Climb Pemberton's Climbing Trees

Just outside of the small town of Pemberton in Western Australia are three towering Karri trees that you can climb to to their highest branches.  The Karri tree is the third tallest species in the world, just behind the famous Sequoias and Douglas Firs.  With the help of bolted pegs that spiral around the massive tree trunks, you can slowly make your way up to panoramic viewing platforms above the forest canopy.  

The three Karri trees that are still fit for climbing are the 51m Diamond tree, 61m Gloucester tree, and the 75m Dave Evans Bicentennial tree.  In my humble opinion, the best view is from the top of the Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree, but the Gloucester and Diamond trees have awesome views too. The three trees are all within about 15 minutes from each other, so if one is too crowded, don't be afraid to try another.  However, your best bet is to get there early to avoid any sticky situations of having to pass people on their way down.  

The Dave Evans Bicentennial tree has two platforms, one about halfway up, and the other near the top of the tree.  You can use these platforms to pass people on their way down, because there is not much room on the pegs to do so. There is some chicken wire netting near the top as well, but don't let that give you a false sense of security.  On all three trees, there are not really any safety measures in place, so please climb at your own risk.  If fitness or fear of heights is an issue for you, then this might really push your limits.  I was surprised at how tiring it was to climb ladder-style up all 75m. 

However, the exhilarating climb is an awesome adrenaline rush if you are like me and cannot resist looking down.  Once you get to the top, the adrenaline begins to ease as you can stare for miles in any direction over the towering Eucalyptus forests.    If you can catch a sunrise/sunset at the top and would brave climbing while the light is getting pretty dim, I am sure that would be an unforgettable sight.  There is no shortage of epic things to do in Western Australia, but this is one of my favorites.