Mount Barker Albany

Article by: Elizabeth
Last updated: Tuesday, 11-Jul-2006 00:00:00 CEST

Mount Barker, 45 minutes' drive northwest of Albany was once known for its apples. Today it is involved in sheep and cattle farming and is famous for its wildflowers and wineries. Mount Barker is situated in the centre of the Great Southern Wine Region. The Great Southern has become a major wine producing area, since the first vine was planted back in 1967. All major grape varieties are grown and Mount Barker is a great base to tour the wine cellars, which are open to the public for tastings.

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Mount Barker is an ideal holiday centre with ample shopping and recreation facilities within easy reach of the spectacular southern coastline, Albany, Denmark, and the Stirling and Porongurup Ranges.

There is plentiful accommodation including hotels, motels, self contained cottages, bed and breakfast, a caravan park and backpacker facilities.

Was once known for its apples. Today it is involved in sheep and cattle farming and is famous for its wildflowers and wineries.

Mount Barker is situated in the centre of the Great Southern Wine Region. The Great Southern has become a major wine producing area, since the first vine was planted back in 1967. All major grape varieties are grown and Mount Barker is a great base to tour the wine cellars, which are open to the public for tastings.

Mount Barker is an ideal holiday centre with ample shopping and recreation facilities within easy reach of the spectacular southern coastline, Albany, Denmark, and the Stirling Ranges and Porongurup Ranges.

There is plentiful accommodation including hotels, motels, self contained cottages, bed and breakfast, a caravan park and backpacker facilities.

Mt Barker is a pretty town, north from the coastal town of Albany. There are fantastic views over the surrounding landscape from the Mt Barker Lookout, which is worth stopping at. Mt Barker is also known for its numerous wineries, which are situated around the town, and the wonderful Mt Barker Wine Festival held each year in February.

Around the town there are a number of places worth visiting, including the Banksia Farm, the interesting Old Police Station Museum, and the St Werburgh's Chapel.

Any visit to Mt Barker wouldn't be the same without a visit north to the fabulous Porongurup National Park and Stirling Range National Park. There are a couple of wonderful scenic drives throughout the parks which are amazing. There is also some truly beautiful flora within the parks, including the pretty Stirling Bells.

Both National Parks also offer some fantastic bushwalks through the parks and climbs up the various mountain peaks. Walks within the Porongurup National Park include (in order of time) the Tree in the Rock Walk, Castle Rock Walk, Devils Slide Walk, Marmabup Walk, Haywards Peak Walk and Nancy Peak Walk. Walks within the Stirling Range National Park include Bluff Knoll Peak which is the highest in the Stirling Range, Toll Peak where you will see some picturesque Western Australia Wildflowers, and Toolbrunup Peak which offers amazing landscape views.

Mt Barker, Porongurup, and the Stirling Range all offer a number of places to stay and once you enter the beauty of the wilderness you won't want to leave. Camping is also allowed within the Stirling Range National Park, which is a good option if you want to do several of the bushwalks.