While farmers like us at Diamond Forest Farm Stay will often pray for rain, holiday makers are almost always praying for a beautiful sunny day. You’re on holidays. You want to get out and about, explore the area you’ve come to visit and the last thing you want is rain to spoil your visit right? Well…not always.
Some places are at their most spectacular when it’s raining. So put on a raincoat and some wellies and get out and about this winter and visit these Southern Forest’s attractions when they are at their best.
Beedelup Falls can be found just 20 minutes from Pemberton in the Beedelup National Park. It’s a beautiful spot to visit at any time of the year but in winter, when it’s been raining, the falls are in full flow and at their best. There is a 300m access trail to the falls with a fantastic lookout point at the top of the falls. Or take a bit of a bush walk and do the 4.5km loop walk that will take you down the side of the falls, with ample opportunity for some great holiday snaps, and then across the base of the falls on the swinging bridge. Enjoy the peace of the forest and flowing water among the Karri, Jarrah and Marri trees.
A set of rocky rapids among the Karri trees just 8km South of Pemberton is the Cascades. In summer Lefroy Brook is a gentle flow but winter rains make the Cascades a real spectacle to see. Take the 1.2km Lefroy Brook Loop walk or try to spot the Pouched Lampreys. Lampreys are an eel-like creature that migrate from the ocean up into Lefroy Brook in winter to breed. They have a suction-like mouth and a tongue like a round chainsaw but are harmless to humans. You can see them congregating at obstacles like the Cascade rapids.
Further South just 40km North of Walpole is Fernhook Falls in the Mt Frankland National Park. Fernhook Falls is located along Deep River which is one of the major Tributaries of the Walpole and Nornalup Inlets. The view at Fernhook Falls is entirely dependent on the seasons. In summer Deep River can slow right down to a trickle but with the winter rains Deep River is a torrent of water rushing over granite boulders creating whitewash and foam. In winter natural bubbles can be seen due to the high water flow which is result of the Saponin in the water. Saponin comes from plants as they break down in the river. The rushing water churns the saponin and creates froth and bubbles.
So don’t let the rain put you off. Some of our attractions in the Southern Forests are at their best when the weather isn’t. And once you’ve finished exploring for the day you can stop in at one of our many great wineries, cafes or breweries, enjoy some good food, good wine and warm up in front of a raging fire. What more could you ask for from a holiday??