Nannup, the Garden Village

Nannup is the first of the towns you encounter on the Golden Triangle when arriving from Margaret River, and it sets the theme for the rest of them.

The first impression one gets from the well cared for gardens is that people care about this town.

In spring and summer the flowers are almost overwhelming and at times tulips and other flowers are grown in roadside boxes, complimenting the private gardens.

The town, founded in 1834, has a population of about 1200 and it has benefited from a stable economy and a lack of development that in other south west towns has totally changed their character.

The desire for many city people for a seachange (or in this case a treechange) has brought a renewed popularity to the town and several special rural subdivisions have been opened up.

Timber and dairying were the backbone of Nannup in its earlier days, but the decline in both these industries has been replaced in part by tourism, while timber still remains a major industry.

The vast majority of the shire is forested (85 per cent). A reasonably predictable good rainfall and climate provides ideal conditions for a wide range of agricultural activities, including dairying, beef cattle, horticulture, aquaculture, agroforestry, viticulture and hobby farming.

A number of nature and recreational reserves surrounds the town and environment and heritage issues play a big part in the community’s culture.

Things To Do/Activities

The many National Parks surrounding Nannup have a variety of nature-based activities.  Information may be obtained from the tourist office located in the main street. 

Walking, canoeing, swimming, mountain bike riding, fishing, 4WD activities, bird watching and camping all feature along with simply exploring the magnificent forest areas.

Wander the main street of Nannup.  Filled with flowers for the majority of the year the quaint cafes, restaurants and shops are a pleasant way to relax without having to go too far.  The Arboretum at the end of this street is also nestled on a lovely bend in the Blackwood River at Foreshore Park.

A section of the 900km long off-road cycle track near Nannup called Munda Biddi is nearing completion and is expected to be opened in February 08. A side track section was opened in December 17. For more information: http://www.mundabiddi.org.au/