Top things to do in Collie with lakes, pools, mountain biking trails and hiking trails to get you outside.
On the hunt for a killer camping spot? Perhaps you’re looking for something to get the adrenaline pumping? You’re in luck because Collie has it all. From lakeside campsites to epic mountain biking trails, this little town just 2 hours southeast of Perth is the perfect destination for the adventurous.
Here are the top things to do in Collie and surrounds.
Go water skiing on Lake Kepwari
It only opened to the public in December 2020 and Lake Kepwari is already making waves. Once an open-air coal mine, this Collie River-filled reservoir 10km to the southeast of the township is now a popular waterskiing, boating, and camping spot.
The amenities here are a-plenty, with designated picnic areas, boat ramps, and campgrounds dotted around the 2km x 1km lake. If you’d like to stay a while, there are 40 tent, caravan, and campervan sites available for booking. You can even bring your furry friends along for the ride, so long as they remain on leash while in the area.
Check out the mural at Wellington Dam
Covering some 8000m2, Guido Van Helton’s ‘Reflections’ mural takes out the title of ‘the largest dam mural in the world’. Livening up the otherwise imposing manmade structure at Wellington Dam in the Wellington National Park, Van Helton’s mural was inspired by the stories and photos of locals.
Pack a picnic and take in the artwork over a sandwich or two, or get the adrenaline pumping with a spot of white water rafting on the river at the base of the dam. If that sounds a little rough, head a touch further upstream to canoe some calmer waters.
Go fishing at Minninup Pool
Just 3km south of the Collie townsite lies Minninup Pool, a shady day-use area on the Collie River that’s perfect for swimming, canoeing, and even a spot of fishing. Photographers love visiting on winter mornings when a magical mist rolls over the calm water, while swimmers prefer heading down and making use of the pool in the heat of summer.
Being a day-use area only, there are toilets and picnic tables provided, but strictly no camping on-site. The closest campground is just a 5-minute drive away at Collie River Valley Tourist Park. While there are no barbecue facilities available, you’re able to bring portable barbecues in to cook up your fresh catch at certain times of the year.
Float happily at Black Diamond Lake
Possibly the most Instagram-famous of all Collie’s lakes and pools is Black Diamond Lake; its iridescently blue water is the perfect fodder for your feed. Just 5km west of Collie, it’s the tourist attraction that put the town on the map.
If you want to see Black Diamond in its prime, you’re best to head down on a sunny day mid-week. The sunshine bounces off the limestone at the bottom of the lake and really makes that blue water pop; plus, you’ll have more room to spread your picnic blanket on a weekday than on a weekend. Don’t forget to take a kayak, an inflatable, or a SUP board to make the most of the calm water, and pack an esky full of food and drink to sustain you for the day.
There are very few facilities at the lake, so pack some bin bags to take your rubbish with you too.
Wander through the Wellington National Park
Covering some 17,000 hectares of land around Collie, the Wellington National Park is a nature lover’s playground. Many trails emanate from and run through the park, including the Bibbulman Track and the Munda Biddi mountain biking trail. Wander under the canopies of the towering jarrahs, marris, sheoaks, and blackbutts; get your thrills cycling at speed on any one of the mountain biking trails; or simply enjoy the serenity with a quiet picnic under the trees.
Camp on the shores of the dam under shady jarrah and marri trees at Potters Gorge Campsite. There are around 55 sites for tents, caravans, campervans, and motorhomes.
Unfortunately, you’ll need to find a babysitter for your four-legged friend as the park doesn’t cater to doggy guests.
Go canoeing at Honeymoon Pool
Honeymoon Pool sounds calm by name, and it’s definitely calm by nature. Surrounded by overhanging peppermint trees, this natural pool on the Collie River is a bush oasis.
Spend your day gently floating in the middle of the pool on an inflatable, sunbathing on the wooden platform, swinging off the rope swing and into the pool, or canoeing a few kms up the river. There are picnic tables and barbecues on site too, so you can cook up a storm to fuel you on for the rest of the day.
Fancy staying on for another day? Pack your tents and set up camp on one of the 20 individual campgrounds.
Hike some of the Bibbulmun Track
Stretching 1000km from Kalamunda in the north to Albany in the south, the Bibbulmun Track is one of the world’s greatest long-distance walking trails. Somewhere in the middle, the track winds through Wellington National Park and brings trekkers to the town of Collie.
The Bibbulmun connects to Collie via a 2.7km spur track which makes for an easy, scenic 5km return walk. If you want to actually walk the Bibbulmun and not just the spur track, you’ll have to challenge yourself with something a little closer to 10km. The ultimate challenge is an 86km, 3-night walk from Collie to Balingup (water, food, and bedding are all necessary).
Hit the trail any time from late September to early November to beat the harshest of the summer heat, and to see the bush in full bloom.
Camp by Stockton Lake
It doesn’t get much better than pitching a tent right on the water’s edge at Collie’s Stockton Lake.
Another former coal mine, Stockton Lake boasts the same brilliantly blue water that people flock to Black Diamond Lake for, but there’s fewer people around and a whole lot more on offer. First of all, you can camp. The 20 campsites work on a first-come, first-served basis, and will accommodate tents, motorhomes, and caravans. If you’ve got a boat, you can bring that along too (the lake is perfect for a bit of tubing or water skiing).
The best part of camping at Stockton Lake? Dogs are most welcome.
Bike down the Munda Biddi trail
When Collie does tourist attractions, it goes all out. Not only does the town lay claim to the world’s biggest dam mural, but it’s also home to the world’s longest, continuous off-road cycling trail.
The Munda Biddi trail stretches for 1000km, beginning in Mundaring and finishing all the way down in Albany. Along the way, it weaves its way through the Wellington National Park near Collie. The Nanga to Collie, and Collie to Jarrahwood, stretches are known as some of the most challenging sections of the trail, but they’re also the most rewarding. Enjoy the rush of the fresh, forest air as you zip through at speed, and really get a feel for Collie and surrounds.
Discover even more of Collie via collierivervalley.com.au.
- Collie Road Trip: 4 Swimming Holes In Collie That Aren’t Black Diamond Lake
- Houtman Abrolhos: What It’s Like Seeing WA’s Most Beautiful Islands By Air
- Summer Guide To Australia’s South West
See More Here: Travel Western Australia
