The west coast of Australia is often overlooked for the more famous east coast but why not choose Perth instead of Sydney or the Ningaloo Reef instead of the Great Barrier Reef. Far less visited and no less spectacular here are our top five reasons why Western Australia gets our vote:

1. Perth

Following a recent mining boom, Perth and the surrounding areas are enjoying investment and restoration leading to the tagline ‘the re-birth of Perth’. International hotels are taking up residence in the city and historical buildings getting a new lease of life in the form of boutique hotels like COMO The Treasury. Elizabeth Quay will re-connect the city from the Swan River to the harbour and become home to gourmet restaurants and a buzzing atmosphere akin to that of Sydney Harbour. Annual festivals, huge city parks and the trendy port of Fremantle all combine to make Perth a destination in its own right.

2. Whale Sharks & Humpbacks

Far less visited than the Great Barrier reef and located just metres off the shore, this pristine reef stretches for 260km and is home to Manta ray, Green & Loggerhead turtles, dugongs and dolphin as well as being on the migratory route for Whale Sharks and Humpback Whales.

When to visit the Ningaloo Reef: To swim with Whale sharks visit from April to July and Humpbacks from August until October.

3. World-Class Food, Wine & Beaches

Located south of Perth, Margaret River is a hidden corner of Australia, home to world-class vineyards and wonderful beaches, equally great for surfing on as well as sunning oneself. A gastronomic destination the region is renowned for its artisan food produce. Hunt for rare black truffles with highly trained truffle dogs before sampling your treasure.

When to visit Margaret River: October through to March is a great time to visit Margaret River and the surrounding beaches.

4. Pristine Wilderness

The Kimberley’s are a vast wilderness of mangroves, rivers, ancient aboriginal rock art and tumbling waterfalls. This should definitely be on the radar for anyone who dreams of escaping the rat race and truly getting off the beaten track.

When to visit The Kimberley: It is hot and humid with monsoon rains from January to March so the best time of year to visit is from June to September.

5. Open spaces, aboriginal culture & wild flowers

Covering 2.5 million square kilometres with 12,500km of coastline and encompassing one third of Australia’s land mass, there is no shortage of wide open spaces and far reaching scenery in Western Australia. Rich in Aboriginal history, the Bradshaw cave paintings can be found here, dating back some 60,000 years they are believed to be among the earliest figurative paintings ever made. Glorious wildflowers carpet the parts of the region from June through until November.

Thanks for reading

Author: Steppes Travel