Western Australia
Covering around a third of Australia’s landmass, Western Australia, or WA, is Australia’s biggest and sunniest state, and also the state closest to the UK – start your journey here and you will save around four hours flying time! Dominated by the desert to the east, Western Australia’s west coast is a 7,800 mile stretch of stunning beaches. Most travellers to Western Australia begin their journey in Perth, the laid-back state capital which flanks the broad reaches of the Swan River, edged to the west by the Indian Ocean and to the east by the Darling Range. Perth is a vibrant al fresco city with many attractions for the visitor both within the city itself and in its immediate surrounds - including historic Fremantle, Rottnest Island and the Pinnacles Desert. The state’s South West region is also well worth a visit – it is home to the Western Australia’s wine producing region, Margaret River, as well as some of the state’s best national parks. IN September and October the whole region is covering in a profusion of wild flowers. To get the most out of this giant state, head North from Perth along the thousands of miles of beautiful Indian Ocean coastline to Shark Bay and beyond to the historic town of Broome, gateway to the majestic Kimberley region, one of the world’s last great wilderness areas.
Cities
Fast Facts
State Capital: Perth
Population: 2,094,500 (75% in Perth)
Area: 2,645,615sq km (1,021,478 sq miles)
Geography: Western Australia, or WA is Australia’s largest state, taking up one third of the total Australian land mass. The geography of Western Australia is varied, from the fertile slopes of the South West coastal region, famous for its vineyards, to the dry and barren north. The Kimberley Region, in WA’s far north, is a wild, remote and rugged area, home to dramatic gorges, rivers and creeks. Away from the coast, where most of the towns are located, most of WA is comprised of Outback – the Nullarbor Plain in the South, the Great Sandy Desert in the north, and the Gibson and Great Victoria Deserts in between.
Climate: WA’s north enjoys a tropical climate, the interior is semi-arid, and the south west Mediterranean. Rainfall decreases with distance from the coast.. Perth has more hours of sunshine than any other Australian state capital.
Time: GMT+8 hours
Population: 2,094,500 (75% in Perth)
Area: 2,645,615sq km (1,021,478 sq miles)
Geography: Western Australia, or WA is Australia’s largest state, taking up one third of the total Australian land mass. The geography of Western Australia is varied, from the fertile slopes of the South West coastal region, famous for its vineyards, to the dry and barren north. The Kimberley Region, in WA’s far north, is a wild, remote and rugged area, home to dramatic gorges, rivers and creeks. Away from the coast, where most of the towns are located, most of WA is comprised of Outback – the Nullarbor Plain in the South, the Great Sandy Desert in the north, and the Gibson and Great Victoria Deserts in between.
Climate: WA’s north enjoys a tropical climate, the interior is semi-arid, and the south west Mediterranean. Rainfall decreases with distance from the coast.. Perth has more hours of sunshine than any other Australian state capital.
Time: GMT+8 hours
Getting To Western Australia
Flying to Perth is easy, and 12 international airlines, including Qantas, British Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Emirates, Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines fly to Perth.
Domestic airlines operating flights to Perth from other Australian cities include Qantas, Virgin Blue, Jetstar, and Air North.
Travelling from elsewhere in Australia, it will quickly become clear that Perth is a long way from anywhere else, but nevertheless you can get to Perth easily from Sydney or Adelaide on board the Indian Pacific train – the journey takes around 65 hours, but it is a spectacularly scenic one.
Not for the fainthearted, it is still possible to make the journey to Perth by road, either by car or coach – though be warned, it is 1738 miles to Perth from Adelaide (around 24 hours) and 2545 from Sydney (around 37 hours). The Eyre Highway runds from Port Augusta in South Australia, across the Nullarbor Plain to Norseman, WA. Alternatively, the Savannah Way, one of the most exhilarating drives in all Australia, links Cairns, in Queensland's Tropical North, with Broome, travelling through many scenic regions such as Katherine, in the Northern Territory.
Getting Around Western Australia
Given the sheer size of Western Australia, if you want to travel far afield from Perth and its immediate surrounds, then air travel is the best way. For example, if you fancy driving from Perth to Broome, you should allow around a week for the journey, including time to sightseeing on the way.
By Air: Of course, flying is the fastest way, and will also give you some great aerial views of WA! Intrastate flights operate between the major towns of Broome, Albany, Exmouth, Kalgoorlie, Geraldton, Karratha, Esperance and Kununuura, and there may also be charter flights to places like Bunbury, Margaret River, Monkey Mia and Kalbarri. Skywest Airlines operate a number of routes within WA.
By Coach: There are a number of coach operators offering hop on hop off services around Western Australia, which in some cases can be used in conjunction with train services. Travel passes are available, which are usually based on the distance travelled over a given period.
By Rail: Great Southern Railway’s Indian Pacific train, which runs between Perth and Sydney, via Kalgoorlie.
By Road: Most major roads in Western Australia are concentrated around the coast, though the Great Northern Highway runs from Perth to Port Headland on the North coast, the Eyre Highway runs east into South Australia and the North West Coastal Highway links Perth to Broome. It is easy to self drive the shorter distances to regions such as the South West. Both cars and motorhomes are readily available for hire, with depots in all the major centres.
Perth itself has a fully integrated public transport system, combining bus, train and ferry services. There is also a free bus service which circles Perth and Fremantle centres every day except Sunday.
Top Ten Things to Do and See in Western Australia
- Perth: Perth flanks the broad reaches of the Swan River, edged to the west by the Indian Ocean and east by the Darling Range. It may be the most isolated capital city on earth, but it is a vibrant, modern, cosmopolitan and fun city, whose skyline contains both modern skyscrapers and colonial buildings such as the Perth Mint and the Town Hall. Explore Kings Park, right in the city centre, or venture a bit further to enjoy the beautiful beaches just a short journey from the city.
- Tours from Perth: Despite the vast distances involved in Western Australia, there are numerous attractions that can be visited on a day tour from Perth. Unmissable ones include: the Nambung National Park, home to the Pinnacles Desert, which consists of thousands of limestone pillars rising abruptly from the sand; Wave Rock, an overhanging wall over 100m long and 15m high, curving like a wave about to break; the Tree Top Walk in the Valley of the Giants, a 400m long elevated walkway through the forest’s canopy – at its highest point, the walkway is 40m above the forest floor; and Rottnest Island, home to the quokka.
- Sea Life: Western Australia is home to a wide variety of sea life – travel to Albany, the first European settlement in WA, to whale watch; or visit World Heritage Listed Shark Bay, and meet the playful dolphins of Monkey Mia. Further north at Ningaloo Reef, you can even dive with whale sharks. And the annual migration of humpback whales can be observed off the coast of Perth in October and November.
- Beaches: Western Australia is the country’s driest and sunniest state, and it has the perfect beaches for making the most of the climate. The coast of WA is made up of hundreds of deserted fine sand beaches, from temperate Esperance to the most northerly Kimberley Region. The South West boasts magnificent coastal scenery, and six National Parks. Perth itself has some of the best city beaches in all Australia, the most popular being Sorrento, Cottesloe, City, and Scarborough. Further north, Cable Beach in Broome, the gateway to the Kimberley Region, provides seasonal tropical sunshine by the crystal waters of the Indian Ocean.
- Diving: There are some excellent dive sites in Western Australia, for both beginners and experts alike. Some of the most popular destinations include Rottnest Island, and experienced divers can explore the HWAS Swan shipwreck at Dunsborough in the South West Region; Exmouth is the best base for exploring Ningaloo Reef (see above), and the Abroholos Islands have been rated amongst the best dive sites in all Australia.
- Kimberley Region: The natural beauty of the vast Outback Kimberley Region is staggering. Its rugged landscapes feature magnificent gorges, remote waterfalls, pristine beaches, ancient cave systems, and lush rainforests. This is truly one of the world’s last great wilderness regions, covering an expanse of nearly 423,000 square kilometres, over three times the size of Britain, with fewer people per square kilometre than almost any other place on earth. Experiences here include 4Wd tours, camping out under the stars, river cruising, cattle station stays, visiting rock art sites and much more.
- Broome: Once the pearling capital of the world, Broome is situated on the coast at the southern tip of the Kimberley Region, and is the gateway to this vast and remote wilderness. The town is bounded by the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, and in Cable Beach boasts one of the finest stretches of sand you could hope to see. Accessible by direct flight from Perth or Darwin, Broome is increasing in popularity, thanks to both is beautiful beaches and its position as the starting point for exploring north west Australia.
- Margaret River: Margaret River is a popular holiday spot for visitors and WA residents alike, attracted by the fine surfing, diving and swimming beaches, the beautiful scenery, and perhaps most importantly, the wineries. Easily explored on a self drive holiday, Margaret River is just a three hour drive from Perth.
- Wildflowers: Western Australia is well-known for the many varieties of spectacular wildflower that flourish here during the spring months of September and October – as many as 12,000 different varieties have been counted in an area spanning over 2.5 million square kilometres! There are organised tours which will take you to some of the best areas for wildflowers, alternatively drive yourself and you are sure to come across some examples! Even if you stay only in Perth, Kings Park is bound to have some first class displays too.
- Fremantle: Just 20 minutes or 12 miles from Central Perth, Fremantle, or Freo, is Western Australia’s principal port, and it is here that the Swan River flows into the Indian Ocean. Fremantle has WA’s largest number of heritage listed buildings, many of which have been restored. Visit the excellent Western Australian Maritime Museum and the harbour, or at weekends, the market is well worth a look.
Cities and regions within Australia
