WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Another place off the usual visitor
route, Western Australia is about as empty as it comes, with only
500,000 people living outside its capital of Perth. This in a State
that comprises 40% of Australia's land mass. Think of it as the
population of Lexington, Kentucky, being spread out over the entire
US east of the Mississippi. Perth people feel a bit isolated; it's
as far from Perth to the next Australian city as it is from London
to Lenigrad.
Perth is a pretty city, with lots
of sunshine, great beaches and fri
endly
locals at the 
beautiful
Kings Park. From June to October, depending on location, the deserts
and open forests south and north of Perth are covered in wildlflowers
for one of eht most spectacular botanical sights anywhere in the
world; and you don't need to be a botanist to appreciate the beauty
of this event. Both private, self drive and small group tours are
available to enjoy this cornucopia. On Rottnest Island, a day trip
from Perth, small wallabies called Quokkas are easily seen lounging
about near the village.
In
the south-western corner are tall eucalypt forests full of wildlife,
spectacular trees, and wonderful weather. South of Perth coral and
other more normally tropical sea life can be seen near Bunbury,
from the pier at Busselton and at its observatory. This takes on
greater perspective when on your way to Bunbury, near Rockingham
80, you can visit a Little Penguin colony. In addition to all this
natural beauty and interest, south-west Australia produces some
of Australia's, and the world's, leading wines, and winery and food
tours are deservedly popular.
Further to the north are endless
beaches, and just off-shore reefs equal in beauty, if not scope,
to the Great Barrier Reef. At Ningaloo Marine Park from April to
July the world’s largest fishes, the 30ft+ Whale Shark, lounge
offshore, where even snorkelers can get close. Don’t worry,
these gentle giants feed on plankton, not people. As well as Whale
Sharks, dugongs, dolphins, whales and sea turtles and over 180 species
of coral can be found here.
Stromatolites, the world's oldest
living organisms, can be seen most famously in the Hamelin Pools
at Shark Bay, but also in several areas closer to Perth. This state
also has the world's oldest exposed rocks, at about 3.5 billion
years, so WA stakes it's claim for being around for quite a long
while.
On top of all this you're always
just a few miles from, or in, Australia's Outback, and some of Australia's
premier lodges are in the north, as well as the spectacular Bungle
Bungles in Purnulu National Park, The Kimberley. This remote and
rarely visited country can be explored by 4WD, coach or even by
luxury boat.
Western Australia can be a very
different part of your Australia travel at any time of the year.
