Named after a nearby brook, Mullalyup is a small Western Australian town that is located between Kirup and Balingup. It is believed to have been a traditional place for nose piercing in indigenous culture and was first settled by Europeans in the late 19th century. Mullalyup is on the doorstep of beautiful parks and the cellar doors of the Geographe Wine Region.
Things to do in Mullalyup
Mallalyup makes an ideal base for visiting the Balingup Racecourse Flora Reserve, an area of bushland protected by the local community in 1999. Encompassing the site of an old racetrack and gymkhana ground, it ignites with wildflowers in spring. Stretch your legs on the 1.7-kilometre Racetrack Trail to admire the reserve’s banksias or learn about the local flora with the Balingup Friends of the Forest.
On the other side of Balingup is the Golden Valley Tree Park, a 60-hectare landscaped park and the largest arboretum in Western Australia. It boasts a wide diversity of native trees, as well as rare exotic species, many of which are renowned for their autumn colour. The park centres around a late-19th-century homestead that’s been beautifully restored.
Wine enthusiasts shouldn’t miss a visit to the Smallwater Estate Cellar Door, a boutique winery that’s been producing Geographe wines since 1993. You can learn about the region’s wine-making history during a guided tasting at the Cellar Door, accompanied by sweeping views across the vineyards and rolling hills of Newlands. Locally sourced produce is served at the rustic on-site restaurant.
Getting around Mullalyup
Mullalyup is a 45-minute drive from Bunbury and around an hour from Busselton Margaret River Airport, which has flights to Melbourne and Perth. Buses connect from the Western Australian capital to Mallalyup and the town is small enough to explore on foot.