Margaret River

Top quality wine, world-class surf and international events have put the Margaret River Region on the map, but it’s the rest of the offering which keeps both Australian and overseas visitors coming back.

The Mediterranean climate which makes the region ideal for growing grapes and fine wine is also well suited to growing other produce too. The region in overflowing with locally-grown fruit and vegetables, meat, seafood and a whole host of providores selling anything from fudge and homemade ice cream to olive oil, tapenades and chutneys.
All of this is fringed by some of the most pristine coastline in the world. Head to one of the region’s beaches and you may find you’re the only person on it. The picture-perfect, calm waters of Geographe Bay entice families and sunbathers, while the dramatic west facing coastline between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin attracts surfers, kite boarders and those who love some action on the water.

Top that off with an extensive underground cave network, migrating whales, stunning wildflowers and it becomes visible why this region really does have so much to offer.

Things to Do in Margaret River

• Stock up on fresh local produce at the Farmers Markets on a Saturday morning
• Watch the sunset over the Indian Ocean at Surfer’s Point in Prevelly – only 10 minutes’ drive away
• Do a cellar door hop and taste the region’s premium produce on a winery or brewery tour
• Head underground on an adventure tour of the magical caves systems.
• Taste yummy stuff – there are heaps of cellar doors, winery restaurants, breweries and providores nearby
• Walk the gorgeous National and State forest trails which are super close to town

Busselton

The life of the city is fuelled by the 1.8 kilometre long Busselton Jetty and the amazing waterfront precinct which has developed around it.

With the jetty as a focal point, the waterfront is brimming with activity. Seaside cafes, kiosks, bars and restaurants give way to bike paths, large shady grassed areas and a calm tranquil white sandy beach. Take a walk or train ride to the end of the Busselton Jetty, which is one of the main Busselton attractions, to the Underwater Observatory where you can see amazing marine life.

The bustling main street has a cosmopolitan atmosphere with superb alfresco restaurants, cafes and pubs and boutique shops. The allure doesn’t stop there with an events calendar bursting with sporting and cultural events.

As one of Western Australia’s favourite tourism towns and as the gateway to Your Margaret River’s premium wine region, tourism is at the heart of this seaside town. There’re so many things to do in Busselton and plenty of accommodation options ranging from absolute beachfront five star resorts, private villas, family fun holiday parks, bed and breakfasts and everything in between.

Things to Do in Busselton

• Take the train or a leisurely stroll out on the 1.8km Busselton Jetty jetty to the Underwater Observatory aquarium
• Take a boat out from Port Geographe Marina for some whale watching
• Hit the beach – the calm waters are perfect for swimming, fishing, paddling and snorkelling
• Enjoy a picnic by day or take the spectacular nocturnal possum walk at night at the only pure tuart forest in the world
• Cycle the awesome beachside bike paths – you can even go all the way to Dunsborough.

Bunbury

The cosmopolitan city of Bunbury is renowned for its wild but friendly bottlenose dolphins which you can meet at the shoreline or out in the bay aboard a dolphin watching and swimming tour. Situated on a peninsula, Bunbury is known as the City of Three Waters and is an aquatic playground. It’s also the setting of many maritime legends and the northern gateway to Australia’s South West – one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth, where world-class wine, pristine beaches and forests of timber giants can all be enjoyed in a single day.

Things to Do in Bunbury

• Swim with wild bottlenose dolphins at Dolphin Discovery Centre
• Walk on the Mangrove Cove Boardwalk winding through the heart of mangroves, home to over 60 species of water birds
• Catch a live show at Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre, a cultural hub featuring the works of renowned Australian contemporary artists
• Savour a veritable feast of award-winning wines and fresh produce at Ferguson Valley
• See dazzling spring wildflowers, beautiful tuart forests and native wildlife at Maiden’s Reserve

Albany

The breathtaking beauty of Albany’s rugged coastline creates a fitting backdrop to a dramatic whaling, convict and settler history and a sensational south coast adventure.
With breathtaking island and ocean views from Mount Clarence and Mount Melville, visitors can also spot dolphins and seals frolicking in the waters and whales on their annual migration. With stretches of beautiful landscape and alluring white sandy beaches it’s easy to find your own piece of paradise. This port city was Western Australia’s first European settlement.

This charming city marks the spot where the first European settlers set foot in Western Australia and much of their legacy remains today with around 50 colonial buildings standing proudly as museums, galleries and restaurants. From convict prisons, whaling ships and taverns to quaint cottages and grand National Trust residences, you can take in almost two centuries of history on a 30-minute self-guided walk, following the Amity Trail.

Albany’s King George Sound also marks the spot where the first convoy of ANZACs departed for the battlegrounds of the First World War.

One of the most scenic areas for whale spotting and cliff-top walks is Torndirrup National Park. Here, the Southern Ocean has sculpted the granite coastline into striking formations known as The Gap and Natural Bridge.

Things to Do in Albany

• Marvel at the spectacular granite formations at Torndirrup National Park, carved by powerful waves of the Great Southern Ocean
• See Historic Whaling Station at Discovery Bay, the only museum of its kind to be housed in a former whaling station
• Visit the iconic Albany Farmers’ Markets. No imports here, just fresh and fabulous, locally-grown flavours
• Be awed by the beauty of 12 wind turbines perched high on the spectacularly rugged coastline at Albany Wind Farm
• Drive past Middleton Beach, which offers panoramic views over King George Sound with vistas of Michaelmas and Breaksea islands

Travel through thousands of years of history and 1,100 kilometres of stunning coastline. Discover uninterrupted stretches of white sandy beaches, untouched coral reefs just metres from the shore, breathtaking gorges and brilliant carpets of colourful wildflowers. Along the way, you’ll also find some of the best known and loved holiday destinations and attractions on Western Australia’s Coral Coast.

Things to Do in Coral Coast

• Pinnacles of Nambung National Park
  A visit to Australia’s Nambung National Park and the Pinnacles is a must. These amazing natural limestone structures, some standing as high as five metres, were formed approximately 25,000 to 30,000 years ago, after the sea receded and left deposits of sea shells. Over time, coastal winds removed the surrounding sand, leaving the pillars exposed to the elements.

• Snorkel the Ningaloo Reef
  If you’re visiting Exmouth, Coral Bay or the oceanside stations north of Carnarvon, this is an absolute must do. Australia’s Ningaloo Reef is regarded as one of the last great ocean paradises on Earth, and you can access this watery wonderland by simply stepping off the beach and into the sea. Read more about snorkelling the Ningaloo Reef.

• Swim with whale sharks
  Join a whale shark watching or snorkelling tour from Exmouth or Coral Bay and experience the ultimate wildlife encounter – swimming with the largest fish in world, the gentle whale shark. It’s right up there with some of the top things to do in Australia. If this is a must-do for you, you’ll need to time your Western Australia trip to coincide with their visit to the Ningaloo Reef, between mid March and mid July. Read more about swimming with whale sharks.

• Meet the Monkey Mia dolphins
  The friendly wild bottlenose dolphins have been swimming to Monkey Mia’s shores to interact with humans for over 45 years. They often visit up to three times a day – no wonder it’s renowned as one of the best and most reliable places for dolphin interaction in the world. Read more about the Monkey Mia dolphins.

• Follow a Wildflower Trail
  The wildflower trails of Australia’s Coral Coast lead you through some of the WA’s most breathtaking wildflower country. Blooms can be found all year round, but displays are at their best between July and November when inland areas are blanketed in the brilliant colours of thousands of varieties. Read more about the must-do wildflower trails of Australia’s Coral Coast.

Western Australia’s Golden Outback is a vast and surprisingly diverse region of outback Australia. Covering 54 per cent of WA, it stretches from the rugged red earth of Mt Augustus in the north of the Gascoyne-Murchison region to the sweeping snow-white beaches of Esperance and the South Coast.

At the very heart of Western Australia’s Golden Outback lies the modern mining hub of Kalgoorlie and the Goldfields, offering fascinating insights into the history and heritage of the wild gold rush days. And in the Wheatbelt to the west, picturesque rolling farmland is dotted with colourful rural townships.

Things to Do in Golden Outback

• Gormley Sculptures
  The Antony Gormley sculptures at Lake Ballard form Australia’s largest world-class art site and are a must-see attraction for visitors to Western Australia’s Golden Outback. The world renowned British artist, Antony Gormley, has fused nature and art in a striking display of 51 stark black steel sculptures scattered across seven square kilometres of the vast, flat salt lake. As you approach, the sculptures appear ghostlike on the horizon, shimmering like mirages in the heat.The sculptures are located one and a half hours’ drive north of Kalgoorlie, and 55 kilometres from the outback town of Menzies. You can also reach the site by following the Golden Quest Discovery Trail and trace the history of some of Australia’s greatest explorers along the way.

• Wave Rock and rock formations
  One of Australia’s biggest waves is also the furthest from any ocean – Wave Rock rises 15 metres above the outback plain. Over 2,700 million years in the making, today it’s a popular tourist destination and the most famous of rock formations in Western Australia’s Golden Outback.Located near the Wheatbelt town of Hyden, this 110-metre long multi-coloured granite cliff is shaped remarkably like a huge wave about to crash onto the bush. Pose on the rock face and surf the giant wave or see it from a different perspective by following the walk trails around the base and over the top.

• Mt Augustus National Park
  Looming 750 metres above its surrounding landscape in Mount Augustus National Park, Mount Augustus is visible from a distance of more than 160 kilometres. Estimated to be 1750 million years old and rising 1106 metres above sea level, it is twice the size of Uluru (Ayers Rock), making it the largest rock monolith in the world. Known by the local Wadjari Indigenous people as Burringurrah, it is also the site of fascinating Indigenous rock art. Head out to Emu Hill Lookout at sunset for spectacular photo opportunities or drive the 49 kilometre scenic trail.

• Lucky Bay
  Australia’s whitest beach, Lucky Bay, is also one of Western Australia’s most idyllic; the biggest jewel in a string of stunning beaches along the coast of Cape Le Grand National Park and Esperance. Its squeaky-clean sand, turquoise water, perfect swimming conditions and breathtaking views of the Recherche Archipelago regularly put it at the top of Australia’s best beach list. Even the kangaroos can’t resist lazing on the sand here.

The bay stretches for five kilometres, and with no crowds to battle you’re guaranteed to find your own slice of paradise to relax or cast a fishing line.

• Golden Quest Discovery Trail
  Unearth another side of the landscape and embark on the road trip of a lifetime by hiring a four-wheel drive and hitting the red dirt highways. Drive yourself along the Golden Quest Discovery Trail for a unique off-road adventure through our Goldfields. As you travel from Coolgardie through to Laverton you’ll get a taste of outback life. For a surreal evening, set up camp out under the stars—you’ll witness impressive formations you’ve never seen before.

A wilderness billions of years in the making, Australia’s North West is home to the ancient gorges of Karijini National Park and the world’s only Staircase to the Moon and Horizontal Waterfalls. It’s also where you’ll find one of the best kept secrets on Earth – the Bungle Bungle Range

• Broome
  The pearling capital of Australia and western gateway to the Kimberley wilderness, Broome is home to world-famous Cable Beach sunsets, some of the largest, most coveted cultured pearls in the world, and the natural phenomenon of the Staircase to the Moon.

• Kununurra
  Kununurra puts you at the heart of the East Kimberley action. Take a flight over one of the world’s most unique ranges – the Bungle Bungle Range. Cruise the wildlife-rich waters of a manmade lake so huge it’s classed as an inland sea. Or hit the legendary Gibb River Road.