Star date 7/5/26
Pemberton is home to towering karri forests. A nature lovers paradise which would be fantastic to explore if you didn’t have a dog. So we were rather restricted on what we could do and see in Pemberton.
The town is lovely with autumn colours in full swing, something I don’t see very often where I live in Qld. So I love to see the changing colours of the leaves and how bright the reds can be.
We walked up the street taking photos of a few things of interest.
Then a very brief super quick detour to see the Gloucester Tree.
Before the introduction of spotter planes to look out for fires, a network of 18 fire lookout trees and towers were spread out across the south-west forests in Western Australia. From the top of these lookouts, foresters used to scan the landscape around them for the first signs of smoke.
Foresters selected the Gloucester Tree to use as a fire lookout in 1947. It was one of eight lookout trees built in the south-west between 1937 and 1952.
Today, the Gloucester Tree has retired from its duties as a fire lookout tree but people still climb it. No way would I climb that, I’d be “just beam me up Scotty”. Spikes just sticking out from the tree going up in a spiral, no mesh, nothing much to hang onto 61m tall. It is currently closed for climbing due to renovations of the new platform.
Original Lookout Height: 53–58 metres.
Reopening Height: Following safety works, a new platform is being installed at 37 metres, anticipated to reopen by late 2025.
Climb Structure: Originally 153 spikes (pegs) in a spiral staircase, with no mesh support.
Status: It is the world’s second-tallest fire-lookout tree.
There is also an Aerial Adventure with steps in a spiral up trees, rope bridges, zip lines & high rope courses, this was also closed when we were there.
A brief stop next to a river, cool bridge.
Our night spot at Peaceful Park.
Live Long and Prosper. 🖖🏿