Including places of interest such as Perth and South of Perth, Pinanncles, Wine Regions, Broome, Monkey Mia, Ningaloo Reef.

About the Western Australia Region

Arguably the largest state in the world, Western Australia covers one-third of Australia; it is larger than Western Europe but has a population only one-sixth that of London. WA is renowned for its brilliant blue skies, warm sunny climate (Perth enjoys more hours of sunshine than any other capital city in Australia) and white sandy beaches and relaxed lifestyle. On the west coast you are nearer to Indonesia than to Sydney, making Perth a viable stopover destination en route to the rest of Australia. To the south, the nearest landmass is Antarctica, 2600kms away.

WA is rich in mineral wealth with iron, bauxite, nickel, natural gas, oil, diamonds and gold, as well as boasting many natural assets including 12,500kms of the world's most pristine coastline. The Kimberley region in the far north, is one of the world's oldest geological areas with deep gorges and impressive mountains, arid red plains and coastal sandstone rich in fossils. In the northwest, you'll find the major attraction of Purnululu (the Bungle Bungles), a 350-million-year-old ancient sandstone massif covering 3000 square kms. The Gascoyne region is home to the Ningaloo Marine Park - WA's equivalent of the Great Barrier Reef where the world's largest fish, the Whale Shark, comes to feed every year. Spectacular Karijini National Park in the Pilbara is regarded as one of the jewels of Western Australia.

Climate

Western Australia is so big that it extends into several different climatic zones simultaneously! It ranges from a Mediterranean climate in the south through to semi-arid and desert in the centre and tropical savannah in the north.

Mediterranean: The summers are hot and dry and the winters are mild and wet. Perth is in the centre of this region and has an average temperature of 30°C (86°F) from Dec - Mar and 10°C (50°F) in the winter.

Semi-Arid & Desert: The semi-arid desert area which spreads from Halls Creek all the way to Broome is very hot and dry in the summer (Dec - Feb) with temperatures of 38°C (100°F) and above. In winter (Jun - Aug) temperatures are mild, ranging from 19°C (66°F), however, like most deserts the temperature falls dramatically at night.

Tropical Savannah: The Kimberley has Dry (from May-Nov) and Green (from Dec-April) Seasons similar to the Top End of the Northern Territory. The Dry Season brings beautiful sunny days and cool, comfortable nights. The Green Season brings the rain, along with spectacular electrical storms, high humidity, rivers and waterfalls in full flow and many flooded roads meaning access into parts of the Kimberley is restricted. It can also mean Tropical Cyclones! Though they usually happen well offshore they can bring severe bursts of wind and rain.

Required Clothing: Dress is generally casual throughout WA and shorts, t-shirts etc are ideal for spring and summer in Perth and south WA, though warmer clothes and a waterproof jacket are required in the cooler months of March to August. North of Perth, spring and summer are hot so wear cool clothing plus a hat (preferably with a wide brim) to protect you from the sun. Bring warmer clothes for the milder temperatures and cool to cold evenings of autumn and winter.

Places Of Interest

Lake Argyle - is a body of water nine times the volume of Sydney Harbour and was formed by damming the Ord River in the Carr Boyd Range. Water from Lake Argyle is released into Lake Kununurra, which supplies the irrigation channels needed by 80 or so Ord River farms.

The Kimberley - this spectacular wilderness area of ancient gorges covers more than 420,000 square kilometres, an area three times the size of England, but is home to only 25,000 people. This means that there are fewer people per kilometre than almost any other place on the planet.

Bungle Bungle National Park - Known as 'Purnululu' by the local Aborigines, and located 250kms south of Kununurra, this park offers a remote wilderness experience. The Bungle Bungle massif is an imposing sight. The orange and black stripes across the beehive-like mounds are encased in a skin of silica and lichen and as such are very fragile.

Gibb River Road - the rugged country this road traverses is punctured at regular intervals by inviting creeks, shady campsites, gorges and waterholes, many of which we visit on tour.

El Questro Station - more than 1,000,000 acres in size this station or ranch was originally a cattle station but ceased operations in 1991. It now operates as a tourist attraction offering a truly unique outback experience.

Tunnel Creek - flows through a water-worn tunnel beneath the limestone of the Napier Range forming part of the oldest cave system in Western Australia. Located 180kms from Derby, on tour we wade through the creek for about 1km. You will need a torch/flashlight.

Karijini National Park - Located 1600kms north of Perth, Karijini is the second largest National Park in Western Australia and one of the most spectacular sights in the Pilbara, with its breathtaking gorges, crystal clear rock pools and waterfalls.

Kalbarri - the town is located in one of the state's most beautiful National Parks and is bounded by ocean to the west with soaring coastal cliffs and white, sandy beaches. From July to October, the park's landscape is carpeted by spectacular wild flowers (seasonal).

Pinnacles - Nambung National Park is home to thousands of limestone pillars in a sea of yellow sand, the result of thousand of years of erosion.

Shark Bay - this World Heritage area is home to many, unique and rare species of flora and fauna including approximately one tenth of the world's dugong population.

Monkey Mia - famous for it’s friendly dolphins with the opportunity to hand feed them in a World Heritage listed area.

Ningaloo Reef - is a virtually untouched barrier reef, 260km long, that protects a shallow, white sandy lagoon of clear tropical waters making this one of the few places where you can walk from the beach straight onto a coral reef. The reef is made up of more than 500 species of tropical fish and 220 species of coral and has some of the world’s best snorkel and dive sites. The waters beyond the reef are part of the migratory route of Humpback Whales, Dolphin and Dugongs and the world famous Whalesharks.

Beaches

Coral Bay - this is where Ningaloo Reef and the land meet for spectacular fish life and easy snorkelling and the opportunity for diving. Seasonal whale sharks and manta ray viewing.

Shell Beach - is 60kms long and made up of billions of tiny white 'coquina bivalve' seashells. The deposits are many metres deep and go right out into the calm bay - it is easy to walk out to sea through the clear waters for many, many metres.

Exmouth - located right on the doorstep of Ningaloo reef, Exmouth is the ideal place to make the most of the great diving in the area.

Broome - is the former pearling capital of the world (meaning a great shopping opportunity!) and renowned for having one of the world’s best beaches, Cable Beach. Sunset there is often breathtaking.

Hikes

Kalbarri National Park - explore the rugged coastal gorges and cliffs of banded sand stone including the spectacular scenery of Murchison River Gorge and the highlights of Natures Window, the Loop and Z Bend Gorge.

Karijini National Park - has fantastic hiking trails, including the challenging 'Miracle Mile', which lead you deep into the gorges through waterfalls and beautiful rock pools.

Kimberley Gorges - We explore several of these striking ancient gorges, hiking to beautiful waterfalls and secluded water holes.

Bungle Bungles (Purnululu) - We spend a full day discovering the unique formations of this amazing place including Echidna Chasm, the Frog Hole and Cathedral Gorge.

Culture

Convict History - The first group of convicts were brought to Fremantle in 1850 and many were set to work constructing roads and buildings in the colony. Existing evidence of these public works include the Fremantle Prison, the road between Perth and Albany, Government House, the Perth Town Hall and the Meadow Street precinct, Guildford.

Aboriginal Rock Art - WA is home to many Aboriginal communities and their historical influence is widespread. There are some great examples of ancient rock art in many areas.

Gold Rush - The first discovery of gold in Western Australia was at Halls Creek in the remote Kimberley in 1885 and more discoveries followed throughout the state. The major strikes at Coolgardie and nearby Kalgoorlie in 1892 saw the Goldfields towns' populations grow to 10,000 over 10 years. It was the Gold Rush that was responsible for bringing wealth and independence to Western Australia.

Pearling - began in Western Australia in the 1850s at Shark Bay, where natural pearls were found. By 1910, nearly 400 luggers and more than 3500 people were fishing for shell in waters around Broome, then the biggest pearling centre in the world. As the divers were mostly Japanese, pearling virtually stopped during the Second World War as they discreetly went home or were interned and Broome was bombed, destroying many of the remaining luggers.

Wildlife

Western Australia is home to abundant native wildlife such as kangaroos, wallabies and emus as well as varied bird life (including Wedge-tailed Eagles) and fresh and salt-water crocodiles. The marine paradise of the Ningaloo Reef has visits at different times of year from Whalesharks, Manta Rays, Humpback Whales, Dugongs and Turtles.

Other Activities

Exmouth - there are many optional activities available here including:

• Snorkelling Ningaloo Reef and Turquoise Bay

• Diving the Navy Pier and Muiron Islands

• Hiking in Cape Range National Park

• Wildlife viewing including Whale sharks, Manta Rays, Humpback

• Whales and Turtles (all seasonal)

• Glass Bottom Boat tours

• Kayaking on the Blue Lagoon

• Overnight Camel Expeditions