Things to do
Sport and recreation
Sport and recreation plays a vital role in the South West and, with close to 600 sporting and recreational clubs, the region offers a range of options for aspiring athletes, sports and outdoor enthusiasts, and those interested in the arts and crafts.
Popular outdoor recreational activities include bush and trail walking, bird and wildflower watching, camping, boating, swimming, surfing, fishing, mountain bike riding, rock climbing, abseiling, caving and adventure racing.
There are a number of clubs throughout the region, representing a range of recreational activities including hockey, football, cricket, netball, basketball, swimming, golf, athletics, lawn bowls, equestrian, horse racing, pony clubs, cycling, rifle shooting, soccer, skateboarding, squash, tennis, BMX and martial arts. Sport in the region is supported by the Goldfields Sportshouse, which provides support in the delivery of services to those living in the Goldfields.
Other recreational pursuits such as arts and crafts, dance, music, theatre and performing arts are also very well supported in the region.
The South West is well-equipped with sporting facilities and offers a variety of sport and recreational clubs to choose from. Bunbury is the major centre for sport in the region and houses a range of facilities including an international standard athletics track, regional sports centre and a speedway track.
There are a number of clubs throughout the region, representing a range of recreational activities including hockey, football, cricket, netball, basketball, volleyball, swimming, golf, athletics, lawn bowls, equestrian, horse racing, pony clubs, cycling, running, sport shooting, soccer, skateboarding, squash, tennis, BMX, motorsports and martial arts.
The region is also home to the South West Academy of Sport (SWAS) – the only regional sports academy in Western Australia – which provides high-performance talent development pathways for promising teenaged athletes intending to pursue a career in sport.
For more information, visit:
Events and attractions
The South West region hosts a number of events throughout the year, including farmer’s markets; agricultural shows; film, food, wine, literary, art, wildflower, comedy and cultural festivals; live music and theatre events; art and craft fairs and exhibitions; car rallies; horse races; a medieval carnival; and the well-known CinefestOz film festival, Blues of Bridgetown music festival, Margaret River Gourmet Escape, Manjimup’s Truffle Kerfuffle and the Leeuwin Estate Concert Series.
The region hosts a number of sporting events throughout the year, including motor cross, mountain biking, ultra-marathon running, triathlon and mud run events. Most notably, the region is the location for the world-famous Busselton Iron Man and Drug Aware Margaret River Pro surfing events, each attracting a large number of participants from all over the world.
As well as being home to 24 national parks, towering forests, pristine surf beaches, beautiful coastlines and ancient underground cave systems, the South West boasts a range of popular natural attractions including the Bibbulman walking track, Munda Biddi cycling trail, Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk, Gloucester Tree and Bunbury’s Dolphin Discovery Centre.
For more information on the region’s main events and attractions, visit: