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It may be famous for apples, but this small town has a lot more at its core, including some unexpectedly quirky attractions.
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Follow Myke Bartlett as he explores the top things to see and do in Donnybrook
Chances are, if you’ve stopped at Donnybrook in the past, it’s been for one of three reasons. The first is for the apples — more on those later. If you have an EV, you might well have dropped in to take advantage of the fast charge stations on the high street. But if you have small children, you’re almost certain to have stopped by to let the kids stretch their legs at the Apple Fun Park.
This impressive and colourful playground is reportedly the largest free fun park in the country, featuring such delights as rock climbing, corkscrew slides and a flying fox. There are also barbeques for a DIY lunch and shady benches from which parents can supervise their young adventurers.
The play equipment sticks with the fruity theme that you will have noticed driving in along the South Western Highway, where large green and red apples dangle from stands between street lights. It’s an ideal way to break up a long drive — the only challenge being how to get the kids (and their sandy shoes) back in the car afterwards.
Donnybrook is, of course, famous for its apples (and pears and plums). But at Frogs Hollow, the trees are strung with a different kind of treat. About ten minutes out of town, in a woody patch on the corner of Donnybrook-Boyup Brook and Ferguson Roads, you’ll find a collection of frog statues, toys and paintings of every shape and size.
It’s difficult to tell whether this menagerie has sprung up organically or to lure in tourists, but it can make for a quirky — and slightly spooky — start to a day in Donnybrook.
While kids will enjoy trying to find and count the froggy inhabitants, there is an undeniably eerie air to the spot, particularly early in the day. Woe betide any visitor who dares remove a frog from the hollow. Some, undoubtedly, have chosen to leave behind a froggy replica in tribute to whatever spirits may lurk here.
Once you’re done frog-spotting, it’s time to move on to fruit picking. There are plenty of orchards in the area with Fruit Barn, which is located in town, being a great place to start sampling some local produce.
Sheehan’s Farm is popular with apple-hunters of all shapes and sizes. The place has been run by the Sheehan family for generations and host Tom Sheehan is happy to talk through the seasonal crops before setting visitors loose on the trees, armed with a box or a basket.
What you put in the box depends on the time of year, but the Fuji apples come highly recommended. If apples aren’t in season, you might walk away with a healthy stash of ripe plums perfect for jam-making, pie-baking or — according to Tom — frying up in a pan with some butter.
Treasure doesn’t just grow on trees in Donnybrook, of course. The town has a long, if distant history as a hotspot for gold diggers. Gold was discovered in the town back in 1897 and, although the subsequent rush was short-lived, it gave the area a certain lustre at a time when the rest of the state was in a grim depression.
Is there still gold to be found? Andrew of Donnybrook Gold believes so and, for a price, he’ll take you on a small group tour to find a speck or two. A collaboration between Bridgetown-based tourism operator, Lithium Valley Rocks, and the Old Goldfield Orchard, Donnybrook Gold helps visitors explore the historic mine workings and teaches them how to pan for rare fern gold.
Guide Andrew is eager to share his knowledge of the area’s geology and history, as he leads groups to a secret hilltop location near the original mine, taking in a flooded shaft and abandoned tunnel along the way. You might not make your fortune, but you’re guaranteed a memorable outing. Tours are strictly by appointment.
A little further out of town (technically in Paynedale), Oakway Estate is a boutique winery, with a strong focus on organics and sustainability, hidden away down a long dirt road. Originally an apple and stone fruit orchard, the property has been repurposed by the Hammond family to produce a range of less common European wines. Alongside your Shiraz and Cab Sauv, you’ll find a Malbec and Scheureube.
Tastings can be arranged in the modest cellar door, which is artfully positioned beside a massive Lemon Scented Gum (believed to be some six decades old). Wine can be paired with cheeseboards or homemade pizzas (courtesy of hosts Wayne and Ria) or, if you’re wanting a break from the grape, there’s craft beer available from Donnybrook’s first “nano brewery” — like a microbrewery, but even smaller — which is also located onsite. Oakway’s low-key and tucked-away nature is part of its appeal, feeding into the sense that you’ve stumbled onto something a little special.
Back in town, local crafts are celebrated at Donnybrook Artisans, a small gallery and bazaar showcasing a diverse range of work from local artists. As part of the Blackwood River Art Trail, the store stocks prints of local wildlife, woodwork and metalwork, sculptures of all shapes and sizes and a tasteful array of jams and pickles (the latter crafted from local orchards, obviously). Chances are you’ll meet some of the artisans working behind the counter. Everyone on the books is a volunteer, ensuring all funds go to the crafty types whose wares fill the shelves.
Across the road, Donnybrook Community Op Shop offers a treasure hunt to match any trek for gold in the nearby hills. Occupying a vast warehouse, this long-running institution offers everything from toys to furniture, with a small library of secondhand books promising holiday reading for everyone.
As with the best op shops, there’s a sense that each of the treasures here are just waiting for the right person to discover them. The vast collection of BBC VHS tapes might be waiting a while, however.
At the back of the op shop is Shag Brewing Company, a recent addition to the town that has some excellent craft beers and ciders on tap, all of which are made onsite. There’s also tasty food on offer and an outdoor play area for kids. Live music from local bands is an occasional feature.
Part of the appeal of any small town are those quirky spots you won’t find anywhere else. For Donnybrook, however, the quirkiest addition to the high street is something you really wouldn’t expect to find in any small town.
Little Henry’s Diner is an 80s-themed restaurant that, for those of us classed as Generation X, can feel like stepping into a museum of your own childhood. A row of TVs screen 80s films and music videos and there’s a selection of classic computer games to be played on arcade machines at the rear.
The weirdest flashback is the food, which — which while very tasty — looks so authentically 1980s that 40- and 50-somethings will think they’ve been transported back in time. (That said, the vegan and gluten free options are something you probably wouldn’t have found in 1985.) Whatever the date, it’s an ideal place to end a day in Donnybrook, particularly for families. Thursdays are kids disco night, where a ticket guarantees dinner, (soft) drinks and plenty of dancing.
Every small town has its own character. If Donnybrook is hard to characterise, that might be because of the sheer unpredictability of its attractions. It’s a town of surprises where, as with its vast op shop, there’s a chance that each visitor might find something especially for them. Spooky frogs, fruit-picking, gold-prospecting and time-travel — Donnybrook has it all.
