Bickley Valley: How this untapped region has gone under the radar, and why it needs to be on your itinerary

There is something so novel, yet comforting, in exploring a regional West Australian town. Stress levels are dialled down as the road trip playlist is turned up. The big smoke disappears from the rear-view mirror, replaced with an open road dotted with signs promising world-famous meat pies or freshly picked fruit. For each of its differences, a country town will have its similarities. There will be a general store that quadruples as a cafe, gift store, post office and mechanic. Accommodation is few and far between, but available options radiate warmth and homeliness: a basket of local goods and a bottle of wine await your arrival. Its people will welcome you with open arms, offering pages of recommendations and owners to seek out on arrival. In WA, we’ve long been full brim on the best regions or towns to spend a week, or forage through for the day. The South West over summer, the Great Southern as the days cool, Dwellingup or the Swan Valley for a special Sunday, the Ferguson Valley on a friend’s glowing recommendation. There is a slice of WA though that has gone under the radar, a gem that has been overlooked by many. Yet, she’s a beauty, with the warm embrace of a country town, vistas reminiscent of Tuscan vineyards, and deep valleys harbouring orchards, olive trees and vineyards lined with shiraz, pinot noir and durif grapes. Oh, and it’s under an hour’s drive from Perth. “World-class venues within 30 minutes from the CBD: if you love great wineries, food, distilleries and cideries then you have to try the Bickley Valley — there is such a range of experiences,” gushes Jon Elbery, Kalamunda Chamber of Commerce chairperson. “Maybe a bit long for an elevator pitch.” Drawn to the region in 1986, Elbery has been there ever since. Adding excellent cycling routes and mountain biking trails to his pitch, he says the Bickley Valley’s drawcard as a tourist destination is also thanks to its community spirit and mostly owner-run businesses. “There is a sense of wonder and experimentation, they (wineries and distilleries) aren’t locked into production,” he says. “It used to be like that in Margaret River in the 70s, when the region was starting off, and then it became more corporatised. These are still family businesses. The end game for some might be to sell to a national or international group, but that hasn’t happened yet.” Eric and Lucy Radice are no strangers to the beauty of the region. Their restaurant, La Fattoria Perth Hills, overlooks its 25-acre orchard and vineyard, a property that’s been owned by the Radice’s since 1945. Nearly 80 years on, it’s still a family affair. On a gorgeous autumn day, Eric points out his father, Lou, expertly manoeuvring a tractor in the orchard beyond. He knows the property — its soil, the impact of the seasons on produce and the flocks of black cockatoos who are partial to pinching their apples — like the back of his hand, living there since migrating from Sicily at six. In the kitchen, Eric’s wife Lucy is cooking up an Italian feast for the day ahead, its restaurant offers a nonna’s family table five-course lunch. Platters, or a glass of their wine, can also be enjoyed at tables surrounding plush grass — perfect for the kids to run amok. Dropping antipasto plates of glossy olives, sliced meats and plump mozzarella to guests is Eric’s favourite part of the day: “I carry food down and hope someone asks me a question so I can stop and chat for an hour.” When the couple’s daughter isn’t at university, she can be found selling gluten-free goods there at the weekend. Despite feeling like the luckiest bloke as he prepares for the busy weekend ahead — their tables are nearly fully booked, predominantly return diners — there was a moment in time when running the family business was the furthest thing from his mind. “When I was 20, I couldn’t wait to get away, but after 10 years of working in the city and country (the couple were previously teachers), the appreciation of history and heritage started to weigh quite heavily,” he says. This family element is something he says is very special and quite unique to the region. “The venues are all run by the people that own them . . . they’re doing it all, that’s what sets us apart. When you come you’ll see that I spend most of my days doing this, chatting to people,” he laughs, adding he washes dishes sometimes too. “People from Perth come up and are shocked to find restaurants, wineries and accommodation and many of them say — ‘why do we bother going to Margaret River when we can come up here, 20 minutes from the city, and get the same experience?’” Bruce and Rebekah Wilson, owners of The Packing Shed Distilling Co — a distillery, winery and restaurant — located a few windy roads away, also hear this sentiment weekly. “They (customers) often say ‘you’re so lucky’. It starts a lot of conversations — the hills, and making that tree change,” Rebekah Wilson says. It’s unsurprising given Bickley’s history, which Rebekah explains has been steeped in wellness messaging — over 100 years before green smoothies or ice baths were all the rage. “Historically, the area was pitched as being the health retreat for all of the pioneers down in the flats … it was all about spending your day in the hills to get the fresh air and enjoy the natural pool and trees,” she says. It’s a trend that is still alive in the region. Rebekah says countless customers coming in to sample their drops — many of which have received prestigious awards — are fresh off a hike. Their 10-acre stretch is one of the oldest in the region, founded in 1896. The original home was built in 1903, among a mostly citrus orchard, which was replaced with grapevines in the 80s. When the couple held their wedding reception on the property 25 years ago, they fleetingly considered what life might be like if the grounds were theirs. It was a thought that lingered. “It was one of those things, imagine if we could move to Bickley, and then it came on the market,” Rebekah says. “We weren’t looking to move at the time, but . . . if you don’t try, you’re going to miss out. It was about five years ahead of the life plan, but now it’s our 10th year here.” Having the best of both worlds could well be the official slogan for the region, with its abundance of natural beauty juxtaposed with restaurants, wineries and distilleries. The latter in particular is booming in the region, with a growing number of budding alchemists brewing spirits in distilleries nestled within the towering gums. Simon King, who formerly worked in IT for 25 years, is one of Bickey’s most hard-working. He began dabbling in home-brewing before a trip to his wife’s homeland of Scotland prompted him to start Carmel Distillery — where else would he pour all of the local tips he’d sourced from the Scots? Knowing whiskey had to age for two years in barrel, he started making vodka and gin — using wine from producers in the region — as well as grappa, limoncello and fig leaf liqueur for his friends at La Fattoria. A fellow distiller — Hilton Izzett of HHH Spirits — took his passion-turned-hobby-turned-career one step further when he crafted his first still. With a background in civil engineering and a curiosity that’s landed him the nickname “mad scientist”, he pieced together his first design, learning from the mistakes and challenges thrown at him along the way. Now, Izzett has since gone on to craft nearly half of the stills used in WA, including the one used at The Packing Shed. “Part of it (his growing popularity) is because the style (of his stills) is unique looking, and they’re made in Australia,” he explains. “There are much bigger companies, I’m the tiniest by far, but I’m much cheaper and quicker because I don’t tolerate myself being slow.” As with many of the region’s businesses, Izzett’s burgeoning career in Bickley is world’s away from his former life. When he found himself the victim of a carjacking followed by a home invasion, he moved his family to Australia from South Africa in the hope of a safer existence. “I should have been dead a long time ago, I thought I was going to be twice, it was so close,” Izzett says. He would much rather talk about the intricacies of his stills in meticulous detail though, crafted out of his humble shed. It’s here, alongside his furry assistant Bobo, where he also produces his unique gin — flavours of kaffir lime and cumquat run through one, while his Wax Lyrical Blue gin with Geraldton wax and blue butterfly pea flower changes colour when mixed with tonic. He’s also particularly excited about a whisky, to be released soon. And while the Bickley Valley is often celebrated for its Italian-esque outlooks, there is a special place that throws in some German flair too. Anita and Marcus Geisler, owners of Plume Estate Vineyard, are not only creating some of WA’s most unique and beloved wines — as its walls of awards reveal — they’re excelling in the food department too, thanks to a series of fortunate events. When they considered purchasing the vineyard — which boasts possibly the most breathtaking view in the valley — a family meeting was in order. It was their daughter-in-law Bianca Raub, of German heritage, who was the first to put her hand up to assist in any way she could. Bidding farewell to St Georges Terrace, and a career in accounting, Bianca is now bringing her cooking skills, her “out of control” gardening hobby, and dishes from her roots, to their diners. With a focus on sustainability — the same goes for its wines — Bianca plucks produce from her patch and uses honey from the property to create a seasonal menu. Flammkuchen, a traditional German dish of pastry topped with whatever is on hand (goats cheese with fig and honey is a particularly delicious combo), is a popular dish among its diners. It’s fair to say the choice made at the dinner table was the right one. A glamorous Anita, who has a background in fashion, works front of house, while husband Marcus makes wine and works across the property. Similar to their neighbour Izzett, the couple could spill their knowledge and love of wine for days. The passion shows, — the winery is producing varieties many may not have sipped before, let alone know was being grown in WA. “There are only a handful of wineries in Australia that has verdejo, a Spanish variety, it’s a dry white wine,” explains Marcus. “Durif (a red wine) is also not widely known, only a few wineries are making it — it’s something quite different.” It’s these uncharted wines, as well as the spirits, produce and natural beauty of the region, that will be at the centre of the Bickley Harvest Festival. Across Carmel, Bickley and Pickering Brook, 18 venues will be offering a unique range of experiences, tours, workshops, tastings, menus and produce. It just takes a tank of petrol, leaving the city in your wake and passing Bickley’s multipurpose general store to be welcomed into the untapped surrounds by its locals. “There is a lot still waiting to be found,” Elbery says. The Bickley Harvest Festival runs from May 3 to 5.