The best short break stays in WA

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From sustainable station and wilderness stays to the ultimate beach and glamping escapes, our WA picks.

Farmers’ Home Hotel, Northam

A destination in itself, in a town that’s fast becoming Perth’s weekend destination of choice, the boutique Farmers’ Home Hotel has spades of country charm brought to life in the atmospheric surrounds of a public house whose history stretches back to 1866. Some of its 16 rooms feature a balcony, stained-glass windows or fireplaces, and all have Aesop amenities and king-size beds.

Farmers’ Home Hotel, Northam
Farmers’ Home Hotel, Northam.

General Manager Rod Black, who hails from properties like Tassie’s Henry Jones and Pumphouse Point, knows a thing or two about making you feel at home and the good old-fashioned inn-keeping hospitality extends to its Dôme Café and The Temperance Bar.

Inside the rooms at Farmers’ Home Hotel, Northam.
Inside the rooms at Farmers’ Home Hotel, Northam.

Kooljaman at Cape Leveque, Dampier Peninsula

A few days spent at this off-grid Indigenous-owned wilderness camp three hours by 4WD from Broome will see you slip away from the everyday and into an extraordinary world of Bardi Jawi Country.

wilderness camp, Kooljaman
Spend a few days off-grid at the Indigenous-owned wilderness camp, Kooljaman.
Kooljaman at Cape Leveque, Dampier Peninsula
Kooljaman at Cape Leveque, Dampier Peninsula. (Image: Tourism WA)

Check into a safari tent, log cabin or Bardi-style beach camping shelter and plug into your surrounds: all red pindan cliffs, coastal dunes and turquoise ocean with bountiful wildlife for company. Take part in unique Aboriginal tours and dine at Raugi’s Restaurant.

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Smiths Beach Resort, Yallingup

Part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World portfolio and a stone’s throw from the wineries and restaurants of the Margaret River region, this beach retreat overlooking the Indian Ocean near Yallingup is the stuff weekends are made of.

Smiths Beach Resort, Yallingup
Smiths Beach Resort, Yallingup. (Image: Bobby Bense)

The architecturally award-winning resort sits lightly on the landscape between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin and there is luxury here in the flexibility of offering, too: with everything from apartments to villas to beach houses to stylish and pocket-friendly beach shacks, all decked out in a palette of beachy tones.

Inside the Ocean View Villa at Smiths Beach Resort.
Inside the Ocean View Villa at Smiths Beach Resort.

Unalloyed access to the white sands of Smiths Beach, plus an infinity pool, kids’ pool, yoga, tennis court, restaurant, gourmet deli and wine shop – Lamont’s Smiths Beach – complete the picture.

Wooleen Station, Murchison

A station stay with a difference four hours’ drive north-east of Geraldton, Wooleen Station covers more than 150,000 hectares of mulga shrub-shrouded rangelands and plays a leading role in preserving and sustaining the unique ecology of the Murchison region.

Wooleen Station, Murchison
Wooleen Station, Murchison. (image: Nic Duncan)

Owners David and Frances Pollock are dedicated to regenerating Wooleen after years of overstocking and to connecting guests to the country via a nature-based stay. Bed down in the National Trust-listed homestead, rammed earth guesthouses or one of three campsites at the property and don’t miss a sunset tour with David and Frances.

Sunset at Wooleen Station, Murchison.
Sunset at Wooleen Station, Murchison. (Image: Nic Duncan)

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Mile End Glamping, Margaret River region

A 15-minute drive from Margaret River, Dunsborough and Busselton and providing ready access to wineries and nature, this unique Margaret River getaway dishes up the essential ingredients for a perfect weekend. Set on an idyllic 58-hectare private estate and with valley views, each Mile End Glamping geodesic dome boasts an en suite, king bed and spacious deck with outdoor bath and barbecue.

Mile End Glamping, Margaret River region
Mile End Glamping, Margaret River region.

Aiyana Retreat, Denmark

These four luxuriously earthy villas in a serene bushland setting are furnished with handcrafted ceramics and local timbers. And between its offering of yoga, massage and an all-permeating air of tranquillity, Aiyana Retreat is so geared around relaxation that it might be hard to tear yourself away to the stunning local sights of Denmark and the Rainbow Coast.

The Local Hotel, South Fremantle

Feel like a Freo local for the weekend at The Local Hotel, one of WA’s oldest trading hotels reimagined as a friendly neighbourhood watering hole with boutique lodgings upstairs. Rooms have been creatively and individually styled by a handful of the establishment’s local friends and the various bars and dining spaces downstairs, from the loungey Whiskey Bar to the industrial-chic Garage, have different moods and sensibilities covered, too.

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Off-grid stays and farm-to-plate dining: discover the ultimate guide to Denmark, WA

Trade early morning phone alarms and city chaos for bucolic serenity and gastronomic delights.

Peaceful birdsong and coastal winds meet rolling green hills and turquoise waters; there’s no better place to start your day than in Western Australia’s Denmark. This picturesque coastal town, a 4.5-hour drive from Perth along the pristine Rainbow Coast, offers bucolic bliss in spades.

A hidden retreat lies just a 10-minute drive from the town centre, inviting guests to slow down and connect with nature. At Heyscape Denmark, the ultimate refuge from the rat race and the perfect setting for a rural escape await.

Whether it’s for a refreshing weekend away or a regenerative week-long sojourn, this idyllic pocket of the world will leave you feeling anew.

Where to stay

women on front deck at inside a cabin at heyscape denmar Western australia
Make the most of outdoor baths. (Credit: Jarrad Seng)

Located on the 880-acre Raintree Estate, Heyscape Denmark is an award-winning, off-grid cabin retreat ideal for anyone craving time in nature while also enjoying sustainable, luxury comfort. Just 15 are sensitively embedded in the rural environment, ensuring privacy and the perfect setting to switch off. Choose from one-bedroom, two-bedroom or 4-person cabins. Four-legged friends can also join in on the fun with pet-friendly cabins available.

inside a cabin at heyscape denmar Western australia
Check in, to check out.

The modern accommodations are well-appointed with queen beds dressed in lush linen and pillows; a bathroom with a warm shower, flushable toilet and botanical shampoo and conditioner; and an indoor kitchenette with a Nespresso coffee maker. Outside, find timber decks with seating to spot resident kangaroos from, Heston Blumenthal barbecues for whipping up delicious meals using local produce, and outdoor baths to soak up incredible nighttime skies – Denmark’s lack of light pollution makes it an exceptional spot for stargazing and viewing the Milky Way. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame sweeping Great Southern Ocean, William Bay National Park and Karri tree views.

Wellness is at the forefront of Heyscape Denmark with thoughtful touches including Note to Self prompts, gratitude cards and a botanical sleep spray ready to help you unwind. And for the ultimate weekend of R&R, two-bedroom cabins are fitted with saunas.

Where to eat

Heyscape’s Marron Catch & Cook Experience
Catch your own freshwater crayfish, then have a chef prepare it for you.

The Great Southern region’s Mediterranean climate and nutrient-rich soils make for some of the most incredible produce in the world – and a stay at Heyscape Denmark lets you sample the very best of it. The estate farms over 200 black Angus cattle, marron – a freshwater crayfish endemic to the South-West of Western Australia –, hemp and French black truffle.

Just steps from these cabins sits the estate’s paddock-to-plate restaurant, The Dam. Featuring lofty jarrah ceilings, polished concrete and expansive windows revealing calming dam views, it’s a stunning spot for lunch or dinner, alongside an outdoor playground to keep little ones happy and busy.

Acclaimed chef Jason Jujnovich utilises ingredients from Raintree Estate’s regenerative farm in his hyper-local, Modern Australian menu. Seasonally changing dishes include the likes of wagyu beef lasagna and pistachio crumbed chicken cotoletta. Or join in for pizza night on a Friday, where the mushroom and truffle pizza is an easy winner.

Meals are designed to be paired with sips from the property’s innovative Cannabis Botanical Distillery, which concocts house-made hemp spirits and seltzers using ingredients grown onsite. Taste unique drops such as the Sativa Gin with warm citrus and pepper notes and the Pineapple Passion seltzer.

Another stand-out gastronomic offering is Heyscape’s Marron Catch & Cook Experience, which lets you hand-catch freshwater crayfish from the property’s pristine dams and have them prepared and cooked to perfection for you by chefs. Those wanting to enjoy a meal from the comfort of their cabin can fire up the barbecue and grill their fresh catch or order a gourmet dinner box with mouthwatering wagyu steak and antipasti against golden peaceful sunset views.

Things to do

Lights Beach denmark western australia
Spend a day enjoying the idyllic Lights Beach. (Credit: Tourism WA)

There’s no shortage of things to do in Denmark, and basing yourself at Heyscape Denmark puts you within easy access to it all. Nature lovers are spoiled with unbeatable spots for swimming and snorkelling, plus coastal hiking trails at William Bay National Park – a protected coastal reserve with approximately 1734 hectares of stunning landscapes ready to be explored.

Hire an e-bike from the property and cycle just 15 minutes to the unbelievably clear waters and white sands of Greens Pools, a naturally sheltered beach. Or the idyllic Lights Beach, which features three beaches, dunes, natural wading pool and scenic walking trails. Keen surfers should turn their attention to Ocean Beach with its world-class surf breaks.

aerial Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk
Wander the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk. (Credit: Tourism WA)

Stroll past towering Karri and giant Red Tingle trees on the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk. The 600-metre walkway rises 40 metres above the ancient forest floor and meanders through the hardwood trees, endemic exclusively to the Great Southern region.

Denmark is also a haven for creatives, and Butter Factory Studios is a must-stop on any itinerary. The contemporary art gallery, working artist studio and gift shop are housed within a historic building where workshops and exhibitions support and showcase creators from the region.

With the winning trifecta of delicious food, a pristine environment, and secluded accommodation, Denmark proves to be the ultimate destination for relaxation.

Book your Denmark adventure today at heyscape.com.au.