Highlights of Western Australia

22nd May 2017: When choosing a holiday to Australia many think of the east coast of the country and choose to visit places like Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast. There are, however, so many experiences and adventures to be had in Western Australia too. Clare, Manager at our Monmouth branch, takes us on a journey to explore her highlights of Western Australia...

Having travelled to eastern Australia previously, I really couldn't imagine what Western Australia would be like. I was so shocked to find it’s just as amazing if not more so than some of the places I’ve travelled to in the east.

Barrack Street Jetty & Rottnest Island

Our first morning was spent travelling the short distance from our hotel in Perth to Barrack Street Jetty where we boarded our ferry to Rottnest Island. As we sailed smoothly to our destination, we admired the beautiful luxury houses along the banks of the Swan River.

Rottnest Island has a Mediterranean-style climate with indigenous flora and fauna. With no cars on the island, its relaxed pace is clearly visible. Joining the island’s guided coach tour, it was wonderful to explore the island's unique history, environment, heritage and wildlife. My highlights here included being able to see adorable Quokkas, complete with a stop at the famous Wadjemup Lighthouse and Westend Board Walk. The surrounding views are as pretty as a postcard - truly picturesque.

Nambung National Park – The Pinnacles Desert

I was in awe of the thousands of huge limestone pillars rising out of the yellow sand here, some towering over five metres tall; it was like nothing I had ever seen before and I highly recommend you take the time to visit here at least once in your life. That afternoon, we travelled to ‘The Lobster Shack’ in Cervantes, just a short drive from The Pinnacles Desert. Here we experienced the processing factory which offers the complete lobster experience where you see lobsters from pot to cooking pot. I still can’t get over just how fresh and delicious it was. If you love lobster, The Lobster Shack is the one.

Hamelin Pool

A visit to the remarkable stromatolites is a must in Western Australia; UNESCO World Heritage listed Shark Bay contains some of the oldest, largest and most diverse collection of living fossils on earth. Its clear waters offer visitors incredible views of these living fossils and its absolutely fascinating to see what the earth potentially looked like 3.5 billion years ago. Hamelin Pool’s jetty offers visitors the opportunity to explore these amazing living fossils from a different perspective as you travel further into their natural habitat. Don't forget your fly-net however, the weather conditions here make the perfect environment for them!

Shell Beach

One of the most beautiful spots along the west coast, Shell Beach is a site to behold. Formed from billions of tiny shells the beach is one of only two in the world and stretches 110 km and can range from seven to ten metres deep (depending on which part you’re visiting). These hard packed shells when cut into blocks have been used in the construction of a number of buildings throughout Denham. The restaurant below is a perfect example.

Monkey Mia

This is what I had secretly been waiting for, the chance to watch wild Dolphins in their natural habitat. Dolphins started making a regular appearance in the clear shallow waters of the bay to interact with humans over half a century ago. As the dolphins are wild, interactions with them are regulated and only a few lucky visitors are picked from the crowd to hand-feed a small amount of fish to these majestic creatures. I must confess that this did bring a tear to my eye. It surpassed all my expectations and I will treasure this experience forever. I highly recommend visiting on your trip here.

Kalbarri

This picturesque seaside town is located a seven hour drive north of Perth and has 400 million year old river gorges across 186,000 hectares of national park. When spending time here, there are many water activities available such as river cruises, paddle boarding and kayaking. I'm sure you'll agree, the views from the lookouts here are incredible.

Final thoughts

Western Australia is like nothing I ever thought it would be. There really is just so much to see, do and explore. I would definitely recommend and I will be returning!

Clare Hughes, Manager