The forested areas surrounding Manjimup may have started out as timber country, but today the region is best known for its myriad fresh produce. Intermingled with tall karri forest, the surrounding farmlands take centre stage in a thriving fruit and vegetable industry.
The famous ‘Pink Lady’ apple was developed in Manjimup more than 50 years ago and the horticultural industry has continued to evolve since then, with new pursuits including avocado farming, green tea, finger limes and the rare gourmet black truffle. You can pick up the freshest produce straight from the farm gate including apples, pears, cherries, nectarines, kiwi fruit, chestnuts, hazelnuts, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots and corn.
Black truffles
Manjimup is home to Australia’s first mainland truffles and a very successful exporter, now ranked as the largest producer of black Perigord truffles in the southern hemisphere. Top restaurants throughout the world use Manjimup truffles, from Thomas Keller’s French Laundry in Napa and Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck in England. During truffle season, from June to August each year, guests can visit a truffière and join a truffle hunt, where they follow the sweet and highly trained truffle dogs as they sniff their way through the orchards in search of the black truffle.
Manjimup food and wine events
To properly celebrate the produce on offer, several food-focused events occur each year. Manjimup’s Cherry Harmony Festival held in early December. The town comes alive for the three day festival in celebration of the start of the cherry season. Several varieties of cherries are grown in local orchards and are available from November to January. In June, the truffle industry is celebrated and the iconic Truffle Kefuffle – a three day food and wine event that celebrates not only the rare black truffle, but more largely the food and wine industry of the Southern Forests region.
