Last Updated on 5 May 2026 by Ariana Svenson
If you are looking for fun things to do in Harvey, WA, then look no further. We just spent an excellent 3-day getaway at Logue Brook Dam and explored the attractions in Harvey.
Using the Lake Brockman Tourist Park as a base, we loved exploring the pretty Harvey region of Western Australia. We also spent some time at Waroona, Brunswick Junction, and Myalup during our stay.
In fact, Harvey is only 45-minute drive from Bunbury city, so if you wanted to, you could always drop into some of the funky murals or awesome playgrounds if you are looking to travel further afield.
Harvey town is 140km from Perth CBD, and is under 2 hours’ drive. One of the best spots around Perth!
You could definitely make the Harvey and Waroona area a day trip from Perth, or a day trip from the nearby Ferguson Valley.
Should you decide to use that as a base instead, for inspiration, why not check out our guide to the best Ferguson Valley accommodation and Ferguson Valley Restaurants?
Disclosure: Through my site, there are links to affiliates, which means that I might receive commission if you buy something after clicking them. This costs you no more, and you definitely don’t pay extra. However, I do get a small amount, which contributes to the upkeep of this blog. Thanks so much for all of your support. We hope you have a ball in Western Australia!
What is the Best Time to Visit Harvey, WA?
Harvey is definitely the beginning of the lush South West agricultural area, the food bowl of Western Australia, and it is a beautiful area to visit year-round.
While driving down the South West Highway, you will see the rolling hills of the Darling Scarp to your left East), while the flat paddocks are filled with black and white cows or miles of hay bales, depending on the season.
Summer is an excellent time to enjoy the aquatic playgrounds at Logue Brook Dam on Lake Brockman, Harvey Dam, or other dams in the area. We enjoyed paddling, swimming, and all the beautiful blue water.
Harvey’s annual agricultural show is held in April. It is a great place to enjoy a good old-fashioned show with lots of prize animals on display. As the months get cooler, so too do the hills get greener. The area around Harvey and Brunswick is truly stunning in winter.
While the Harvey area has some good wines, the nearby Ferguson Valley wine region is renowned for its full-bodied wine varieties. You will definitely be able to enjoy the Harvey area walks in the jarrah forest in the cooler months. In our opinion, Harvey is a great year-round destination.
The Top Things to do in Harvey, WA
1. Ha Ve Cheese (Harvey Cheese)
On the main South West highway at Wokalup, you can’t miss Harvey Cheese with its huge signs claiming the sexiest ice-cream in the South West, as well as resident camels and emus in the front paddock.
We appreciated the kid-friendly toy boxes (not large, but entertaining), which gave us time to explore the gift shop with lots of local products and then head on over to the Cheese Tasting!
Ha Ve Cheese is handcrafted. It is delicious with a creamy flavour and a soft, moist texture. The range includes soft white mould, blue vein, washed rind, Romano, savoury and fetta. (We particularly liked the Romano and Ash Camembert!) Apart from the generous cheese tastings and ice-cream, you can also get tea, coffee, cake & ice-cream available in the cafe.
2. Australia’s Only Big Orange
Located in the beautiful Harvey Fresh orchards, the Big Orange is a 10 metre tower featuring a 62-step climb to a viewing platform inside the orange. The Big Orange sits above the Harvey Fresh orchards.
This is such a fun experience for the kids who won’t believe they’re inside a giant orange. Entry is a gold coin donation.
To get into the Big Orange, you enter through the Harvey River Estate Winery. Note, you can’t get orange juice at the Harvey Fresh orchards (I had promised the kids you could!)
3. Logue Brook Dam on Lake Brockman
For those who love the water, especially fresh water, the Logue Brook Dam on Lake Brockman is a fantastic aquatic playground.
It offers a plethora of activities, including swimming, fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. Don’t expect serenity, though! It’s also a designated water ski area, and there is a lot of horsepower on display. Many high-powered ski boats towing water skiers and wake boarders, as well as the exceptionally loud jet skis! We found a quiet spot that was not deep enough for the boats and had a lovely time swimming and kayaking.
Note – If you are staying at Lake Brockman Tourist Park, don’t try to swim down near the boat launch area. Instead, go through the Lake Brockman permanent privately owned shacks down to the ‘back’ side of the tourist park, close to the Glamping tents. Here, the dam doesn’t slope in as deeply, and the water is clear and calm.
4. Harvey Dam
The Harvey Dam & the Gibb’s Pool Amphitheatre is a wonderful place for a family outing in the South West with boardwalks, a kids’ playground, gazebos, picnic tables and free gas barbecues. The dam also boasts several bushwalks and excellent birdwatching at Benger Swamp and the Leschenault Inlet.
Harvey Dam welcomes canoes and kayaks. However, no fuel-powered boats or crafts are allowed on the water. This means that electric boats and water-skiers are allowed. There is strictly NO camping allowed anywhere around the dam.
5. Harvey Wildflower Picnic Site Walk
This gorgeous walk was a highlight of our time in Harvey. Located only 2.5 km off the South Western Highway on Honeymoon Road at Cookernup, there was no signpost off the road. It is a steep road to the right on a sharp bend. There is no trailhead information, just an old-fashioned sign stating it is the “Wildflower Picnic Site”.
We followed the grass tree walk markers to the east (toward Harvey Dam). This meant we went downhill first and were quickly rewarded with stunning views over the backwaters of the Harvey Dam and forests.
We visited in December, and there were still two species of wildflower in full colour. However, as you pass through several large granite outcrops, you can see that it would be filled with wildflowers in spring. No toilet facilities. Dog friendly (on a lead).
6. Harvey Visitor Centre & May Gibbs Collection
Quoted on many sites as the spot for insider information on the Harvey area, plus a chance to view the May Gibbs collection, the QR code on the door announced that the centre is now permanently closed due to falling visitor numbers (December 2021).
However, we strongly recommend stopping to wander through the gardens. Even on a hot summer’s day, they were cool, refreshing, and a wonderful surprise.
7. Stirling Cottage Heritage Gardens
A replica of the Stirling Cottage evokes the mid-1800s when the first Governor of Western Australia, Governor Stirling, selected 12,800 acres of fertile land in Harvey and called it the ‘Harvey River Settlement’. Today, the reconstructed/replica Stirling Cottage is located a short distance from the original site. It features landscaped Heritage Gardens, a 19th-century style fountain, and an enchanting secret garden.
In 1885-86, May Gibbs, famous Australian author and the creator of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, lived in the original Stirling cottage with her family. It’s said that she drew much of her inspiration for her stories and illustrations from the two years she spent exploring the Australian bush with her brothers.
Unfortunately, ‘Stirling Cottage Kitchen’ tearooms were sadly closed on the day we visited. It looked like the perfect spot for lunch or afternoon tea, with a balcony overlooking the river.
8. Harvey Internment Camp Memorial Shrine
We enjoyed our brief stop at the Internment Camp Memorial Shrine in Harvey and would recommend that anyone driving past stop.
We explained to the children that, despite many people living in the Harvey area for many years, when Australia went to war with Hitler and Mussolini in World War II, all German and Italian migrants were categorised as enemy aliens and interned in camps, such as Camp #11 in Harvey, with about 1000 internees. This was an excellent discussion about differences and the lessons history teaches us.
One of the prisoners instigated the construction of a stone altar depicting the Catholic faith. The shrine stood for many years in a paddock and, in 1992, was enclosed in a chapel. It is believed to be the only roadside shrine of its kind in Australia.
In the past, to access the inside of the Internment Camp Memorial Shrine, you could get a key from the Harvey Visitor Centre. With that centre currently closed, their shire is discussing how people might access it.
9. Harvey Main Street Flowering Jacarandas
If you love the purple Jacaranda, then you will be rewarded when travelling around Harvey and Brunswick in early summer. The Jacaranda are flowering everywhere. We popped into Harvey for some food at the local IGA and were thrilled with the flower display. Don’t miss the sofa artwork or murals on the main street.
Speaking of wildflowers, check out our Where to Find the Best Wildflowers in Western Australia.
10. Harvey Region Art Trail
The Harvey Region features some stunning public artworks. All created by local artists or community groups, just waiting to be discovered!
They are not the most obvious murals in the days of massive murals, and we particularly liked the one heading into Brunswick, but there was no spot to pull over, so we didn’t get a picture.
Discover the Harvey Wineries
11. Harvey River Estate Winery (At the Big Orange)
It seems many folk head to the Harvey River Estate Winery to see the Big Orange, but end up tasting and taking home some wines after
If the kids need a refill before or after climbing the Orange, cookies are available, and coffee is available for the driver!
12. Vineyard 28 (Yarloop)
We love the distinctive Vineyard 28 logo and have planned a stop here forever. It’s located just off the Forrest Highway – approx. 5km south of Preston Beach in the Geographe Wine Region. Vineyard 28 is a small, family-run winery and showcases Italian wine varieties. Dog friendly.
13. Fifth Estate Wines (Harvey)
Another boutique vineyard in the Geographe wine region, Fifth Estate Wines Harvey produces Chardonnay, Rosé, Shiraz, and Tempranillo.
- Moojelup Farm (Cookernup)
- Myalup Vine
14. Old South Coast Brewery, Myalup
Just a 20-minute drive from Harvey, the Old South Coast Brewery is definitely on the “in” list at the moment. We’ve visited twice, and both times it was busy. It seems that everyone agrees that it’s the perfect location. Located halfway between Mandurah and Bunbury, it is a great place for good food, delicious craft beers and an afternoon out.
As soon as you drive in through the olive grove, it feels kid-friendly. There is a massive grassed area where plenty of kids are playing ball or footy. There are lots of places to sit – on the deck or in the undercover beer garden overlooking the kids’ playground, plus the inside area. Dogs are welcome on the grassed area but not inside.
15. Western Australia Mini Golf Course
Who doesn’t love a themed Mini Golf Course? The one at the Old Coast Brewery is a beauty (or bloody bewdy!). Each hole features a different WA attraction. You’ll find Wave Rock, Mount Augustus, the Pinnacles and more.
It takes about 1 hour to complete all 18 holes, depending on how many groups are in front of you. You can’t book in advance, so it’s first-come, first-served.
16. The Crooked Carrot, Myalup
One of the most popular spots between Perth and Bunbury is the now-famous Crooked Carrot. It has now become an insanely popular place to stop on a road trip down south.
If you don’t mind crowds (and you don’t mind a wait), then this is a great place for you! On the other hand, if you are lucky, there might not be many people, and the kids will play for hours on the fantastic play equipment suitable for lots of different ages.
With lots of seating in different spots, you can spread out and find a spot you like. There is lots of good food here, from cakes to coffees, traditional road trip food like toasties, right through to pooh emoji cupcakes!
There is a reason why the Crooked Carrot is so popular! It’s because it serves up great coffee and good food, and the playground is awesome!
Nearby – Things to do Near Harvey
17. Brunswick Junction
We love the Friesian cow street signs in Brunswick Junction! If you are looking for big things, then why not break for a moment at the Cow on the Corner (it’s right on the main road, you can’t miss it). Daisy is 2 metres long and 1.530 metres high!
18. Langford Hill Riding Farm
This is an extremely unique experience in the Australian bush if you wish to spend some time with a keen horsewoman and her gorgeous horses. We found Sue to be very professional. Her beautiful thoroughbreds are clearly well cared for and well-schooled.
She speaks her mind. So, if you don’t like honesty, then perhaps this might not suit you. My daughter has been gaining experience. She loved the bush ride through the trees and was fine with the strict approach. Don’t consider this if you don’t have some kind of horse riding experience.
19. Drakesbrook Weir
Just outside of Waroona, Drakesbrook Weir is a lovely place to swim, canoe or fish. With a pontoon for swimmers, lawns, shaded tables, free gas barbecues and public toilets, the Drakesbrook Weir is a lovely place for a family barbecue or picnic. There is a short walk along an accessible path to the noisy scrub-bird memorial. I definitely learned something – I thought that the noisy scrub bird was only found on the south coast near Albany. Dogs are not allowed on the lawn and beach sand areas.
Accommodation in Harvey, WA – Different Options
Lake Brockman Tourist Park
One of the best accommodation options in Harvey, WA, is the Lake Brockman Tourist Park. Well known as a water-sport hub, the Lake Brockman Tourist Park is located on the Logue Brook Dam.
There are tent spots, caravans, family cabins, and adults-only glamping tents. If you want to read more about the glamping options, find it in The Best Luxury Camping and Perth Glamping Ideas!
Uncover new travel ideas with our Perth to Busselton road trip blog post!
The park provides great access for canoeing, swimming, trout fishing and marron catching. While Lake Brockman Tourist Park is just 10 minutes from Harvey, it feels like you are a world away! If you are looking for camping in Harvey, WA, then you might like to check out the Logue Brook Campsite, run by Parks and Wildlife.
The Verdict – Fun Things to do in Harvey Western Australia
We hope you have enjoyed our list of the best things to do in Harv, ey, WA. We realise that things change all the time, so it’s really important to us to provide the most up-to-date information possible! That’s why we review our pages annually, making sure they are as up to date as possible. As always, if you notice something that’s not quite right, please let us know in the comments!
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[…] If you find that the Ferguson Valley is booked out, or want to shave a good half hour off your weekend getaway from Perth, then why not consider nearby Harvey – we have covered it all at Fun Things to do in Harvey WA […]