Northcliffe: Art Trail, Pioneer History and Forest Walks

Northcliffe brings art, local history and nature together in a concentrated setting: a nationally unique art trail, a museum with a range of collections and forest trails shape the choice of experiences. Two well-known routes also run through the town. You can get to know Northcliffe as a destination for culture, history or outdoor activities, depending on your interests.

Art and history in Northcliffe

Understory is a nationally unique site-specific art trail in Northcliffe. The term “site-specific” refers to the special connection between art and place: Understory is not simply a general exhibition, but an art trail that puts Northcliffe at its centre. For travellers interested in cultural offerings as well as landscapes, it is a distinctive part of the town’s character.

Another exhibition venue is the Painted Tree Gallery at the Northcliffe Information and Visitor Centre. It was purpose-built as an exhibition and community space. This means Northcliffe offers two different ways to experience art: Understory as an art trail, and the gallery as a space for exhibitions and community use.

The Northcliffe Pioneer Museum focuses on the history of Group Settlement in Western Australia. It may be the most comprehensive presentation of this subject in the state. Other exhibitions cover the local timber industry, tobacco growing and banking. The museum also houses the George Gardner Rock and Fossil Collection, with around 1,200 items. Together, these subjects offer insight into different aspects of local and regional history, as well as a collection of rocks and fossils.

Forest and trails around Northcliffe

Nature can also be experienced on different scales. The Hollow Butt is a large, living karri tree and a striking natural landmark in its own right. The 246 ha Northcliffe Forest Park lies on the edge of town and has attractive forest trails. Travellers whose main interests are scenery and trails will find a different focus here from the town’s cultural offerings.

Northcliffe Forest Park has four named trails of varying lengths: the Karri Loop Trail is 400 m long, and the Bardi Creek Trail is 700 m. The latter is part of the Bibbulmun Track. The Gardner River Adventure Trail is 1.2 km long, and the Marri Meander Trail is 3.5 km. The distances make it easy to compare the lengths of the trails listed. The Bibbulmun Track also runs directly through Northcliffe, as does the Munda Biddi Trail.

When planning your trip, you can weigh up culture and nature as two distinct, equally tangible sides of Northcliffe: the museum, art trail and gallery offer cultural discoveries, while the Forest Park and trails focus on woodland and outdoor activity. This lets you choose your destination based on the experiences that interest you most.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Kinross, Neerabup, North Boyanup, Benger, Broadwater, Cockburn Central, Herne Hill, Kalbarri

For the main travel overview: Western Australia.