PEMBERTON’S CLIMBING TREES

What is the craziest tourist attraction in Western Australia? I don’t have to think too long to give you the answer. Pemberton’s climbing trees with absolutely no doubt. These giants have over 50 m, were formerly used as fire lookouts, and today remain open for tourists to climb. Have I mentioned that there’s hardly no support provided? Just pegs hammered into the tree trunk that form a ladder. Would you rely on that? I was extremely excited to give it a go. Find out more about one of the best places to visit in Western Australia.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?

Pemberton is a small town located over 300 km south of Perth. You can definitely plan a trip there all year round, regardless of the season. A day entry fee to Gloucester National Park, as well as Warren National Park is AUD 15 for a vehicle. A purchase of a periodic pass is a good idea, if you plan to visit more national parks in Western Australia. It will help you save some money. If you wish to stay overnight somewhere nearby, check out the national park campsites in this area or book standard accommodation in Pemberton.

PEMBERTON’S CLIMBING TREES

Pemberton’s climbing trees are the former fire lookouts built between 1937 and 1952 to give firefighters their best chance of responding to fires in a timely manner. It was not a standard practise though. High towers were traditionally used for this particular purpose. So what’s the reason that the lookouts were built on the top of the trees? Karri Forest is dominated by Eucalyptus diversicolor, the tallest tree in Western Australia that can reach as high as 90 m. It was extremely hard to build towers that tall, so eight highest trees were chosen and transformed into fire lookouts. Today, only two of them remain open for visitors.

GLOUCESTER TREE

The 53 m Gloucester Tree is located in Gloucester National Park close to Pemberton. It was named after the Governor-General of Australia, who visited the tree and watched the pegging of the ladder to construct the lookout. He very distinctly said that climbing the tree it’s not really a difficult task. This can’t be further from the truth. Climbing the Gloucester Tree is a thrilling experience itself, plus imagine being passed by other people on the ladder on your way up. Once you make it to the top, take some time to enjoy the views.

Gloucester Tree in Pemberton

BICENTENNIAL TREE

The Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree stands 65 m tall in Warren National Park, and remains the highest treetop lookout in the world. I would definitely describe myself as a brave person, but I won’t lie to you. I was terrified climbing the 182 pegs to the top with actually no real support. Would you dare doing the same? If you do venture up the ladder, you will be rewarded with a 360-degree view of Karri Forest. If you fear of heights, don’t attempt this climb. If you are not sure about your capabilities, do not take the risk.

Bicentennial Tree in Pemberton

IS THIS SAFE?

I asked myself this question many times when I was hanging there, over 50 metres above the ground, and I can’t give you a straight answer. However, I was surprised that those trees are open for climbing. This may be the answer though. Anyway, before you climb any of Pemberton’s trees, get yourself familiarised with the safety precautions. They are as follows. Part of the climb is almost vertical and narrow. Don’t climb the trees in wet or windy conditions. If in doubt, do not proceed further. Backpacks will hinder climbing. Enjoy!

That’s all about Pemberton’s climbing trees. Would you dare climbing any of them? Let me know by leaving a comment below!

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Hey, it’s Karolina, the author of this blog. If you find my content valuable and helpful, I would be more than grateful, if you could support my work, and buy me a coffee. I do love writing my blog, and creating content for you guys. Thank you!