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| Photos from camper-rental.com Australia |
Western Australia is, quite simply, enormous. It covers a massive 2.5million sq km, if WA was a country it would be the ninth largest in the
world but also the emptiest.Come and visit Australia's Golden Outback with
campervan rental for a taste of authentic Australia, explore the historic townships, the colorful characters,breathtaking scenery and fascinating Culture.
SOUTHWEST
Margaret River Wine Region
The Margaret River region is one of Western Australia's most picturesque
landscapes. Running the length of its coast is the Leeuwin-Naturaliste
National Park, which offers soaring coastal cliffs with amazing panoramic
views, world class surfing beaches and many perfect bays for fishing and
swimming. Complementing all this are more than 160 wineries, galleries,
restaurants and quaint towns whose locals have perfected the art of relaxed
living.
The best way to get to this region is via Cave's Road, most of the wineries
are found in the Willyabrup Valley, Vasse Felix Margaret River's oldest
winery and vineyard has an excellent restaurant and is a great place to stop
for a spot of lunch. You can continue along Cave's Road to the turnoff
signposted Margaret Rivers Mouth, here you get to watch or have a go at
riding the legendary waves.
There are many fantastic places to visit including Gnarabup Beach, Boranup
Gallery and Jewel Cave there are just too many to list.
The restaurants in the Margaret River Region are very busy at the weekend, to avoid disappointment make sure you book early. Western Australia's best dairy is produced in this region there are many places to visit where you can taste specialty cheeses, yoghurts and even watch them being made. The Berry Farm on Bessell Road Margaret river is another great find, here you can pick your own berries, sample wines and ports and buy all sorts of delicious produce.
NORTH WEST
Broome
Broome during the 1920's was the capital of the worlds Pearling Industry,
with more than 300 vessels competing for finds off the northwest coast of
Australia. The main divers were Japanese, their main goal was to find the
mother of pearl shell which would be used in jewellery, a pearl was a rare
bonus. It was a very dangerous job as the Japanese Cemetery testifies. The
Pearl Industry hit rock bottom when the market was flooded with the use of
plastic buttons manufactured after World War II. You can still purchase fine
pearls from a number of jewellery shops in Broome. Chinatown provides an
insight into what the town was like in the pearling days with its timber
dwellings and multilingual signs.
Broome has a large Asian population which has helped it retain its character
as one of Australia's most interesting communities. Aboriginal culture here
thrives; the town has its own Aboriginal radio and TV station known as GTV.
Broome comes alive in August, the population swells tenfold for the Shinju
Matsuri - Festival of the Pearl.
There are many attractions here including the "Golden Staircase to the Moon"
this optical illusion is created when the moonlight reflects on the ocean
bed at low water spring tides. Ganthaeume Point enables you to see giant
dinosaur tracks when the tide is low, these are to said to be at least a 130
million years old. Cable Beach is another must see, it is 22km long, its
name derives from an underwater communication link between Broome and Java
and then onto London. This is now the core of Broome's tourist industry,
with a number of fantastic things to see and do including a crocodile farm,
up market resort and the legendary camel ride at sunset along the beach,
which is an experience not to be missed.
Kimberley Region
Australians say that the Kimberley region is the final frontier. It is about
half the size of Texas with only 26,000 inhabitants, there are 1.2 million
acres of cattle ranches with extensive Aboriginal tribal lands. It was first
explored in the 1890's but it is only in the last 20 years that travelers
have begun to discover this vast space. It is a blood red desert that is
sliced with lush, forest-filled gorges inhabited by all sorts of creatures
including freshwater crocodiles and stingrays.
The coastline is torn by tropical fjords that house tidal waterfalls which
flow horizontally. Everything is on a huge scale, in the dry season you will
find Desert Rivers that swell from 100 meters wide to a huge 13km wide in
the wet season, generations of isolation has left Kimberly the most
Aboriginal part of Australia. You can find remote communities that speak
their own language newspapers and radio stations.
216km northeast from Broome you will find Derby which is the hub for the
huge cattle producing centre of West Kimberley, with only a population of
10,000 very little has changed over the decades. Sightseeing here is mostly
done by light aircraft; the flight will take you over King Sound and the
Buccaneer Archipelago, one of the worlds most beautiful and spectacular
coastlines which will take your breath away, red cliffs, a maze of islands
and white beaches. The area is virtually uninhabited except for the mining
communities of Cockatoo Island and Koolan Islands. From derby you can go one
of two ways the Great Northern Highway or the Gibb River Road this cuts
through the centre of Kimberley.
As you keep going there are a number of unbelievable places that you pass
through or travel towards here are just a few, Wolfe Creek, Bungle Bungle
Range, Purnululu National Park and Argyle Diamond Mine which is a true gem
of Kimberley, it is the world's largest extracting more than 6.5 tonnes per
year. This mine was discovered in 1979 and remains the only source of deep
pink diamonds; air tours to the mine are available.
Perth Central
The world's remotest state capital city is closer to Bali than Sydney. The
state is mostly barren and parched; the north however is lushly tropical,
from September to November people travel from the eastern states to see the
huge profusion of wildflowers which turns the south into a collage of
colors. The vastness coupled with the small population gives this state a
strong sense of being a new frontier, this impression is heightened when
with just a few hours drive away you arrive into the Outback.
When planning a trip in WA, it is a must to keep an eye on the map scale and
distances. It is very easy to have a great weekend planned to only find that
it would mean driving some 1600km. If you are in Perth with a limited time
scale, consider joining an organized excursion.
In Perth you are spoilt for choice when it comes to things to see and do,
the city takes full advantage of its setting on the Swan River. On the edge
of the main business district, set up high on an escarpment lies Kings Park,
a 400-hectare of botanical gardens and bush land offers panoramic views over
the city and river. From these views you are able to see such sites as the
Swan Bells a gift from the St Martin-in-the-Fields Church, Trafalgar Square,
London to mark Australia's bicentenary in 1988.
Perth City offers an abundance of culture; Museum's, Art Gallery's and
fantastic architecture are all there to be seen. Northbridge is where Perth
shows its diversity with its numerous cafes and restaurants from all areas
of the world, you can sit and watch all the action from the streets lively
nightclubs and bars that are a match for any in Sydney.
Fremantle
Just 19km from Perth City centre it was given a major overhaul in 1987 for
the America Cup race and has now since became one of WA's most popular
attractions. It has managed to keep its colonial charms intact, which
includes the Round House WA's oldest public building and its first Jail.
There is an excellent Maritime Museum which explores all aspects of the area
from World Wars to its many Shipwrecks, also on offer is Fremantle prison
which was a maximum security prison up until 1991, here you go on tours
including the "torchlight tour" ghost sightings are not guaranteed but have
been known.
Little creatures Brewery
This place is favourite of ours at CampaboutOZ, It's based in Fremantle the
Little creatures Brewery started at the turn of the century in the shell of
an old boat yard that had previously been used as a crocodile farm! A great
place to go and see the ale brewed but more importantly taste, it has
changed dramatically from its early days to being one the places to eat,
drink and socialize they have fabulous events all week day and night, one
thing this place isn't is LITTLE it is another must see treat on your
travels.
Rottnest Island
You can get this idyllic getaway a number of ways Hillary's Boat Harbour,
Barrack Street Jetty in Perth and Fremantle are all springboards for
Rottnest. It was first used as a natural prison for Aborigines, but has now
become a holiday hot spot for families. Vehicles aren't allowed on the
island so the form of transport used is cycles these are allowed on the
ferry or alternatively they can be hired once on the island. You can spend
your time Golfing, playing tennis, or just relaxing on a quite beach. There
are only two accommodations available on the island Quokka Arms and Rottnest
Lodge at peak times this allocated by public ballot, as demand is so high,
so book well in advance to avoid disappointment.
Coral Coast
Dolphins at Monkey Mia
Shark Bay despite its name is a place where all visitors venture into the
water, because this is the site of Monkey Mia, one of Australia's most
stunning tourist attractions. In a small in bay near the township of Denham,
wild dolphins come to shore to be fed and mingle with visitors. This
interaction between humans and dolphins started when local fisherman used to
throw scraps to the following dolphins, by 1964 they were being hand fed.
Monkey Mia is on the corner of Shark Bay, it was declared a World Heritage
area in 1991. The area cover's 2.3 million hectares, an array of creatures
roam here including humpback whales, loggerhead turtles and dugongs this is
a must see for any trip.
