| Perth
Western Australia's capital, Perth, is a compact city
located on the banks of the Swan River. A impressive,
modern skyline soars from the bend in the river into an endlessly
blue sky - Perth lays claim to the best climate of any Australian
capital - but the city also features several examples of convict-constructed
architecture and the gorgeously ornate, Edwardian His Majesty's
Theatre. Long, wide boulevard-like streets and the city
centre are laid out with inner-city parks and gardens, most
notably the Botanic Gardens and Kings Park,
from which fabulous views of the city and river can be enjoyed.
Cosmopolitan, yet lacking the frenetic and exhausting pace
of so many other modern cities, Perth features great shopping,
stylish eateries, countless al fresco dining opportunities
and a lively cultural heart. |
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The Bungle Bungles
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Fremantle
It's not likely that the laid-back tempo of Perth will be
something that most visitors will feel the need for "retreat"
from, but there are some nearby destinations that are not
to be missed. Colourful Fremantle, a mere 12 miles down the
river is one of the best-preserved 19th century ports in the
world. Boasting around 150 heritage buildings, including the
convict-built Fremantle Prison and the 12-sided Round
House, Fremantle is always buzzing, featuring a vibrant
arts, crafts, market and street performance scene. The stylish
'Cappuccino Strip' on South Terrace is the best place to take
in the atmosphere, as well as copious amounts of gourmet food
and coffee. Alternatively, Rottnest Island is accessible
via high-speed ferry from Perth or Fremantle, and is a favourite
destination for beach-bumming, fishing & watersports,
including snorkelling.
Margaret River
It's all about the waves and the wine at Margaret River.
Massive surf and epic breaks are hailed by many of the world's
best wave-riders as legendary and surf contests are held here
throughout the year. Prime spots are Rocky Point, the
Guillotine and the Three Bears, but there are many
icing-sugar white beaches for just lounging about and swimming.
If the buzz that you're looking for is not that of adrenalin,
the area features about 50 wineries, producing some of Australia's
best wines. These can be visited for an insight into wine
production, as well as the all-important tastings and purchases.
Where there's fine wine, you can bet your bottom dollar that
there'll be fine food and the Margaret River is no exception
- the region is an epicure's delight, with everything from
seafood, olives, gourmet preserves and cheeses to be guzzled.
Ningaloo Reef
The Ningaloo Reef extends for about 150 miles along
the coast of Western Australia, sheltering marine-life packed
lagoons. One of the drawcards of the reef is its proximity
to the mainland, but the diversity, colour and beauty of this
underwater world would make even difficult access worthwhile.
Tropical fish darting about in coral gardens, as well as dugongs,
manta rays and turtles, can be observed by snorkellers and
scuba divers alike, but for a true spectacle, the full moon
in March or April sees a virtual week-long orgy take place
with a mass coral spawning. Millions of bright pink
egg and sperm clusters are released by the corals to the surface,
where they mingle and fertilise, in turn attracting a glut
of marine life. The giant Whale Shark is among the
most notable of these - the world's biggest fish, it grows
up to 11 tons and 60ft. Drifting along close to the water's
surface, it can be swum with at close range from March to
June for an awesome and memorable experience.
Purnululu National Park
Imagine that a swarm of monstrous, giant bees had descended
upon a remote corner of the earth, and constructed thousands
of hives, banded in black and orange, to match their own markings,
and you have some idea of the eerie beauty of the Bungle
Bungles in Purnululu National Park. Purnululu is
the Kija Aboriginal word for sandstone, and it is from this
that the huge mounds, which cover 270 square miles of the
Kimberley region, are made, the distinctive stripes on their
surface being alternating bands of lichen (black) and silica
(orange). The domes are fragile and not to be climbed, but
in any case, the best view of this spectacular aberration
in the landscape is to be had by flying over it. From the
air, the secret world guarded by the beehive-like forms is
revealed - deep gorges, huge chasms and hidden pools. The
area is rich in Aboriginal art, but land-based access
to the park is difficult and accommodation virtually non-existent
- visitors must be prepared for a totally isolated and self-sufficient
wilderness experience in an environment that seems not of
this world.
Goldfields
Western Australia's evocative Goldfields area is the
place to step back in time to the frenzied gold fever era.
Tours of cramped and claustrophobic mine shafts contrast with
the broad, gracious streetscapes of the goldrush. The grand
architecture of pubs, hotels and town halls gives a sense
of the size these towns burgeoned to, while the number of
ghost towns in the area is testimony to how short-lived the
fever was. While the main town of Kalgoorlie is a lively,
even buzzing town, there's still a frontier atmosphere here,
with the harsh and desolate character of the surrounding landscape
contributing to the rough and ready sensibilities of the locals.
Hard drinking, gambling, ladies of the night - and bar staff
who look like they should be - are very much the order of
the day. Its not all bar room brawls and brothels though -
one of the primary draws of the area is the vibrant wildflower
season from August to October, which sees the rugged landscape
burst into life with a carpet of colour.
Karijini National Park
Holding-your-breath adventures through gorges hundreds of
yards deep can be experienced in the Karijini National
Park. During the monsoon summer months, the gorges are
awash with great torrents of water, which diminish in the
drier months to become tumbling waterfalls and clear, refreshingly
ice-cold rockpools. From up high, the Oxers Lookout is
the site at which four gorges converge - the view from here
is mind-bogglingly spectacular, but abseiling or clambering
down and around the gorges, looking up at the sheer rock faces
and taking in the absolute stillness is a definitive Karijini
experience. Swimming in subterranean pools, camping under
the endless sky and watching the changing light on the folded
and layered rock formations evokes a sense of the vast amount
of time over which geological pressures have produced this
unique environment. The Pilbara area, in which the
park is located, also contains over 10.000 examples of Aboriginal
rock engravings, more than anywhere else in the world.
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