A to Z of extraordinary Western Australia

   

Aboriginal experiences: The Dampier Archipelago and Burrup Peninsula in State’s north is one of the richest sites in the world for prehistoric rock engravings, with more than 10,000 Aboriginal engravings in more than 500 recorded sites, dating back 30,000 years, including what is thought to be the first representation of the human face.

Bungle Bungle Range: Located in the World Heritage Listed Purnululu National Park, this range is the most unique in the world – a staggering 350-million-years in the making yet only discovered by the outside world in 1983. Flying over or camping in the range is an exhilarating experience.

Cable Beach, Broome: Take a sunset camel ride on 22 kilometres (14 miles) of pristine white beach sands that fringe the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean.

Dolphins at Monkey Mia: This amazing 40-year-old wildlife ritual has seen wild dolphins come close to the shore each day to the delight of visitors. It is one of the best and most reliable places for dolphin interaction in the world.

Esperance beaches: Lucky Bay has been scientifically proven as Australia’s whitest beach, successfully overcoming a challenge from Whitehaven on Whitsunday Island last year. The pure white sand and clear turquoise water is also popular with kangaroos as you’ll often find them there sunbaking.

Fremantle: Boasting the best preserved example of a 19th century port streetscape in the world, the world-famous heritage buildings and a fascinating maritime and convict history makes for a fun day of exploration.

Golf: WA is home to the world’s largest golf course, the Nullarbor Links. Spanning a massive 1,365 kilometers (848 miles) from Kalgoorlie in Western Australia to Ceduna in South Australia.

Horizontal Waterfalls: One of the world’s most unique attractions due to its large tidal movement in the Kimberley, this is the only place in the world it can be found. Get up close by taking a boat ride through the falls. David Attenborough named them ‘one of the greatest natural wonders of the world.’

Inside Australia: Showcasing 51 statues representing residents from the nearby town of Menzies, British artist, Antony Gormley’s Inside Australia is the country’s largest world class sculpture exhibit. Covering an area of 10 square kilometres (3.8 square miles), the art installation is located on the flat salt lake of Lake Ballard.

Jewel Cave: Western Australia’s largest tourism cave is hidden in the beautiful Karri forest of the Leeuwin Naturaliste Ridge, about 37 kilometres south of Margaret River. This cave sinks to a reachable depth of 42 metres and is 1.9 kilometres long.

Karijini National Park is home to some of the oldest rock formations in the world, dating back two billion years. One of Australia’s largest and most spectacular national parks, here you’ll experience amazing gorges and waterfalls.

Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2010 named the South West region of WA as one of the world’s top 10 places to visit. And it’s no wonder…the region is famous for its internationally renowned forests, beaches and wineries.

Mount Augustus National Park in Western Australia is home to the world’s largest ‘rock’. Estimated to be 1750 million years old, Mount Augustus itself is about eight kilometres long (5 miles) and covers an area of 48 square kilometres (18.5 square miles) making it twice the size of Uluru (Ayers Rock).

Ningaloo Reef is the world’s largest fringing reef, accessible from shore. Home to a myriad of marine life all year round, it’s also one of the best places in the world to swim with the world’s largest fish (which grows up to 18 metres) – the whale shark from April to July each year.

Outback adventure: With the largest outback expanse in the country, adventure options are endless in WA. It’s also one the best destinations in the world to view night skies – so good it’s one of two places being considered to host the world’s largest telescope project, the Square Kilometre Array.

Perth: Enjoying more hours of sunshine each year than any other capital city, it’s also home to Kings Park, which at more than 400 hectares, is one of the largest inner city parks in the world, even larger than Central Park in New York. 

Quokkas: This unique Rottnest icon is only found in Western Australia. Take a trip to Rotto to see these furry creatures, and while you’re there enjoy some of the world’s finest beaches and bays.

Red Bull Air Race will return to Perth in April 2010, the only race of the series to be held in the Asia Pacific region. Perth is also the only host city that sees the pilots take off and land at an airport right in the heart of the CBD, just metres from the race track. You can also test your head for heights in a similar plane and learn to be an acrobatic pilot at Jandakot Airport in Perth.

Shark Bay World Heritage Area in Western Australia is one of only 16 sites worldwide that satisfy all four natural criteria for World Heritage listing – for its natural beauty, biological diversity, ecological processes and link to Earth’s history. This puts it alongside sites such as the Great Barrier Reef and the Grand Canyon.

Truffles: The industry in Manjimup is now producing more black truffles (one of the world’s most expensive edible commodities) than the rest of Australia combined. WA locals can enjoy fresh truffles from June to August.

Underwater wonderland: With 12,500 kilometres of coastline, hundreds of nearby islands, abundant and varied marine life, a mix of tropical and temperate climates and numerous shipwrecks just offshore, the diving and snorkelling in Western Australia is unbeatable.

Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk: Just 10 minutes north of Walpole on Western Australia’s south coast, this is the first walk trail of its kind in the world. At 600 metres (656 yards) long and 40 metres (44 yards) above ground, it has been specially designed to minimise impact on the forest. Walking amongst the tall forest trees is a breathtaking experience.

Wildflowers: Western Australia is home to more than 12,000 species of wildflowers - the largest collection in the world. Over 60% of these species can be found only in Western Australia. The wildflower season starts in June in the north of the state and sweeps south, finishing by November – meaning you can enjoy different species at various times and destinations.

Xmouth: Ok….it doesn’t officially start with an ‘x’ but rates a mention because of all of the extraordinary wildlife, landscape and experiences on offer. As well as Ningaloo Reef the area has the stunning Cape Range National Park, filled with rugged gorges and rare wildlife.

Yallingup: Just a short drive south west of Dunsborough, within the Margaret River Wine Region, Yallingup, which means ‘place of love’ is a popular holiday destination for surfing, fishing and relaxing.

Zebedee Springs, El Questro: A naturally hot thermal pool of water which is warmed by water rising through the earth from the tectonic plates below. The watering holes of this area were dubbed ‘fertility waters’ after Nicole Kidman and six other women fell pregnant during filming of Baz Luhrmann’s movie Australia. Many scenes were filmed at El Questro Wilderness Park and Nicole claimed there is “something in the water up there in Kununurra”.