The largest state in Australia, Western Australia sprawls across the entire western third of the continent, with an area that is larger than Western Europe. The capital, Perth, lies along the Swan River in the southwest of the state and boasts some magnificent Indian Ocean beaches. Spend a day in historic Fremantle and take the ferry out to Rottnest Island to wildlife spot and explore its underwater caves.
To the south lies the wine growing region of Margaret Valley, renowned for its cellar doors, gourmet restaurants and outstanding surf, while to the north are the golden fields of grain within the aptly-named Wheatbelt. The central coast is home to UNESCO World Heritage-listed Shark Bay and Ningaloo Reef, famed for its whale shark sightings, while the Pilbara boasts some of the world’s most ancient natural landscapes in the far northwest.
Venture into the deep rocky canyons of Karijini National Park and explore the untouched coral gardens of the Dampier Archipelago, then relax on the sands of Broome’s famous Cable Beach. Broome serves as the gateway to the vast Kimberley region, a massive chunk of wilderness that offers spectacular scenery and a rich indigenous culture.
Explore World Heritage-listed Purnululu National Park with its beehive-shaped Bungle Bungles and travel into the spectacular Mitchell River National Park, with one of the world’s largest meteorite craters on display at Wolfe Creek Crater National Park. Venture through the magnificent waterways of Geike Gorge National Park and the ancient caves of Tunnel Creek, then cruise the vast inland sea at stunning Lake Argyle.