Collie is an old coal town in the jarrah country east of Bunbury, and it is more interesting than that description sounds. Mining still shapes the place, but the surrounding forest, river pools, reservoirs, and a bold mural trail give travelers several reasons to turn inland.
The headline is Wellington Dam Lookout, where Guido van Helten's huge Reflections mural covers the dam wall. In town, the Coalfields Museum and Collie Railway Station keep the coal and rail story grounded. South of town, Minninup Pool is the easy place to meet the Collie River.
Collie is best by car as a full day from Bunbury or a slower stop on a South West loop. It is not polished wine-country tourism, which is part of the appeal: you get industry, forest, water, and big public art in the same small radius.