While Sydney may have its charms, what with being home of the world famous Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the gorgeous Bondi and countless other beaches, a vibrant night life and all that, if you really want to explore the Land Down Under and get to the heart and soul of what makes Australia so unique, you will take the road less travelled and explore Western Australia.
This part takes about a third of the entire continent, but only ten percent of the entire population inhabits this particular area. First of all, that means plenty of peaceful times with no large crowds, and a feeling of being at home as opposed to feeling like your run-of-the-mill tourist.
The sophisticated vibe
If you’re not ready to jump into the deep end and are looking to ‘get your feet wet’ first, start with the state’s capital – Perth. Due to a huge mining boom, the city is now an eclectic attraction that boasts sprouting skyscrapers, upscale shops, galleries and superb and cool restaurants.
Of course, even here you can find your fair share of adventure, as just outside the city you can four-wheel-drive along the old droving route of the Kimberley’s Gibb River Road or give surfing a go on the big-wave breaks at the Margaret River.
You might even come across a kangaroo while unwinding at the beach, or take up an even more adventurous activity meant for real daredevils – swimming with whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef. Perth is the whole package, sophistication, fine dining, sights, shopping, and then wild adventures that are yours for the picking.
Outstanding beauty
Purnululu (Bungle Bungle) National Park is something you have to see in order to believe it. For a long time, it was one of the best kept secrets, but now the cat’s out of the bag and everyone’s invited to bask in the beauty of the fascinating and one-of-a-kind rock formations of this national park.
Fun fact – the park is so precious that it is on both the National and UNESCO World Heritage lists. It might have just recently become a ‘public destination’ but the park, along with the surrounding areas has been inhabited by the Aboriginal tribes for thousands of years, so the park is home to many of the relics of their fascinating and rich culture such as ceremonial sites, rock paintings, as well as a burial ground.
Another fun fact – we have the horrendous summer monsoon rains to thank for carving the park’s deep gorges and chasms, so something beautiful actually came as a result of the horrible weather conditions. Now, you have an abundance of walking trails to pick and choose from, and choose carefully because they’re not made for everyone. For instance, the Cathedral Gorge, Piccaninny Gorge and Echidna Chasm are quite popular and if you have the amazing and super-beneficial Qantas platinum card, you can get amazing deals whether you want to fly to Australia from your destination or go on one of the sight-seeing flights available for those who want to admire the beauty but literally can’t walk the walk. You can choose to set off from Halls Creek and Kununurra and even visit the Argyle diamond mine.
Activity-packed paradise
If you’re already in Perth, why not take a nice ferry ride and visit the Rottnest Island? This island is one of the rare care-free destinations and it’s an immensely popular place for a quick unwinding getaway. The person to blame for the name is the Dutch navigator Willem de Vlamingh, who landed on the island in 1696 and who, even after describing it as ‘an earthly paradise’ decided to name it Rottnest (rat’s nest) all because he thought that the small marsupials called quokkas are rats.
Despite its name, it really is heavenly beautiful, and the quokkas are still here. Aside from the exotic animal sightings, there are sparkling bays to be seen, white-sand beaches to stick your feet in, lay back, enjoy the vistas and chill. If you feel like it, you can always take up snorkelling, and aside from the gorgeous beaches you don’t want to miss such attractions as the Rottnest Museum, the Parker Point Marine Trail and Vlamingh Lookout. Those fond of regular unwinding activities can enjoy great walking trails or play tennis, golf, go bowling, and numerous other things.
A touch of fascinating gloom
If you’ve ever been a fan of X-files, this place will totally give you alien vibes. The Nambung National Park, which is again quite close to Perth (two-hour drive) is home the famous Pinnacles. Essentially, these are thousands of limestone pillars that seem to ‘poke out’ from a lunar-like landscape of yellow sand. These humongous rock formations have a bit of a bizarre vibe to them, but in the most fascinating way possible.
They differ in height – some are as small as a few centimetres, while others go up to four meters in height. Aside from the almost fluorescent night sky – which is the best time to see them to get that perfect mix of utter mesmerising captivation and alien vibes, what adds to the ‘chill’ of this place is the controversy that surrounds its origin, as they do look like they were made by something extra-terrestrial.
However, science came and gave a logical explanation that shattered our conspiracy theories. Namely, it appears that a ‘simple’ process of chemical change that came as a result of wind and water erosion washed away some of the softer sandstones and left the harder limestone ones intact. Still, it’s nice to stick to the non-scientific story just for added fun, and there are two ways of visiting this sight – you can take a scenic drive or the more ‘close and personal’ walking trail.
If you want to get close and personal with Australia, the west is the place to go, and we just gave you a short and sweet tour of the must-see attractions that you simply have to see and experience in your lifetime. Start packing your bags, adventure awaits!
Author’s bio: Cooper Klein is a frequent traveller and an occasional writer from Sydney, Australia. In order to spend more time with his amazing family, Cooper decided to take a break from work. You can find him on Twitter.
