West Australian Wonders

23rd May 2017: With so many amazing things to see and do in Western Australia it can be hard to choose where to start. Luckily, Carla, from our Taunton branch, found some true wonders on her recent trip and shares with us her recommendations on how to make the most of your trip to western Australia.

Day 1: Perth, Rottnest Island & Freemantle

Perth

My western Australia adventure started with a walking tour of this historic city. I was introduced to the glorious architecture and old buildings which encapsulated this city. My favourite stop on the tour was Elizabeth Quay which sits on the Swan River. The quay is currently undergoing a huge regeneration but you can already see how spectacular it will be when completed. A hub of activity where people can eat, drink and enjoy the Swan River in the sun.

Rottnest Island

Taking the Rottnest Express Ferry in the afternoon, I travelled to Rottnest Island; Western Australia’s very own island getaway where many Australians spend their public holidays or celebrate special occasions. The island’s atmosphere is great, think clear-blue waters, fantastic wildlife, great cycling and biking trails, some of which take you around the entire island. Or if you’d prefer, the island is a brilliant place to sit and sip cocktails as you watch the sun go down.

Freemantle

If you’d prefer a slower holiday pace I’d recommend considering Freemantle. Just 30 minutes from the city, it has a direct rail service into Perth; perfect for sightseeing. Personally, I preferred my time here as it’s a lot more intimate than the big city and has a great café culture and, in my opinion, a lot more character than Perth.

Day 2: Rockingham

My journey continued the next day as we drove to the industrial town of Rockingham. While there’s not a great deal of leisure activities here, Rockingham has a fantastic beach and its surrounding waters are home to many pods of wild dolphins. It was here I was taken out into the sea on a dolphin watch trip provided by Rockingham Wild Encounters. While slow to start, an hour into the trip, we hit the jackpot with a sighting! From then we just saw more and more dolphins in their natural habitat, it was incredible!

To top this off, the boat anchored, and we were allowed to get into the water to snorkel alongside them. Here we saw many different dolphin behaviours including playing and feeding and, on our way back to the harbour, the dolphins put on a marvellous display as they jumped in and out of the waves together. No one is sure exactly why they behave like this, but one theory is that it’s just fun! All-in-all this was a brilliant experience and in my opinion, so much more rewarding than seeing them in captivity.

Day 3: Yallingup, Dunsborough & Busselton

Yallingup

Breakfast, as they say, is the most important meal of the day and they don’t come much better than breakfast at a quintessential Australian pub. The Cave’s House, just outside Yallingup, provided the perfect start to my day here. The hotel is a popular waterhole and has been enticing locals into its beautiful surrounding gardens since 1905 and it’s not hard to see why as its gardens lead down to the stunning beach below. Obviously I make the most of my time here with a walk along this amazing beach.

Dunsborough

From here, I headed to the Ngilgi Caves. My experience here was fascinating as we’re guided through the interesting history of Aboriginal culture. After walking through the caves, our Aboriginal guide, Koomal, explained in more detail the history of bush medicine and his own fascinating ancestral history. This was topped off by a didgeridoo demonstration – amazing. Lunch was well and truly calling me and we drove on to Dunsborough. Here we stopped at Clancy’s Fish Pub; a great option for seafood lovers. Here I tried ‘seafood laksa’ a spicy soup of Malaysian origin and was absolutely delicious!

Busselton

Just a 30 minute drive away, we head to Busselton – famed for its 2km long jetty and underwater observatory. An optional activity here is to jump aboard a train which takes you to the end of the jetty, here you can take in the amazing surrounding views of crystal clear blue waters and experience the mystical underwater aquatic life within its underwater observatory. All in all, spending time here made for a wonderful and relaxing afternoon.

One of the highlights of my trip was a dinner at a secluded restaurant called Lot 80. The ethos here is to keep produce as local as possible so many ingredients used are grown on the on-site farm. Not only is the food here incredible, so is the service of its staff and, not only this, the prices are purposely kept low so as to attract the locals as well as tourists. Therefore, you get exceptional quality for a much lower prices than other places I visited here. My top tip for your visit to Lot80 is to try its 500g Tomohawk steak. I have never seen anything like it!

Day 4: Margaret River

By far my most favourite day of the entire trip, today we went wine tasting in the Margaret River region – famed for its amazing wines. After being collected by ‘Bushtucker Tours,’ we began our tour of local wineries, a chocolatier and a beer farm. Here, we learned a whole range of skills to aid us in our wine tastings. From how to correctly hold a glass to how to prepare your pallet before drinking. The experience was really interesting and, for wine lovers, provides a fantastic opportunity to seek out delicious souvenirs.

Day 5: Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse & Valley of the Giants

Next destination on the trip, Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse. Situated at the most South-Westerly point of Australia, this beautiful lighthouse was built in 1895 and is still in working order today. An audio tour here explains the rich history of this lighthouse, but be careful for snakes as you navigate around! You can climb to the top too, and, when you do, you’re rewarded with idyllic views across the surrounding seas.

Valley of the Giants

Today we also visited the great Valley of Giants, located near to Walpole for an afternoon stroll. The walk included a jaunt through the treetop canopy which features a stunning walkway 40m high above the ground amongst the spectacular Tingle-Tree Forest; the views are unrivalled here. An added bonus to this park is that its walk is suitable for everyone in that it’s easily accessed by children and wheelchairs.

After a quick visit to the Greens Pool in William Bay National Park, known for its turquoise waters and white sand beaches, we arrived in Alban in the early evening in time to check into our motel in the centre of the city.

Day 6: Albany

Our day exploring Albany began with a delicious breakfast at The Three Anchors, a quaint café overlooking Middleton Beach. Walking along the Ellen Cove Broadwalk we were rewarded with breath-taking views across Princess Harbour and the surrounding islands, popular with whale watchers.

Making our way to see The Gap & Natural Bridge in Torndirrup National Park, we were lucky to see the enormous power of the Southern Ocean in full glory as the gap is a spectacular rock formation caused by years of coastal erosion – a fantastic photo opportunity.

From here, we had the amazing opportunity to discover the Great Southern Distilling company in Albany. Using time honoured techniques and traditional copper pot stills, the main production here is their award-winning single malt whisky. While also producing other premium quality spirits like vodka, you get the chance to sample some of their produce… Watch out for the chilli vodka, it’s got more than just a kick!

ANZAC Centre

Perhaps the most sombre moment of my trip was exploring the National ANZAC Centre – Australia’s foremost museum dedicated solely to honouring the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps of the First World War. The centre allows you to assume the identity of one of the 32 ANZAC’s and follow their experiences through this time making your experience here much more personal than other museums I’ve visited. From here we explored the surrounding grounds which included a bunker, communications tower and mess room. I will never forget my time here.

In the evening, we were treated to a twilight cruise around the surrounding Islands. Our eccentric Captain guided us around King George Sound whilst we watched the sunset. A wonderful way to end the day before dinner. Our last meal in Albany was in the motel's on-site restaurant and is not your typical motel cuisine. Lime 303 offers delicious cooking and has won several prestigious awards.

Final Day

Our last day in Australia and we needed to make our way back to Perth and as the journey is around five hours, and we had a night-flight home, we were able to spread the journey time across the day and make some sight-seeing stops on the way including Stirling Range National Park, Kojonup and The Kodja Place; a museum which documents Aboriginal life (Noongar).

As I look back on my trip to Western Australia, I think it's a fantastic destination often overlooked in preference of Sydney and the East Coast. However if you like fantastic natural scenery, wildlife, amazing local produce and so much to see and do, Western Australia is definitely for you!

Carla Wilson, Travel Specialist