Eastern Wheatbelt Self Drive Trail

Tammin

Your journey along the Eastern Wheatbelt self-drive trail starts in Tammin, 184km or 2 hours east of Perth along the Great Eastern Highway. In Tammin you will find the Kadjininy Kep Tammin Hydrology Model and Amphitheatre, located at the Memorial Park on the corner of Great Eastern Highway and Booth Street. The model demonstrates how salinity impacts the Wheatbelt landscape. Shaded grassed areas with BBQ facilities and a playground make this a perfect place to stop for a picnic with public toilets available at the rear of the Shire Office.

From town travel 26km North to Yorkrakine Rock, a solid granite outcrop surrounded by native flora. Follow the walk trail up and over the rock where you’ll find gnamma holes, pockets of vegetation, and sweeping views of the surrounding landscape.

Yorkrakine Rock, is a sacred Aboriginal Women’s birthing place and also part of a beedawang (initiation journey) songline. The songline starts in Perth and travels eastward to Yorkrakine Rock and then follows the Salt Lake systems and granite outcrops to Wave Rock.

Retrace your steps back toward town and continue on 14kms south to Charles Gardner Reserve. The 600 hectares of natural vegetation contains a wide variety of wildflowers and understorey, some of which are unique to the region.

Kellerberrin

Just 22km east of Tammin is the townsite of Kellerberrin, a charming regional community steeped in a vibrant history dating back from its Indigenous people to European pioneers. One of the best ways to see the main sites of the town is to follow the Kellerberrin Heritage Trail. Commencing at the Pioneer Museum on Leake Street with its interesting array of local memorabilia, the trail takes in excellent examples of 19th and early 20th century architecture at the flour mill, post office, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Massingham House and the fire station.

You can pick up a trail map from the Shire office or Community Resource Centre. For spectacular views of the town and surrounding landscape, head up to the Kellerberrin Hill Lookout. With a range of accommodation options, Kellerberrin is a great spot to stop for the night before continuing your Eastern Wheatbelt adventure along the Granite Way toward Bruce Rock. The Granite Way is a 60km self-drive trail that takes visitors to some of the most impressive granite rocks in the Wheatbelt including Mount Caroline and Mount Stirling, both of which are located approximately 20km south of Kellerberrin.

Accommodation options: Mather Farm

Bruce Rock

Travelling from Kellerberrin along the Granite Way you will reach Kokerbin Rock, the third largest monolith in Australia. Drive to the top for sweeping views over the countryside, or park at the base and walk to the peak, taking in the native flora and fauna and Devil’s Marbles.

Nearby at Kwolyin, is a free camp site with toilets, camp kitchen and picnic shelters. The Kwolyin loop trails take visitors through bushland, across Coarin Rock and a walk along the old railway line. Visitors can also take a stroll around the old town site and learn more of its history from the interpretive signage.

On your drive toward the town of Bruce Rock, stop in at Shackleton to see Australia’s smallest bank. Once you arrive in Bruce Rock take a stroll along the Centennial Mosaic Pathway located on Johnson Street, visit the Bruce Rock Museum (where you will find an original one-room school house and replica mudbrick settlers’ cottage) and Machinery Museum.

Then meander through the beautifully landscaped grounds of Remembrance Park, which features memorials, sculptures and artworks designed to depict the theme of war and peace.

Merredin

As you drive toward Merredin from Bruce Rock you will come across Totadgin Conservation Park, a National Trust Heritage Site, where you will find a granite outcrop with a similar wave formation to Wave Rock. As the regional hub of the Eastern Wheatbelt, Merredin has a good selection of accommodation and meal options and is a great choice to spend the second night on the drive trail.

While in Merredin visit Cummins Theatre which is steeped in local history and hosts high quality performances year-round. Also in town you can explore Merredin’s Railway and Military Museums or take a quick drive 3km west of town to view one of the Public Silo Trail sites. Merredin Peak Reserve and Railway Dam, located 1km northeast of town is a popular picnic spot and overnight camp for self-contained RVs. A walking trail with interpretive signage explaining the early catchment scheme and water pipeline leads to the top of the peak which provides 360 degrees view of Merredin and surrounds.

Adjacent to Merredin Peak is a short self-drive trail to the remains of the World War II Army Hospital site, one of many historic military installations dotted throughout the region as reminders of Merredin’s role as the second line of defence.

Accommodation options: Merredin Motel & Gumtree Restaurant, Merredin Tourist Park, Barking Salmon Farmstay

Westonia

Westonia came into existence with the discovery of gold in 1910. The most striking thing about Westonia is its unique charm and natural surroundings, nestled amongst 5,600ha of salmon gum, morrell and gimlet woodland interspersed with granite outcrops and remnants of the town’s gold mining history.

The main street features charming façades of the original bank and other historic buildings such as the café, hotel, fire station, boarding house, and greengrocer, as they were back in the 1920’s. The Westonia Hood-Penn Museum, located on Wolfram Street, showcases early life in the shire, including a mine tunnel and blast simulation. The Edna May Mine Lookout, located 1km north of town, offers views over a working gold mine.

Continue your drive approximately 10km north of town and you will find Sandford Rocks Nature Reserve. Experience the granite outcrop, wildflowers scrub and woodland, this area is a must do for bird and wildflower enthusiasts.

Your final stop in the Westonia Shire is Baladjie Rock, an extensive granite outcrop in an attractive woodland setting adjacent to Lake Baladjie. Climb the rock for a spectacular view of the lake before making the 55km drive south-east to Southern Cross. Enjoy sunset with panoramic views of the town, surrounding farmland and goldmines from Wimmera Hill Lookout.

Accommodation Options: Nulla Nulla Farm Retreat, Southern Cross Caravan Park

Southern Cross

Southern Cross was named after the stars that guided early prospectors to their gold find. It’s surrounded by some of the largest farms in Western Australia and stands at the western gateway to the world’s largest and healthiest temperate woodland; the Great Western Woodlands.

Start your day early with a drive 34km south of town to Frog Rock Nature Reserve. Here you will find beautiful wildflowers in the spring with a wave-like rock formation and dam at the base of the rock. From Frog Rock you can make the journey back to Southern Cross and take in the Yilgarn History Museum open daily, for a glimpse of the rich history of the area. Or if time permits, travel east to Karalee Dam, approximately 55km east of Southern Cross to see the natural reservoir that was adapted to maximise the catchment, delivery and storage of rainwater essential to railway development in the Goldfields region.

From here make your way back to Perth along the Great Eastern Highway, or detour down the Pioneers' Pathway that begins in Merredin.