The Great Southern is still one of WA’s favourite holiday destinations for families. Wide-open spaces, pristine forests, giant trees and stunning coastline provide endless opportunity for hours of entertainment away from the screens. We’ve put together a guide to kid’s activities from Walpole and Denmark to Albany, so you’ll have plenty of day trips up your sleeve to keep the kids entertained.
Denmark Animal Farm
Denmark Animal Farm
Get the camera ready, as the little ones will be able to hand feed cute farm animals and cuddle baby rabbits and guinea pigs at Denmark’s Animal Farm.
You can get up close to alpacas, joeys, emus and even camels, and hand feed them pellets supplied with upon entry. It’s a very personal experience, as most of the time you can actually go inside the enclosures. At 3pm each day you can help bottle feed the baby lambs, goats and calves.
Once you’re finished (if you can ever pry the kids away from the cuddly animals), you can pay a visit to the gift shop, where you’ll find artwork by WA artist Wendy Binks, and clothes and accessories made from soft Alpaca wool.
Details:
9840 9262 Open daily 10am to 4pm. Website
Denmark Dinosaur World
Denmark Dinosaur World
Located about halfway between Denmark and Walpole, Dinosaur World is sure to be a memorable experience for both kids and adults. If you’re scared of snakes, this is the perfect opportunity for you to face your fears, as you can choose to have a friendly python draped around your body, or even a lizard perched upon your head. Make sure you are around at 11am and 2pm for the reptile handling, and definitely bring a camera.
There are dinosaur exhibitions in the form of skeletons and large animatronic models in the Dinosaur Shed, and outside you can play with friendly birds and kangaroos in the Bird Park.
Details:
9840 8335 Open 10am-4pm from May to September, and 9.30am-4.30pm October to April Website
Valley of the Giants
The Tree Top Walk
You have probably heard of the Tree Top Walk in Walpole’s Valley of the Giants, and if you haven’t been, it’s definitely worth a trip. Boardwalks 40m high meander through the canopies of the ancient tingle trees, giving you and the kids a pretty unique experience amidst the tree-tops. The walk is suitable for all ages and is accessible for strollers or wheelchairs.
Afterwards, enjoy the Ancient Empire Walk on the forest floor and the Discovery Centre.
The Tree Top Walk is 20km from Walpole and about 50km west of Denmark, branching off South Coast Hwy. It makes for a great day trip if you’re staying within the region, or a pitstop if you’re heading back to Perth via Walpole and Manjimup.
Details:
9840 8263 Open daily from 9am to 5pm (the last ticket sale is at 4.15pm) Website
Albany Indoor Adventure
Albany Indoor Adventures
With five fun activities inside the Indoor Adventures facility, the kids will be occupied for hours. Try rock climbing, a ninja obstacle course, an adventure playground for kids under 12, mini golf and a children’s workshop, where they can get involved in some DIY projects.
The Unhinge the Ninja obstacle course was designed and built by an Albany man who had a stint Australia’s Ninja Warrior TV show. Kids aged 10 and over can attempt the warped wall, salmon ladder and cliff-hanger. The younger ones can run wild at the Monkey Bunker, a junior ninja course built around a large timber submarine. Otherwise try Boulder Island, a multi-walled climbing island for indoor bouldering. A few hours at Indoor Adventures is bound to tire the kids out!
Sessions for all activities except mini golf run for 1.5 hours and bookings can be made through their website.
Details:
0419 333 156 Open Tues, Wed, Fri 9am – 6:45pm; Thursday 9am – 7:15pm; Saturday 9am – 5:30pm; Sunday 10am – 4:45pm.
Segway tours at the Old Marron Farm
The Old Marron Farm
Half an hour east of Albany is the Old Marron Farm, a family-friendly venue where you can pet farm animals and wander through a large aviary at their Bird and Animal park. Afterwards, sit back and enjoy a farm-fresh lunch at the Nippers Café.
The perfect setting to try marron or yabbies, their menu serves up freshwater crayfish on tasting plates, pizzas, or simply barbequed with flavoured butter. Their seafood, along with smoked trout, are all grown on their farm, providing a fresh as can be ocean-to-plate experience. There are also non-seafood options, including cakes, toasted sandwiches and a kid’s menu.
Albany Segway Tours also run a cross country ride on their two-wheeled electronic ‘bikes’, which goes through the open fields and bushland of the Old Marron Farm. Still suitable for the older kids, give the Marron Farm a call for inquiries and bookings.
Details:
9846 4239 Open Wednesday to Sunday from 10am-4pm, and every day during the school holidays. Website
Bartholomews Meadery
Bartholomew’s Meadery
The most impressive thing about Denmark’s honey meadery is their glass beehive, where you and the kids can admire the busy worker bees and try to spot the allusive queen bee.
Their delicious honey is available for sampling, all produced from hives in the region’s pristine forest. Their honey ice-cream is sweet and creamy, combined with popular flavours such as chocolate, passionfruit and banana. It is the perfect treat after visiting Greens Pool, which is only five minutes up the road.
While the kids are occupied by their sweet treats, take the opportunity to try the honey mead – a bottle makes a great local gift for loved ones back home!
Details:
9840 9349 Open 7 days from 9.30am- 4.30pm, with extended hours of 9am-5pm during school holidays. Website
Denmark Thrills Adventure Park
Denmark Thrills Adventure Park
As well as being home to ropes courses, a flying fox and harnessed tree climbing, Denmark’s Thrills Adventure Park is now the place to try Globe Riding, a must-do activity for thrill-seekers. Essentially, you get inside a large ball filled with water, and roll down scenic hills on a purpose-built track. It is apparently home to the longest Globe Riding track in the world, and they claim to have the only of its kind in Australia.
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Keep up to date with their opening dates and times on their Facebook page.
Details:
0434 070 434 Website
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