Great Southern
Nº 69 · 35.0°S 117.8°E · Perth 400 km
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.
Where to start
Generated from 79 verified listings · Last updated 6 July 2026
In season · October
- Cherry harvestProduceOctober–February · Australian season; local picking is usually shorter
Ladders down the rows, and fruit that will not wait — cherries are picked by hand and sold within days.
Source - WildflowersLandscapeJune–November
Ground that reads as scrub for most of the year turns over to colour, then goes back.
Source
Towns & localities
Guides to Great Southern
Wine regions in Great Southern
Geographical Indications — the legal names a wine may carry. Each number is the producers on the Atlas here, placed inside the GI by their own coordinates.
Highlights
A selection of standout places across Great Southern
Ardess Nursery
On Chesterpass Road on the edge of Albany, this is understood to be the only…
Places to stayThe Floating Forest
A floating forest above it all. One of the most enchanting hideaways in the…
Food & diningRavens Coffee
A specialty coffee roaster and cafe at the western edge of Denmark's main…
MakersSouth Coast WoodWorks Gallery
South Coast WoodWorks Gallery celebrates the enduring craft of wood and…
NatureTwo Peoples Bay Nature Reserve
East of Albany on the wild south coast, Two Peoples Bay protects a curve of…
Museums & galleriesButter Factory Studios
An artist-run cooperative gallery in Denmark's old butter factory, on the Mount…
Wine & spirits
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
A meadery in Denmark, in Western Australia's Great Southern, making honey wines by traditional…
Boston Brewing Co.
Hay, WA
A comprehensive brewery, winery, and cidery offering beer, wine, and cider all in one location.…
Cannabis Botanical Distillery
Ocean Beach, WA
On a family farm at Raintree, Denmark, bordered by William Bay National Park, Cannabis Botanical…
Castelli Estate
Denmark, WA
Proudly family-owned since 2007, this Denmark winery honours Italian winemaking heritage while…
Castle Rock Estate
Porongurup, WA
Angelo Diletti moved his family to Albany in 1980 for a nursing directorship and ended up planting…
Denmark Good Food Factory
William Bay, WA
Jon and Gill Atkinson have been running this rural William Bay property since 1990, accumulating…
Ducketts Mill Wines & Denmark Farmhouse Cheese
Denmark, WA
Twenty years in, Ducketts Mill is still making the case for Denmark as wine country. The Late…
Duke's Vineyard
Porongurup, WA
Ten hectares at the western foot of the Porongurup range, planted in 1999 to Riesling, Cabernet…
Dune Beer Co
Collingwood Park, WA
Dune Beer Co sits at 245 Emu Point Drive, its low-slung building reading as part of the wetland…
Ferngrove Wines
Frankland River, WA
Three vineyards — the Home Block, Vintage Park, and Ferndale — spread across Frankland River, 360km…
Museums & galleries
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…
Denmark Historical Museum
Denmark, WA
Denmark Historical Museum explores the heritage of one of WA's most scenic regions — from the…
Museum of the Great Southern
Albany, WA
Albany's regional arm of the Western Australian Museum — over 120 years old as an institution —…
National Anzac Centre
Albany, WA
Opened in November 2014, this Albany museum sits above King George Sound — the exact water from…
Vancouver Arts Centre
Albany, WA
Albany's Vancouver Arts Centre runs workshops for adults and kids, hosts exhibitions, and keeps an…
WA Museum Albany
Albany, WA
The former Resident Magistrate's premises in Albany's historic precinct house this outpost of the…
Makers
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
A jewellery shop at 171 York Street in Albany, stocking Australian-designed pieces alongside…
Bathroom Decor & Tiles
Centennial Park, WA
A display centre on Lockyer Avenue in Albany's Centennial Park, stocking Australian-made bathroom,…
Blush Retail Gallery
Albany, WA
York House on Albany's main street has held Blush Retail Gallery since July 2018. The heritage…
Corr Art
Mira Mar, WA
Cynthia Orr grew up sharing a kitchen table with seven siblings, stealing moments to paint before…
David Brodziak Custom Knives
Albany, WA
David Brodziak has made custom knives in Albany, on Western Australia's south coast, for more than…
Designer Dirt
Walmsley, WA
Ian welds life-sized cattle and three-metre flowers from scrap steel; Jane cuts fine art from…
Elsie Gray's
Mount Melville, WA
On Albany Highway in Mount Melville, Elsie Gray's stocks Tilda, Liberty Lasenby, and French General…
Euro Trend Kitchens & Furniture
Centennial Park, WA
Euro Trend Kitchens & Furniture operates from Sanford Road, Western Australia, as a comprehensive…
Fatty and Wonk Vintage
Albany, WA
Albany-based Fatty and Wonk deals in antique and vintage jewellery and ceramics, with stock…
Frenchman Bay Woodworks
Albany, WA
Allan Gledson makes custom furniture in Albany, Western Australia — clean lines, minimal joinery,…
Places to stay
31 on the Terrace
Denmark, WA
Aiyana Retreat
Denmark, WA
In the bushland above Denmark on WA's Great Southern coast, four self-contained villas sit among…
Chimes Spa Retreat
Denmark, WA
High on Mount Shadforth Road above Denmark, in Western Australia's Great Southern, ten suites look…
Denmark Forest Retreat
Denmark, WA
Thirteen acres of bushland just outside Denmark, on WA's south coast, hold a small collection of…
Denmark Hotel - The Lodge
Denmark, WA
Heyscape Denmark
Denmark, WA
On a cattle farm above the coast near Denmark, in Western Australia's Great Southern, this off-grid…
Karma Chalets
Denmark, WA
Karri Mia Chalets and Studios
Denmark, WA
High on Mt Shadforth outside Denmark, the outlook runs across valley forest and farmland to Wilson…
Samphire Collection
Albany, WA
In the harbour town of Albany on Menang Noongar country, a lovingly restored worker's cottage…
Skyhouse Retreat
Denmark, WA
High on Weedon Hill outside Denmark, among ancient karri trees, this is a pole-frame house of…
The Floating Forest
Denmark, WA
A floating forest above it all. One of the most enchanting hideaways in the Great Southern region,…
The Lily Stirling Range
Great Southern, WA
Pleun and Hennie Hitzert built a five-storey 16th-century-design Dutch ground-sail windmill in the…
Nature
Bibbulmun Track Albany
Albany, WA
The southern coastal section of the famous Bibbulmun Track, passing through towering karri forest…
Greens Pool
Denmark, WA
In William Bay National Park near Denmark on the south coast, Greens Pool is a wide, calm lagoon of…
The Gap and Natural Bridge
Torndirrup, WA
On the granite headland of Torndirrup south of Albany, the Southern Ocean throws itself against the…
Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve
Nanarup, WA
East of Albany on the wild south coast, Two Peoples Bay protects a curve of white sand and…
Shops
Ardess Nursery
Albany, WA
On Chesterpass Road on the edge of Albany, this is understood to be the only nursery southwest of…
Morande Native Plants
King River (Albany), WA
On Chester Pass Road between King River and Albany, this nursery grows its stock outdoors rather…
Paperbark Merchants
Albany, WA
An independent bookshop on York Street in Albany, carrying books, magazines, cards and gifts, with…
Tea House Books Denmark
Denmark, WA
Set on Hollings Road just across from the Denmark River, this is a genuine independent bookshop…
Food & dining
Albany Farm Fresh Foods
Milpara, WA
A family farm shop in the Great Southern selling its own free-range eggs and certified free-range…
Albany Farmers Market
Albany, WA
Running every Saturday morning in Albany's historic CBD since 2002, this grower-direct market…
Bred Co Micro Bakery
Albany, WA
A tiny Albany micro-bakery milling its own flour on-site from grain grown across the Great…
Denmark Chocolate Company
Shadforth, WA
Billed as Western Australia's first licensed chocolate lounge, this rural Denmark maker pairs…
Denmark Farmhouse Cheese
Denmark, WA
Handmade cheese is the draw on Scotsdale Road, north of the Denmark township, where small batches…
Denmark Good Food Factory
William Bay, WA
Jon and Gill Atkinson have been running this rural William Bay property since 1990, accumulating…
Dylans on the Terrace
Albany, WA
An Albany landmark on historic Stirling Terrace, trading since 1987 as a friendly all-day diner for…
Flame Trees Denmark
Denmark, WA
A Mediterranean restaurant and bar in the centre of Denmark, weaving native Australian touches…
Hiroko Cafe
Denmark, WA
A small Japanese cafe in Denmark on WA's south coast, run izakaya-style as a place to gather over a…
Leeuwin Coast
Albany, WA
An Albany oyster grower working estuarine leases in Oyster Harbour off Emu Point and in Princess…
Liberte
Albany, WA
A Parisian-leaning bar and dining room tucked inside Albany's historic London Hotel on Stirling…
Maleeya's Thai Cafe
Porongurup, WA
At the foot of the Porongurup Range, this long-running Thai kitchen builds its cooking around an…
Also in Great Southern
Tours & walks
Based in Great Southern
Albany Whale Tours
Winter whale-watching aboard Sail-A-Way, a twin-hulled vessel with a 360-degree viewing…
Departs KalganKalgan Queen Scenic Cruises
A four-hour cruise on the sheltered water of Oyster Harbour and the ancient Kalgan River,…
Departs AlbanyKing George Sound Safari
Captain Mark works the deep, sheltered water of King George Sound aboard Young Salty Dog,…
Departs AlbanyKurrah Mia
A Noongar-owned cultural tour company in Kinjarling (Albany), sharing Menang Country with…
Nearby regions
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