Spanning one-third of the Australian landmass, Western Australia (WA) is a place of grand scale and profound silence. It is defined by its pristine isolation, where you can walk for hours along white sandy beaches without seeing another footprint. From the tropical wilderness of the Kimberley in the north to the tall timber forests of the south-west, WA offers an ancient beauty that humbles the soul.
Perth, the sunniest capital city in the world, serves as the perfect launchpad. It sits casually beside the Swan River, a city that has grown up without growing old. A short ferry ride away lies Rottnest Island, a car-free paradise where time stops and the world's happiest animal, the quokka, holds court. But the true magic of WA lies beyond the city limits.
The South West: Wine & Waves
Heading south, the landscape transforms into a lush corridor of vineyards and surf breaks. The Margaret River region is world-renowned, not just for its premium Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, but for its lifestyle. Mornings are spent watching the pros surf at Prevelly, afternoons are for long lunches among the vines, and evenings are cooled by the breeze off the Southern Ocean.
Further inland, the ancient karri forests of Pemberton stand tall, silent witnesses to centuries of history. These giants create a canopy that filters the sunlight into a green cathedral, offering some of the best hiking trails in the country. In springtime, the forest floor and coastal heaths explode with colour as over 12,000 species of wildflowers bloom, many found nowhere else on earth.
To the north lies the Coral Coast, home to the Ningaloo Reef. Unlike the Great Barrier Reef, which requires a boat trip to access, Ningaloo is a fringing reef. You can simply step off the beach and into a world of coral gardens, swimming alongside gentle whale sharks and manta rays in water so clear it looks like glass.
