Introduction
Western Australia is wild, vast and untouched. The west’s rugged Indian Ocean coastline offers stunning unspoilt beaches; its huge red-dust interiors a taste of the outback Australia of myth and legend; while its relaxed capital Perth - one of the most isolated cities on earth - is vibrant and modern.
Perth & surrounds
Perth is Australia’s sunniest state capital, a fact reflected in the outdoors lifestyle of its inhabitants. Beachfront restaurants, trendy bars and the vast expanse of Kings Park make it a great base for exploring the vineyards of Swan River, bohemian Fremantle and nearby Rottnest Island.
Margaret River & the Southwest
Home to landscapes laced with the greenery of over 80 wineries and an array of gourmet restaurants hidden among the vines, Margaret River is something of an epicurean’s paradise. It's a superb stop-off en route to the state's pretty southwest coast where you'll find ancient forests, serene harbours and some of the country’s finest walking trails, including the 1000-kilometre-long Bibbulman Track. Visit in spring to see carpets of wildflowers in full bloom.
The Coral Coast & Karijini National Park
Ningaloo Reef, Monkey Mia & Shark Bay are among the tropical attractions along the 1,000-kilometre-long Coral Coast. See dolphins, manta rays, dugongs and turtles in their natural habitat and take the chance to swim with whale sharks between April and July. Inland, the Karijini National Park – Western Australia's second largest – is a a land of plunging gorges and open plains home to kangaroos and rock wallabies.
Kimberley & the Northwest
Western Australia’s north coast is one of the most isolated in the country – a region of sprawling landscapes home to scorched desert, towering rock formations and deep-cut gorges bordering the Indian Ocean. Journey inland from the coastal city of Broome and you’ll reach one of the world’s last great wildernesses – the Kimberley. Purnululu National Park is perhaps its best-known region, thanks to a group of towering sandstone mounds known as the Bungle Bungle Range, while to the north, the harsh landscapes give way to some wonderful stretches of coastline, not least those at the very tip of the remote Dampier Peninsula.
