understory art in nature

Don't drive out of your way for this attraction. The installations are poor and the artist's commentary baffling.

We stumbled across this by accident and were very glad we did. Hidden amongst the bush behind the Northcliffe Visitor's Centre you will find about a dozen sculptures made of all sorts of media scattered along a meandering pathway, mainly by WA artists. You are given an MP3 player for an audio tour by the artist's in their own words, and it nicely complements the experience as you wander along the pathway, trying to spot the not always obvious artworks surrounded by natural bush. I would advise doing the tour in the morning if visiting in summer.

This is such an excellent tourist attraction showcasing not only local artists but our lovely aussie bush as well.The art work is really terrific and the walk is truely magical. We were lucky to have the place to ourselves and enjoyed every moment.I have spoken to many friends about this little gem since our visit and have encouraged them to travel via Northcliffe and call in to experience it for themselves. Good feedback from everyone so far.The local cafe does a good lunch as well.

A sculpture garden set amongst the bushland at the Northcliffe Visitors Information Centre. Interesting but would only appeal to those into sculpture and art. Some were OK and some were downright weird. Costs $11 pp and we did not think it was worth the money. You do get an MP3 player to give you an audio tour as you wander around. Wheelchair with assistance for much of walk but check as parts are very boggy when wet.Location – Excellent, centre of town, Service – Very Good, friendly and informative, Value – Poor unless you are really into art, Atmosphere – Very Good if you like the bush, Overall - Average

Sculptures in the bush. An innovative attraction for a small country town. We thoroughly enjoyed walking through the bush finding the sculptures, but the best part was listening to the artists telling their stories on the MP3 player as we walked, or rather strolled very slowly, around. It forces you to stop and enjoy the bush and the art, taking it in and appreciating the thought and work that went into the making of the art. If you have children, they are catered for too as there are children's story areas where they can listen to a story about an animal before moving on to find the next one. A drop of rain when we were half way around just added to the atmosphere and magic. We were there on our own, and without needing to rush off elsewhere which was perfect. Make the drive to Northcliffe if you are in the area and support their small community!

This was entirely worth the drive out to Northcliffe and is highly recommended for the whole family - in this case myself, my 7 yr old daughter and my 13 year old son. My review is pretty lengthy but there are so many wonderful aspects to tell you about. Good bits: The walk itself is lovely with a meandering path through the wood and heath lands. I would expect that the flowers in spring would be lovely. On our visit, one side of the path had recently been burnt off and this provided an interesting contrast to the unburnt bush. For visitors to australia, please understand that the australian bush actually needs the occasional fire to return nutrients to the soil, reduce the amount of dead vegetation, and help germinate various native plants. The walk is a bit over 1 km long but on a gentle meandering path suitable for all ages and virtually all fitness levels. It takes around 40 odd minutes depending on how quickly you go and whether you like to wander along slowly and take in your surroundings - which we did!The audio tour is JUST wonderful and exceptionally well done. There are a variety of options including a story tour for young children which my daughter selected and a teen tour comprising mostly music. My kids were thoroughly engrossed with their respective audio choices. There are also several choices for adults and I listened to the artist's commentary on their works.The sculptures are wonderful and diverse. I loved the way they are tucked away in the landscape and you actively have to stop and look around to find some of them. there are also the odd bits of ephemeral art works around the place as well as the permanent installations. there were a series of story nooks to complement the children's audio tour with carved stones about native wildlife. my daughter loved finding these and examining them thoroughly. Both kids participated happily in finding the relevant artworks and were much more engaged than any traditional art show I've taken them too. Some of the artworks are incorporated into shelters and seats and are touchable - even better as you don't have watch the kids and tell them not to touch! Others are suspended up in the trees or in strange little places. Bad Bits - NONE. well worth the effort. A hidden gem of an attraction

A gorgeous wander through a meandering trail amongst tall trees and bush land. The sculptures peaking from behind the flora or hiding behind. The accompanying artist descriptions provided an insight into the design and its development. A thoroughly enjoyable experience. The accompanying MP3 player had a choice of recordings suitable for a variety of age groups. Highly recommend this installation.

Really enjoyed this, despite the hot and humid weather. The best part about this was listening to the artists' commentary - it really helped you to understand the purpose and meaning behind the sculptures. Would love to do this again when all the wildflowers are out. Also, the lady at the info centre was really friendly and helpful :) I wouldn't take small children, I don't think they'd enjoy it, despite the audio setting especially for them

We stumbled across a brochure in the cafe at Walpole with a photo of one of the sculptures. The 2 previous reviews on here sounded promising, so we decided to add it to our afternoon itinerary as we drive to Pemberton. And I'm so glad we did. There are about 20 sculptures scattered along an easy walk through the surrounding bush (entrance via Visitors Centre). The audio adds interest and back story for each piece. You can still hear the sounds of the bush in the audio.We were pleased to see some local birds too. Apparently more sculptures will be added as they raise money to commission more artists. It makes the $11 entry seem very reasonable.

A really lovely hours wander. Best done with the accompanying audio guide where the artists talk about their works, gives the experience more depth. Some really wonderful pieces too. A great local community initiative. My personal faves were the red sundew and the shelter made from giant metallic leaves (-:

Really enjoyed my time in Northcliffe, nice little town to spend 3 to 4 hours. What a treat to find Understory art in nature. only $11 for a beautiful walk through the forest, with some thought provoking art throughout the walk. Didnt like the first piece at all, and thought what am in for but really great after that. Thoroughly recommend you visit this attraction