Distance from Perth: 173km ( 1 hour 52 minutes)
Known for:Â Wineries. Amazing vistas. Gnomesville.
Experience the rolling hills of Ferguson Valley, which begins in Dardanup. Spend a morning wine tasting at boutique cellar doors, hiking or mountain biking in Wellington Forest National Park and stop by Black Diamond Lake near Collie for a view of turquoise waters. Pack a picnic with fresh produce to be enjoyed at Honeymoon Pool, where you can take a dip or kayak down the Collie River.
Flowing rivers, leisurely bushwalking and ample picnic spots await in Wellington National Park, just two hours south of Perth. The central point is the Wellington Dam, where you'll find the largest mural on a dam wall in the world. Surrounded by jarrah, marri and blackbutt forests, over 300 species of wildflowers bloom in the park during spring. Canoeing and watersports at Honeymoon Pool and Potters Gorge are also popular.
The Wellington Dam is home to the largest outdoor art mural on a dam wall in the world. Painted by artist Guido Van Helten, this massive piece at 8,000sqm is one to marvel at. You'll find it on the Collie Mural Trail.
Take a picnic hamper or go for a swim at Honeymoon Pool in the Wellington Forest National Park. Here, the cool, crisp waters of the Collie River are shaded by an overhanging canopy of peppermint trees. Soak up the sun on the wooden platform, wander the trails along the banks of the river, or explore by water on the kayak trail.
The beautiful Black Diamond Lake has risen to Instagram fame due to its vibrant colour. The viral popularity of a picturesque isolated swimming hole on social media has led to a tourism boom at a West Australian lake that is inside an abandoned mine.You might have seen images of swimmers floating peacefully on an aqua lake so bright in colour, it looks digitally enhanced. Don't forget to bring your inflatable floaty toys!Black Diamond Lake is an abandoned mine site south of Perth. The lake filled with water after it was decommissioned in the 1950s and has been a popular swimming hole for locals ever since.The town of Collie is only 5 kilometres south-east of the lake, so make sure to drop in for a bite to eat, do a bit of shopping and check out the visitor information centre to find out what else you can get up to in Collie.There have also been water quality issues and signage has been erected to warn swimmers when dangerous levels of bacteria are present in the water. So make sure to read these signs before you head on in.
