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Voykit pocket guide · Australia
Collie
Give Collie one night as a stop on the South West loop, or a day trip from Bunbury: the mine lakes and the river walk are the reason to come.
Collie is a coal town of about 7,600 people, 200 km south-east of Perth and roughly 60 km inland from Bunbury. Its draw is water in odd places: flooded mine pits turned blue-green swimming lakes, two dams, and a river running through town. Sights sit 3–17 km apart, so a car decides what you see.
- Country
- Australia
- Best months
- Oct–Apr
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (wet, cold nights)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- AUD
- Money
- Currency is the Australian dollar (AUD, A$). Contactless cards and phones are accepted almost everywhere, including public transport in the big cities; some small cafes are card-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget A$90–140 excl. bed · Mid A$140–220 excl. bed · High A$220+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telstra has the widest outback coverage; Optus and Vodafone (TPG) are cheaper and fine in cities and along highways.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 000 · From a mobile 112
- Plugs
- Types I · 230 V · 50 Hz · Angled two- or three-pin Type I, shared with NZ, Fiji and China; sockets have their own switch — turn it on.
- Tipping
- Cafés and casual meals: Nothing; a tip jar is optional.; Restaurants: Not expected; 10% for very good service in a nice restaurant if you wish.; Taxi / rideshare: Round up or nothing.; Tours and guides: Optional; A$10–20 for a great day guide.; Surcharges: Weekend and public-holiday surcharges of 10–15% are legal if shown on the menu.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in cities and towns; in remote places use signed drinking taps. Carry plenty on any outback drive or walk.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets in parks, beaches, shopping centres and petrol stations (servos); the National Public Toilet Map app lists them.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | A$4–6 |
| Fish and chips | A$12–18 |
| Chinese main course | A$13–19 |
| Motel double room | A$120–220 |
| Fuel, unleaded | A$1.70–2.00 per litre (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | A$20–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- PER · Perth Airport
- About 2 h 30 min by car; South West Coach Lines runs a daily coach from Perth Airport and the Perth busport, about 3 h (check)
Typical fares
- Perth → Collie, South West Coach Lines
- about A$50, about 3 h (check)
- Collie → Bunbury by car
- about 60 km (37 mi), about 1 habout 37 mi (60 km), about 1 h
- Coalfields Museum entry
- A$5 adults (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
A car is the practical choice: the lakes and dams are 3–17 km (1.9–11 mi) out of town with no useful public transport. In town, the river walk and Throssell Street sights are walkable. The TransWA Australind train reaches Bunbury, then a connecting coach continues to Collie (check times).A car is the practical choice: the lakes and dams are 1.9–11 mi (3–17 km) out of town with no useful public transport. In town, the river walk and Throssell Street sights are walkable. The TransWA Australind train reaches Bunbury, then a connecting coach continues to Collie (check times).
See and do
Known for
- Black Diamond Pool
- Stockton Lake
- Collie River Walk
- Coalfields Museum
- Bibbulmun Track
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bunbury | Coalfields Road to the South Western Highway, about 1 h by car | About 1 h |
| Wellington Dam and the Collie River valley | Pile Road south of Collie, then the dam access road | About 40 min |
| Busselton | Coalfields Road to the South Western Highway, then Bussell Highway | About 1 h 30 min |
| Margaret River | Car via Busselton and the Bussell Highway | About 2 h |
| Pemberton | Car via Boyup Brook and the Vasse Highway | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Town centre (Throssell Street)
- Motels, cafés and both museums within a short walk; the pick if you have no car.
- Dam and lake campgrounds
- Stockton Lake, Glen Mervyn Dam and Wellington Dam have toilets and campfire rings; no tap water, bring your own.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thanks |
| Where is the toilet? | Where's the loo? |
| Can I pay by card? | Card OK? |
| How much is it? | How much? |
| Is it safe to swim here? | Safe to swim here? |
| No worries | No worries |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake or 'G'day' / 'How are you going?'; first names from the start; avoid: Formal titles; long answers to 'how are you'
- Rounds: Buy your round ('shout') when drinking in a group; avoid: Leaving before your shout
- Queues: Queue patiently; sitting in the front seat of a taxi when alone is common; avoid: Pushing in — it is noticed
- Country: Listen to Welcomes and Acknowledgements; use local place names when offered; avoid: Touching artefacts or photographing ceremonies without permission
- Beach: Swim between the flags; respect lifesavers' instructions; avoid: Swimming at unpatrolled beaches alone
- Humour: Expect teasing and understatement; laugh along; avoid: Taking dry sarcasm literally or boasting
- Walking and driving: Keep left on footpaths and escalators; wave thanks to drivers who let you in; avoid: Stopping on the road to photograph kangaroos
Scams and watch-outs
- No tap water at the lake and dam campgrounds: bring your own.
- Swimming is banned at Harris Dam; the dam wall walk is the visit.
- Kangaroos and logging trucks on Coalfields Road at dawn and dusk.
- Summer days can pass 35 °C: swim early, carry water.
Collie is a small, quiet town and feels safe day and night. The real risks are heat in summer, cold wet nights in winter, unlit rural roads at dawn and dusk, and swimming in old mine pits where depth and cold are not marked.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Collie yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Black Diamond Pool
- Stockton Lake
- Collie River Walk
- Coalfields Museum
- Bibbulmun Track
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Collie, revision 5306340 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5306340
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Collie
Can you take me to this address?
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassy in Collie; consulates-general are in Perth, about 2 h 30 min away.
Distances and drive times are approximate.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/collie). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.