Western Australia

GO WEST

If a Western Australian hasn’t told you what a great part of the world you’re in by the time you reach your taxi in Perth, it’ll only be 30 seconds maximum before the cabbie makes the same observation.

>> accommodation Western Australia

They’re mighty proud of their state in Western Australia and it has to be said, they’ve much to celebrate. It’s a vast area offering a rich smorgasbord of travel experiences: magnificent beaches and pristine forests; limestone caves; wine tourism; and world-class sporting events. It’s a travel treasure-trove for the child in everyone.

Perth may be the world’s most isolated city by distance(visit this link for Perth hotels), but that hasn’t stopped it from becoming a vibrant, modern metropolis with all the usual trappings – minus the pollution, traffic congestion and crowds that bedevil so many major cities worldwide. It’s a big blue sky in Western Australia and there are infinite ways to enjoy it.

FUN FOR KIDS

Perth Zoo is an ideal choice for the kids soon after arrival, to blow away excess energy gained either in the car or the interstate flight. There are 230 animal species within the zoo, which is open from 9am to 5pm daily. In January, it’s open to 7.30pm for “ZooFever”, featuring jazz concerts and a variety of entertainment.

The zoo is divided into a variety of habitats, each transporting the visitor onto a different continent – African savannah for the zebras, giraffes and antelopes; elephants in the Asian rainforest zone; and free-ranging wallabies and other native Australian animals in the Bushwalk area. There are also a number of shaded picnic areas and barbeque facilities on site.

Close to the city, Lake Monger offers a display of waterbirds, including the symbol of Western Australia, the Black Swan. Look out for the bright colours of pink-eared and blue-billed ducks that migrate to the area.

In the Swan Valley, the full farm stay experience brings the kids face-to-face with emus and sheep, plus there’s often a chance to try your hand at shearing. The kids can feed and pet cattle, sheep, ducks, goats and horses, as well as enjoy the company of the local kangaroos that often visit the farms for a graze in the paddocks.

THE PERTH AND FREO EXPERIENCE

With the magestic Swan River cutting its away through the city, Perth positively sparkles most days of the year. Kings Park, a sweeping parkland on the perimeter of the city, is the best spot for a photograph of the skyline, with its glass towers, historic buildings, parks and gardens.

Not unlike Sydney Harbour, one’s eye is constantly drawn to the Swan River, dotted with sleek racing yachts, pleasure cruisers, jet boaters, sail-boarders and parasailers making the most of the conditions. It’s also a great place for cycling, with more than 50 kilometres of tracks. Golfers are well catered for, with the Burswood complex boasting a waterfront-lined championship course, which enjoys sweeping city-skyline views.

The beauty of a Perth visit is that shopping, gallery and museum expeditions can be alternated with the great outdoors, not least of which are the 19 beaches that lie within minutes of the heart of the city.

Scarborough Beach is great for surfing, while Cottesloe, with its beachside cafes and restaurants, is perfect for families.
Northbridge is the hub of the city’s “eat street” and nightlife areas, and it hums into the early hours on many a warm night. There has been massive development of inner-city units in recent years and Perth has embraced the cafe society with a vengeance. Northbridge now has competition from pulse points such as Leederville, Subiaco, Mount Lawley, Sorrento and Cottesloe.

No Perth visit is complete until Fremantle (known locally as “Freo”, visit this link for hotels in Fremantle) is thoroughly explored. The newly opened Maritime Museum is well worth a visit, while there is plenty of open space and parks to soak up the kids’ energy while Mum and Dad make difficult decisions on which of the fresh boutique beers at the micro-brewery they should sample.

The Fremantle Gaol housed prisoners from the mid 19th century up until the early 1990s and is now a museum, providing insight into the harsh conditions and access to the block where executions were performed. Tour the cells, exercise block, chapel and dining areas – and be pleased this was never your lot!

In addition to dozens of boutiques, antique stories and galleries, Fremantle also has a colourful, bustling market, which operates from South Terrace on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Off the coast of Fremantle is Rottnest Island, which is just 40 minutes by ferry from Hillarys Boat Harbour. Rottnest is remarkable for being the habitat of the rare marsupial known as the quokka, and boasts some of the finest beaches and bays in Australia. No cars are permitted on Rottnest and the best way to get about is by bicycle. The island has a fascinating history as an Aboriginal penal settlement, an internment camp during both World Wars and a place for salt gathering.

EXPLORE THE GREAT SOUTH WEST

Margaret River’s wine industry is young by world standards, but there must be few premium grape producing areas with a better “brand” image than Margaret River. While the area, which hugs the coast south of Perth, only delivers a tiny proportion of Australia’s wine production, the quality is almost universally superior to most other regions, including the highly regarded Swan River valley region near Perth.

Artists and craftspeople tend to follow winemakers the world over, with the Margaret River Region no exception, being a magnet for the state’s finest visual artists, furniture makers and craftspeople (Margaret River accommodaiton). Naturally, fine food is always part of the mix and many of the cellar door operations provide fresh, local produce in their restaurants and tasting rooms.

In addition to the excellent wine, surfing conditions in the Margaret River Region are among the best on the Australian coastline.

On the drive down to Margaret River, the Busselton Jetty – the longest in the Southern Hemisphere – is well worth a visit, even if it’s just to experience the brilliant aquamarine of the Western Australian waters.

The giant trees of the South West are reason enough to visit the state. Towering over 50 metres and hundreds of years old, there are opportunities to climb to the top of some. At the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk near Walpole, you get the chance to walk on a 600 metre walkway through the treetops of a magnificent tall timber stand. Also in the area, you can visit the Giant Tingle tree, which tops a whopping 70 metres.

Another natural attraction of the region is a series of limestone caves, which contain priceless rock formations.

BE SWEPT AWAY BY BROOME

Broome is one of those Australian towns that everyone wants to visit but somehow never does. The sad news is that you’re really missing out on something special if you’re picking Thailand or Bali ahead of a homegrown travel adventure. A town of boom and bust, Broome is epicentre of one of the world’s greatest pearling operations, a business as secretive and skilful as its products are desirable (accommodation Broome). The Sun Picture Theatre in Broome, where the guests sit in the open air on deckchairs sipping beers, has been operating continuously since 1916. It’s well worth a visit.

Take a camel ride along Cable Beach as the sun dips over an azure sea or a helicopter spin over the rugged Bungle Bungles in the Kimberley, and you’ll ask yourself why you ever bother to go abroad.