Busselton to Pemberton Truffle country, and a tree you can climb again
The Gloucester Tree is open again. It reopened to climbers at the end of June 2026, with its lookout now 37 metres up. That's lower than it used to be, and still plenty high. Here's a day from Busselton into the karri forests of Manjimup and Pemberton, with the climb, the truffle makers, and what to check before you go.
- The drive
- A full dayLong drives at each end, so start early
- Gloucester Tree
- 37 mThe lookout since it reopened. It used to be 61
- Truffle season
- June to SeptemberFrom early June, depending on conditions
Before you climb
Parks and Wildlife's rules for the Gloucester Tree are short, and worth reading twice. No more than 15 climbers on the tree at a time. Sturdy shoes, so no thongs or sandals. No backpacks on the way up, and put your phone and anything else loose somewhere it can't fall.
Climbing is not recommended for children. Parks and Wildlife also says to avoid the climb if you're unfit, have a heart condition or are afraid of heights. In its own words: "your safety is our concern but your responsibility."
The forest has one more rule of its own. Check the Fire Danger Rating on Emergency WA the morning you go, and Parks and Wildlife's park alerts too. If the rating is Extreme or Catastrophic, save the forest for another day.
Three stops, truffles to treetop
Out to Manjimup, then south to Pemberton and the tall trees. Scroll down and the line drives it with you.
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STOP 1
Manjimup: truffle country
Nobody has ever spotted a black truffle from the car. It grows underground, alongside the hazelnut and oak trees it lives with, and gives nothing away above the soil. So this corner of the state runs on dogs.
Tourism WA calls Manjimup and Pemberton the leading black truffle producer in the southern hemisphere. Depending on conditions, the harvest runs from early June into September.
Truffle Hill planted its first hazelnut and oak trees at Manjimup in 1997, on a site picked for its cool climate and soils. The trees were inoculated with black Périgord truffle. Then came six years of waiting, and the first truffle came out of the ground in 2003.
The estate now covers 52 hectares among the karri, with more than 55 km of hazel and oak rows. Trained dogs find the truffles during the winter harvest. Truffle Hill calls itself Australia's first black truffle farm. Its truffle oils, salts and condiments are sold at the estate and online. Check its site before you visit.
Truffle HillAt the estate, and onlineSeasonEarly June into SeptemberHoursCheck before you goWhat to take home
Truffle Hill makes a short winter season last all year: truffle oil, truffle honey, truffle mustard and a 60 g jar of truffle sea salt flakes. The salt is the easy start. Try a pinch over eggs or hot chips. The maker even suggests it on vanilla ice-cream.
Out of season
Outside the harvest, the fresh truffles are gone. The bottles and jars aren't, which is the whole idea of them.
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STOP 2
The Gloucester Tree
Now the news. Closed for safety works since 2023, the Gloucester Tree reopened to climbers at the end of June 2026, with a newly built viewing platform at the top.
It's a giant karri in Gloucester National Park, just outside Pemberton. It was once a fire lookout, which says something about the view. Karri are among the tallest trees in the world. Stand at the base with your head tipped back and you'll believe it.
The climb is shorter than it used to be. The lookout now sits 37 metres above the ground, down from 61, after a safety upgrade prompted by structural issues. Anything that gives the height as 61 m was written before the upgrade.
Thirty-seven metres is still a long way up, so read the climbing rules before you decide who's going.
Lookout37 m up, was 61 mReopenedEnd of June 2026Climbers15 at a time, not recommended for childrenPark entryFees apply in Gloucester National ParkStaying on the ground
Nobody has to climb. The tree is just as big from the bottom, and the karri forest around it is what you drove down for.
New makers, once a month
One short email a month: the makers we have added, what is in season, the odd gift list.
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STOP 3
Pemberton, and the drive home
Pemberton is truffle country too. Two farming families in the district run Farm Fresh Truffles, with more than 2,000 hazelnut and oak trees planted about twelve years ago, by their own account. Five dogs do the finding: Maverick, Zara, Inca, Polly and Frankie.
What the families make is a black truffle sea salt: their own truffle with pyramid flake salt from the Loddon Plains in Victoria. The maker states it contains no artificial flavours or additives. They don't publish visiting details, so buy it from their shop online.
Two more for the list, both near Pemberton. Beedelup Falls is in Greater Beedelup National Park. The Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree, in Warren National Park, closed to climbers in 2023 along with the Gloucester Tree. Check Parks and Wildlife's pages before you go to either, and don't plan on a climb unless they say it's open.
It's a fair drive back to Busselton from here, so leave while there's still light. If you'd rather do the truffle part from the couch, both truffle salts, the truffle honey and a gold-flecked truffle oil are in our South West gift guide.
Truffle saltFarm Fresh Truffles, buy onlineCheck firstBeedelup Falls, Dave Evans Bicentennial TreeHomeA fair drive back to BusseltonMade nearby, bought online
The salt from Farm Fresh Truffles is a finishing salt: a pinch at the table over scrambled eggs, buttered pasta or hot chips, not in the pan. It's the smallest thing you'll bring home from the forest, and probably the one you'll use most.
Before you go
- Check the Fire Danger Rating on Emergency WA and Parks and Wildlife's park alerts the morning you go.
- Park entry fees apply in Gloucester National Park, where the Gloucester Tree stands. See current prices on Parks and Wildlife's site.
- Read the Gloucester Tree page on Explore Parks WA before you drive. Rules and access can change.
- If anyone's climbing, pack sturdy shoes (no thongs or sandals) and leave backpacks on the ground.
- Travelling with a dog? Parks and Wildlife generally doesn't allow pets in its parks, so plan the forest stops without it.
- Leave early. There's a fair bit of driving at each end.
Southern Forests questions
What is there to do in Pemberton?
Climb the Gloucester Tree, which reopened at the end of June 2026 with its lookout 37 m up. Pemberton is truffle country too: Farm Fresh Truffles makes a black truffle sea salt from its own truffle, and you buy it from the maker's shop online. Beedelup Falls and the Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree are also near Pemberton. The Bicentennial Tree closed to climbers in 2023, so check Parks and Wildlife's page before you plan a climb.
What is there to do in Manjimup?
Start with truffles. Truffle Hill planted its first truffle trees at Manjimup in 1997, and sells its truffle oil, honey, mustard and salt at the estate and online. Check its site before you visit. From there, head south to Pemberton and the Gloucester Tree.
Can you climb the Gloucester Tree?
Yes, again. It reopened at the end of June 2026 after a safety upgrade, and the lookout is now 37 m above the ground, down from 61 m. Parks and Wildlife allows up to 15 climbers at a time and asks for sturdy shoes (no thongs or sandals) and no backpacks. Climbing is not recommended for children, and Parks and Wildlife says to avoid it if you're unfit, have a heart condition or are afraid of heights. Check its Explore Parks WA page before you go.
When is truffle season in WA?
The harvest runs from early June into September, depending on conditions. Most of it happens in the Southern Forests: Tourism WA calls Manjimup and Pemberton the leading black truffle producer in the southern hemisphere. Outside the season, truffle oil, honey and salt from the local makers carry the flavour through the year, and several are in our South West gift guide.
Can you do a Southern Forests day trip from Busselton?
Yes, but make it a full day. There's a fair bit of driving at each end. Start early, pick your stops, and check the Fire Danger Rating on Emergency WA before you set off.
Do you have to pay to see the Gloucester Tree?
Yes: park entry fees apply in Gloucester National Park, where the tree stands. We don't print prices because they change, so check Parks and Wildlife's Gloucester National Park page on Explore Parks WA for current fees before you go.
What is there to do in Pemberton in winter?
Winter is truffle season. The harvest runs from early June into September, depending on conditions, and trained dogs do the finding. The karri forest is here all year, and the Gloucester Tree is open to climbers again. Check the Fire Danger Rating, the park alerts and the Gloucester Tree page on Explore Parks WA before you go.
Can you take a dog to the Gloucester Tree?
Plan on leaving it behind. The tree is in Gloucester National Park, and Parks and Wildlife says pets are generally not permitted in its parks, apart from assistance animals and designated dog areas. Our dog-friendly South West guide has the rules town by town.