Boyup Brook is a small town big on personality and country pride. It’s famous for its Country Music Festival and annual rodeos, but there’s a ton of things to do year-round. From quirky private collections of beetles and teapots to street art, Boyup Brook is full of surprises.
Boyup Brook is a little off the beaten track, lying 30 kilometres to the east of the South West Highway. With its pretty location on the banks of the Blackwood River amongst rolling countryside, open skies perfect for star-gazing, welcoming down-to-earth community and characterful farm stays, it’s perfect for visitors seeking an authentic country experience. What’s more, there’s a huge network of bushwalking, cycling, horse riding and paddling trails to enjoy.
In town, a good starting point is the Visitor’s Centre where you’ll find information on everything from seasonal wildflowers to top bush camping spots and the prettiest trails in the nearby national parks. It’s also where you’ll find the display of ornate beetles and butterflies that local Keith Carnaby gathered during his lifetime, and a huge range of locally made arts, crafts and food products including olives, honey and chocolate.
Boyup Brook’s pretty ironstone decorated streets are easy to explore on foot. Wend your way around the holograms, statues, sculptures and murals that make up the Sculpture Stalk, or wander the 6km Bicentennial Walk that skirts along Boyup Brook and the Blackwood River. It will put you within throwing distance of all the highlights and is lined with seasonal wildflowers.
History buffs won’t want to miss the Pioneer Museum, which showcases how the early settlers lived and worked, plus a country school room. And just next door you can visit a Masonic Temple and see one of Australia’s only displays of mysterious Freemason furniture and regalia.
Other highlights in town include the 5,000 teapots at the Quacking Frog Teapot Shed – a great place to cool your heels and enjoy a cuppa – and Bert and Angie’s garage of vintage cars, caravans and motorcycles. A short drive out of town lies another unmissable site: the Harvey Dickson’s Country Music centre where you can explore its eclectic range of sculpture, Australiana and music memorabilia.
