Travel guide Western Australia

The Blue House

Nannup is a glorious part of the South West region of WA and is known as the “Garden Village”.  The name itself is an indigenous one, meaning ‘stopping place’ and with so many beautiful flowers to see, along with a great climate and immense natural beauty, it is easy to understand why you would want to stop in Nannup.

Every August is the famous Flower and Garden Festival, which incorporates the Daffodil and Tulip weekends and in November, the roses bloom and the area celebrates with the Regional Rose Festival.

There are so many reasons to visit Nannup and The Blue House B&B is just one more.  This Queenslander-style house is warm and welcoming and each bedroom opens directly on to the verandah, making the most of the lovely valley views and the 5 acres of land, bordered by river and forest.

The Blue House has three bedrooms and offers the best of traditional homestay accommodation, where the owners are there when you need them and melt into the background when you want privacy.  Quality linen and bedding a delicious breakfast menu are must-haves when it comes to B&B accommodation… and The Blue House certainly shines here.

 One bedroom has a queen-size bed and an ensuite and there is also a room with twin beds and another with a double bed.  These two rooms share the separate toilet and bathroom. The guest reading room has a double sofa bed, meaning that the house can sleep 6 people, plus two on the sofa bed when the house is booked for a group. Evening meals and/or picnic hampers for groups of 4-6 can be catered for – just have a chat with Susan and Michael and let them know what you need.

Nannup, which was historically a timber town and lies in the heart of the Blackwood Valley, is only a 2 minute walk over the old railway bridge. Agriculture was also a primary focus of this town, which lies 280 km south of Perth, but in recent years the region has re-invented itself by focussing on events that will bring people to the South West to appreciate not only its natural beauty, but also the culture and history.

Aside from the Flower Festivals, Nannup is renowned for food, fine furniture and antiques, an annual power boat race and the annual music festival by the banks of the Blackwood River.  The festival celebrates its 20th anniversary on the WA Labour Day long weekend in 2009.

The Blue House is the perfect base to make the most of this beautiful region of WA … even if the most you want to do is lie on the verandah, read a book and slip a glass of wine, or stare at the immensity of the night sky away from the light pollution of the city.

However those who like a little action with their holiday will be pleased to know that the Munda Biddi off-road cycle trail runs beside The Blue House (and the property has a large shed, perfect for housing and working on bikes).  This trail is a planned one, which will (when completed) go from Perth to Albany, mostly following unused railway lines.  It currently runs from Perth to Nannup – and is increasing in popularity, as it is WA’s first mountain bike trail – and it runs through a region of staggering natural beauty.

Make The Blue House your base in Nannup … its blend of hospitality, charm and great location makes it a house you may never want to leave.