Pinjarra: Riverside, parks and cultural history

Pinjarra offers a range of ways to spend your stay: the Murray River foreshore, parks, historic places and cultural attractions. If you’re looking for a hotel in Pinjarra, you can start by choosing the themes you’d like to experience during your trip. The places below offer specific ideas—from waterside paths to history, wildlife experiences and harness racing.

The Murray River and waterside paths

Murray River Square and Foreshore is a town square and foreshore reserve in the centre of Pinjarra, and includes the Pinjarra Suspension Bridge. It’s suitable for family picnics as well as formal and informal activities. Cycling and walking paths run along the Murray River foreshore, and you can also start a kayaking trip upstream from here. This gives you different ways to spend time by the river, from paths on land to setting off on a kayak trip.

Parks and time outdoors

Cantwell Park offers a different focus: it’s a large park in the centre of Pinjarra, with shaded play areas, picnic and barbecue areas, and outdoor exercise equipment. In contrast to the foreshore square with its Suspension Bridge, the focus here is on play and exercise areas. If you’re planning time outdoors, these different facilities can help you decide whether a park visit or time at the foreshore better suits your interests.

Pinjarra’s history and culture

Pinjarra was one of the earliest areas of European settlement in Western Australia. In the centre is the Edenvale Heritage Precinct, a remnant of a 19th-century rural village. Historic architecture, gardens at the former residence, wooden fences and barns shape the precinct. It is associated with the McLarty family, a prominent pioneering family in Western Australia. Facilities include museums, craft galleries, retail shops, historic archives and preserved historic buildings. The Heritage Rose Garden within the precinct is a public rose garden and the only garden of its kind in Western Australia.

Another way to explore Pinjarra’s history is the Pinjarra Heritage Trail. This easy 1.2-kilometre walking trail runs along Pinjarra’s main street. Information panels point out historic buildings and places associated with early settlement. While the Edenvale Heritage Precinct brings together architecture, gardens and a range of facilities, the trail presents history along the main street and at its historic stops.

The cultural history also includes recognition of the Bilyidar Bindjareb Nyungars as the traditional owners of the land in Pinjarra. Their stories are shared through cultural festivals, performances and art. The Pinjarra Art Hub is also located in the Edenvale Precinct in Pinjarra. It showcases locally made products in painting, glasswork, jewellery, ceramics, textiles and woodwork, and runs creative workshops and training courses. Local crafts and courses are therefore distinct cultural offerings.

Wildlife experiences and harness racing

For animal lovers, Ranger Red’s Zoo & Conservation Park offers interactive experiences such as hand-feeding animals, holding a snake, patting a red-bellied pademelon and tickling a ferret. The “Junior Zookeeper for a Day” program is for animal lovers aged 8 to 16.

Weekly harness racing events are held at Pinjarra Paceway. You can watch the races from the track or from the Paceway Pavilion’s restaurant and bar. As race schedules can change, check the schedule before your visit. Wildlife experiences and racing offer a different focus from Pinjarra’s riverside paths, parks and historic attractions.

Explore more destinations: Karratha, Mullaloo, North Fremantle, Bullsbrook, Yanmah, Lowlands, Karijini, Kalamunda

For the main travel overview: Western Australia.