Time Travel!! Only an hours drive away!!

I know a secret!! Grabbed your attention? Cool! What if I was to tell you that you could point your vehicle south and drive about an hour from Bunbury and find yourself in another time. A time before televisions. A time before mobile phones, Instagram, Facebook and Google. Would you believe?

Well my friends its true. Take a drive on the South West Highway. Drive through pretty little villages like Balingup #Balingup. If you drive through Balingup at the right time of the year they hold a weekend long Medieval festival where you can rub shoulders with king, queens and knights of old. Then, you will come across the happening Bridgetown #Bridgetown with its fantastic high street. Here you'll find pop culture shops, a myriad of little second hand book stores. There is an Old English candy shop and of course the world famous Cidery #TheCidery where you can sample their amazing cider or enjoy a nice meal in the restaurant. So, have we really gone back in time yet? Oh no,our journey has not reached it's end just yet. Drive through Bridgetown, and just after the bridge, (a bridge in Bridgetown...fancy that!!) turn right and follow the signs for Donnelly River, for it is at Donnelly River where the clock really does go back. Nestled in a huge Karri forest you will find this delightful little holiday village. You will stay in the original cottages that the wood mill workers stayed in when it was a working mill. There are no TV's, there is no phone reception, this is about as back to basics that you can get. The village is open all year round , but we love going in the winter. Fire wood is supplied, and it is never long before a huge open fire is roaring and warming your cottage up. They are probably slightly better equipped than they were in 1912 when the village was constructed. You have some modern conveniences like a kettle, microwave, toaster and electric oven, and if you are lucky, an indoor toilet depending on which cottage you stay in. Some can sleep up to ten people so if a big group of you go, it can be a real cheap weekend away. The real magic of the place as anybody who as been there will tell you, is the wildlife #wildlife. There are Kangaroos roaming freely, Emu's jockey for position to try and get fed, often getting side swiped by a hungry roo. Grab a torch when it gets dark and go possum hunting #possum We have even had the thrill of a possum with its baby on its back allowing us to hand feed it.

My children are typical teenagers, always on some screen or another, but they absolutely love this place, it is so nice to have real family time together, and Donnelly River is the perfect place for it. There is a small shop on site which holds a social evening most Saturday nights with wine and cheese that is given out freely!! There is a TV room if the kids really can't do without it, they have a heap of movies too. There is also a very popular flying fox #Flyingfox that can be hired out by the hour for a very small charge.

For those of you who like a taste of time when things were simpler, Donnelly River is the place for you.

Our Beautiful Cottage.

Feeding Time!! Food available at the shop for a dollar!

The Village Shop.