LET'S DO WINTER IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA'S PEEL REGION

Just one hour south of Perth, Western Australia, you will find the perfect winter escape for families, couples and adventure seekers.

With fantastic holiday deals, events and a range of activities to suit all ages, you'll discover what holiday memories are made of in Mandurah and the Peel Region this winter.

Mandurah is Western Australia's largest and fastest growing regional city and is set against a backdrop of magnificent beaches and an estuary twice the size of Sydney Harbour.

Recently being recognised as Western Australia's 2017 Top Tourism Town, Mandurah has come of age, offering award-winning waterfront dining, aquatic adventures, world-class golf courses and plenty of places to shop.

It is also the perfect base to take day trips to explore the wider Peel Region. In an easy half hour drive you'll find beautiful wineries, winding waterways, rolling green hills and tiny timber towns nestled in the forest.

Top 10 things to do this winter

Take to the trees on a forest obstacle course. Climb along wobbling bridges, through cargo nets and across zip lines at Trees Adventure near Dwellingup.

Be a Zookeeper for a day at the Peel Zoo in Pinjarra. Experience handling, feeding and how to care for over 100 animals, including Tasmanian devils.

Travel on a train through the forest aboard the Hotham Valley Railway steam train in Dwellingup or along the foreshore aboard the Mandurah Tourist Train.

Cuddle a koala at Cohunu Koala Park in Byford, one of the few places in WA you can do so. There are over 10 adult and baby koalas plus other native animals you can hand feed.

Get back to nature at Forest Discovery Centre. Enjoy forest walks, a viewing platform, nature play, art and craft tables, microscopes, a touch table and more.

Say hello to our friendly dolphins on a cruise with Mandurah Cruises or by boat, kayak or paddle board from Mandurah Boat & Bike Hire, Stand Up Paddle Boards or Kayaks 4 U.

Explore by horseback along a scenic trail through the beautiful Darling Ranges with Langford Hill Riding Farm in Waroona.

Have a wheelie good time with bikes hired from Mandurah Boat & Bike Hire, on a Jet X-treme Segway tour around Mandurah or on a mountain bike with Dwellingup Adventures.

Get your adrenaline pumping white water rafting with Dwellingup Adventures. For further thrills, In Mandurah, you can go flyboarding, on a jet-ski tour or skydiving.

Holiday on the water. Take the family away from it all and completely unwind as you slowly meander through the waterways on a Mandurah Houseboat.

Winter events

Winter Wonderland, Mandurah, 7 to 29 Jul

Rug up and enjoy winter festivities on the Mandurah Foreshore, including an ice rink, fun activities, great specials from local businesses and a cosy cabin serving yummy treats.

NAIDOC Week, 8 to 15 Jul

A national celebration of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Local highlights include storytelling, dancing and dance workshops.

Wearable Art Mandurah Exhibition, MANPAC and CASM, 3 Aug to 9 Sep

Get up close and personal to stunning, revolutionary garments designed by Australian and international artists.

Dwellingup 100 Mountain Bike Classic, 18 Aug

Perth's largest one day mountain bike race incorporates the great trails of Dwellingup and attracts some of Australia's best riders.

Mighty Jarrah Trail Run, Dwellingup, 18 Aug

The course offers 21.1km, 10km and 6km distances that weave along scenic trails and through Dwellingup forests.

Travel Facts

Getting there

You can fly directly from New Zealand to Perth or there are several one-stop flights via Australia's eastern states. Mandurah is less than an hour south of Perth. When driving, travel the Kwinana freeway south, easily accessible from many points in Perth, and exit at Mandjoogoordap Drive. Trains and buses operate between the two cities and depart from the Perth city centre. www.transperth.wa.gov.au

Staying there

Mandurah and the Peel Region has a range of accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets. There is a choice of resort hotels, caravan and camping facilities, charming bed and breakfast accommodation, self-contained apartments, forest cabins and even houseboats for hire.

Getting around

Buses operate around Mandurah, but if you want to explore the Peel Region extensively you can hire a car or join a tour. Taxis and Uber drivers are also available in Mandurah.

When to go

The Peel Region can be visited any time of the year. Being on the coast, it's spectacular in spring and in summer. But during winter, the scenery is amazing. You can find something to do all year around.

Further Information on Mandurah and the Peel Region visit www.visitpeel.com.au

Mandurah & the Peel Region image gallery www.mapto.photoshelter.com