Great Southern
Search across Great Southern
The Great Southern unfolds across Western Australia's lower reaches like a geological textbook written in granite and karri. This is where the continent's southwestern corner begins its slow descent toward the Southern Ocean, creating a landscape of abrupt transitions: wheat fields that terminate at towering forests, granite peaks that rise from farmland, and rivers that carve deep valleys before meeting wild coastlines. Albany anchors the region's eastern edge, its harbour sheltered by the same headlands that once provided the last glimpse of Australia for departing ANZAC troops. Denmark sits where the Denmark River meets Wilson Inlet, surrounded by karri forests that tower over small farms and emerging vineyards. Mount Barker occupies the region's elevated interior, its undulating countryside now stitched with vine rows where sheep once grazed. The wine revolution that began here in the 1970s has matured into something more nuanced than mere viticulture. Alkoomi Wines, established by the Lange family near Frankland River, demonstrates the region's capacity for both riesling and cabernet sauvignon—an unusual pairing that speaks to the complexity of local microclimates. Forest Hill Vineyard produces elegant pinot noir from Denmark's cooler pockets, while Harewood Estate near Denmark focuses on single-vineyard expressions that reflect their specific slice of granite-over-clay country. These aren't vanity projects or corporate ventures; they represent farming families who recognised that their marginal sheep country might excel at something entirely different.
Best time to visit
With a cool-climate wine focus and cellar doors dotted through small inland towns, the vintage months around autumn tend to bring the most activity to the wine trail, while the coastal karri forest walking track and open-air heritage sites are more comfortable outside the height of summer. Winter brings a quieter, slower rhythm to the small-batch producers.
What sets it apart
The concentration of small-batch wine, spirits and cider producers alongside a deep bench of craft makers — woodworkers, jewellers, ceramicists, textile studios — sets this region apart from areas built around dining or retail. That balance, spread across Albany and a ring of small wine towns including Denmark, Porongurup, Frankland River and Mount Barker, plus a heritage layer of museums and historic precincts, indicates a place where production and craft outweigh hospitality infrastructure. Accommodation, food service and shopping barely register by comparison, which is itself telling.
At a glance
- 80 places
- 27 towns & localities
- ≈ 400 km from Perth
Where to start
Generated from 79 verified listings · Last updated 6 July 2026
Towns & localities
Highlights
A selection of standout places across Great Southern
Wild Forest Studio
Wild Forest Studio operates as an online-first jewellery and metalwork…
RestThe Lily
Pleun and Hennie Hitzert built a five-storey 16th-century-design Dutch…
TablePawprint Chocolate
Yael Angwin makes chocolate in Denmark, finishing an Australian-made base with…
CultureButter Factory Studios
An artist-run cooperative gallery in Denmark's old butter factory, on the Mount…
Small BatchRickety Gate Estate Wines
A family-owned estate winery on the Scotsdale Road tourist route west of…
CornerPaperbark Merchants
An independent bookshop on York Street in Albany, carrying books, magazines,…
Small Batch
Alkoomi Wines
Frankland River, WA
Four generations of farming Frankland River, more than 50 years of grape-growing. Alkoomi runs two…
Barrel Farm
Albany, WA
On the grassy edge of a dam outside Albany, Barrel Farm operates as winery, brewery and restaurant…
Bartholomews Meadery
Denmark, WA
This Denmark-based meadery crafts traditional honey wines using time-honored techniques. With a…
Boston Brewing Co.
Hay, WA
A comprehensive brewery, winery, and cidery offering beer, wine, and cider all in one location.…
Culture
Albany Heritage Park
Albany, WA
Albany Heritage Park explores themes of military, colonial history, architecture. Core activities…
Albany Historic Precinct
Albany, WA
Albany's heritage precinct preserves the oldest European settlement in Western Australia, founded…
Butter Factory Studios
Denmark, WA
An artist-run cooperative gallery in Denmark's old butter factory, on the Mount Shadforth scenic…
Denmark Heritage Rail Bridge & Museum
Denmark, WA
Denmark Heritage Rail Bridge & Museum is a heritage-listed museum in Denmark, WA. The museum…
Craft
Akoya Jewellery
Albany, WA
Sterling silver and gold set with local Akoya shells, freshwater pearls, and gemstones — each piece…
Artisan Soap Works
Albany, WA
Katy started making soap in Albany after commercial products irritated her family's sensitive skin.…
ASARA Jewellery
Albany, WA
ASARA Jewellery brings refined metalwork and contemporary design to York Street in Perth, where…
Bathroom Decor & Tiles
Centennial Park, WA
Bathroom Decor & Tiles in Albany, WA showcases the beautiful intersection of functional ceramics…
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