The best of Western Australia
Posted 15 February, 2021
John Pedler
Australia’s largest state covers around a third of the continent and stretches from the tropical far north to the temperate south.
This vast area allows for an incredible diversity of landscapes and also means there’s plenty of room for big things.
Mt Augustus, in WA’s outback, is the largest exposed rock (well, monocline) on earth and is more than twice the size of Uluru. Ningaloo Reef off the Coral Coast is the most extensive fringing reef in the world.
In the forests of the south west you’ll find 80m-tall karris, which are among the world’s tallest trees.
So not only is Western Australia packed with amazing attractions, it also manages to do things on an impressive scale. Here are a few ideas to help you plan your next WA adventure.
The south west
Near the town of Pemberton there’s a ‘staircase’ made of metal pegs that spirals around the Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree, en route to a 65m-high viewing platform. Climb to this giddy height and you can see across the canopies of an extensive karri forest.
Alternatively, you could settle in at a Margaret River cellar door with a glass of wine and a tasting platter.
The south west of WA is a great blend of dramatic coastal and forest scenery, high adventure and the gentle pleasures to be found among the region’s extensive vineyards.
The area is also home to several impressive limestone caves, including the 3-chambered Jewel Cave; a showcase of glistening calcite formations, among them a famously long straw stalactite.
Whale watchers can head for Bremer Bay, about 2 hours from Albany. Between January and April, sperm whales, pilot whales and even orcas gather to nosh down on squid and fish.
From July to October, southern right whales turn up in the sheltered waters of the bay to calve.
In a region of excellent beaches, Lucky Bay in Cape Le Grand National Park is renowned for its dazzling white sand, ultra-blue water and resident kangaroos, who seem to enjoy beach life as much as the visitors do.
The Kimberley
Whenever travellers speak of the Kimberley you can detect a sense of awe – and that’s because it’s awesome.
Massive escarpments rise up from the savannah, deep gorges cut through ancient hills and weird, plump boab trees dot the countryside.
There are 2 main roads through the region; the sealed Great Northern Highway to the south and the largely unsealed Gibb River Road (GRR), which cuts a path through Kimberley central.
The best time of year to visit is from April to October. The GRR is only trafficable in the dry season.
You’ll need a high-clearance 4WD to make side trips to the waterfalls and gorges, and to reach places further afield, like the thundering cascades of Mitchell Falls – easily one of the most spectacular sights in the country.
About 30km from the GRR, the rock pool at stunning Bell Gorge is a great place for a refreshing dip after the walk and rocky scramble to reach it.
When you’re strolling between the sheer limestone cliffs at Bandilngan (Windjana Gorge), don’t be alarmed to see plenty of freshwater crocs basking on the sandy beach beside the waterhole.
The Bungle Bungles in Purnululu National Park can be accessed via a 53km-long, 4WD road leading from the Great Northern Highway.
This unique range of striped sandstone domes is truly a wonder of nature.
The massive natural amphitheatre of Cathedral Gorge is a must-see, while the narrow crevice of Echidna Chasm is definitely not for the claustrophobic.
Catch it around noon to experience the sunlit orange glow from the canyon walls.
No trip to the Kimberley would be complete without a visit to Broome.
