West Coast Australia Wonders

The west coast of Australia is the lesser known face of this huge country, as well as the most isolated, but it is also home to some of Australia’s most beautiful and striking scenery, from deserted beaches and pretty wine country to the stark outback. After flying into Perth’s international airport, it can be daunting deciding what to do next, given the enormous distances between destinations in Western Australia.

To help with the planning, here are some things not to miss:

Margaret River

The wine region of WA is a great stop-off point en route up or down the coast, as well as a good weekend getaway from Perth. The region is popular all year round and it’s not just world-class wine you can sample in this beautiful countryside, but delicious food too. Margaret River is also excellent for surfing, so you can work off some of those epic meals you’ll be tucking into!

Shark Bay

Famed for the friendly dolphins of Monkey Mia, Shark Bay is definitely a West Coast hotspot. You can watch the dolphins feeding from the pier every morning (a strange natural phenomenon that occurs every day like clockwork) and even volunteer with them if you’ve got time to kill. However, dolphins are not the only thing you’ll find at Shark Bay. There are sensational beaches along this UNESCO listed stretch of coast and the protected area is home to plenty of other marine life like humpback whales and turtles.

Exmouth

The main reason people drive up to Exmouth is to swim with the gigantic whale sharks – the biggest fish in the world – which frequent these shores between April and July. World Heritage listed Ningaloo Reef is one of the most beautiful and untouched in the world, and it’s the perfect place to dive or snorkel, even when the whale sharks aren’t around.

Broome

Right up in the northwest, in the stunning Kimberley, Broome is a town with an interesting history and a spectacular landscape. Long beaches and rust-red earth meet the azure blue of the Indian Ocean at Broome, where many a luxury hotel can be found – something which is good to know if you’ve had a long, long drive to the north. Ride a camel along Cable Beach at sunset for a real postcard-perfect moment.

How to…

To travel along the west coast, a car is absolutely necessary. Long spells of driving mean that it’s important to travel with at least one other person, especially as it’s more than possible to not see anyone else on the road for hours at a time. Some people take a campervan up the coast and use it as their accommodation too, but if you’re just doing a short trip (for example, a three-hour Perth to Margaret River jaunt), then why not splash out and do a road trip in style, with a classic car, like one of the Rolls Royce cars at Carsales? That’s certainly one way to travel in style! Make sure you have a car suitable for whatever journey you’re undertaking – in WA that often means a 4×4.