.

• Maintained our high standard of interpretation and environmental care, ensuring all guests continue to receive small-group attention and meaningful insights from our accredited guides.

• Collaborated with other local operators and regional tourism providers, strengthening Pemberton’s offering as a hub for authentic, low-impact experiences in the South West.

And here’s how we’ll continue to honour this support:

• By actively promoting ecotourism and conservation values in our experiences.

• By offering employment and training pathways in nature-based guiding and tourism for our region.

• By ensuring our vehicles and business continue to operate with minimal environmental impact, aligned with our Advanced Ecotourism Certification.

• By maintaining our role as a regional ambassador and sharing stories of this unique corner of WA with visitors from around the world.

This investment is not just about a vehicle — it's about the future of nature tourism in the Southern Forests, and we’re proud to be part of that journey.