THE WHEATBELT & NEW NORCIA day tour of history, taste & nature.

About this tour

This 10-hour day tour from Perth ventures inland to Western Australia's Wheatbelt, combining rural producer visits, birdwatching and colonial heritage. You'll taste farm-made gelato and artisan cheese, explore ancient olive groves and their resident birdlife, then finish at New Norcia—Australia's only active monastic town—for a guided walk through the Benedictine Abbey and its Spanish-influenced buildings. Small groups (maximum 5) mean genuine conversation with your guide, not crowded shuffling. Lunch and local drinks included.

Highlights

• Taste freshly made gelato and goat cheese at working producers
• Spot over 450 bird species amongst centuries-old olive groves
• Tour the working Benedictine Abbey and New Norcia township
• Sample local honey, abbey ale and gin amongst monastic grounds
• Roll through quiet Wheatbelt farmland in air-conditioned comfort
• Lunch and spring water provided; cooler onboard for purchases

What to expect

You'll leave Perth early and head northeast into farming country, stopping first at properties where locals actually work. The botanical aviaries buzz with native birds—bring binoculars if you have them. Next, artisan producers let you taste what they make: creamy gelato, pungent goat cheese, floral honey. The landscape opens up: red soil, scattered trees, vastness. After lunch, New Norcia reveals itself as a genuine working settlement, not a museum. You'll walk through the Abbey with a guide explaining its 19th-century founding and ongoing monastic life. The return journey to Perth takes the afternoon.

Good to know

Wear sturdy, dusty-friendly shoes and bring a sunhat—the Wheatbelt sun is relentless and shade sparse. Ground is often dry and rough underfoot. Moderate fitness required for walking. Public transport nearby in Perth for drop-off/pick-up. Minimise hand luggage; the cooler fits produce purchases. Not suitable if you have cardiovascular concerns.