Western Australia City Guides

Western Australia is a state of staggering scale and beauty — the largest in the country, occupying a third of the continent, yet centred on the sunny, relaxed coastal city of Perth. Beyond it stretch some of Australia's most spectacular landscapes: the wineries and forests of Margaret River, the white sand and quokkas of Rottnest Island, the coral of Ningaloo Reef, the pinnacles and gorges of the outback, and the ancient, remote grandeur of the Kimberley. These Cooee Tours city guides are your starting point: a hub linking detailed, up-to-date guides to the west, with the attractions, itineraries, seasons and practical tips you need to plan a trip into one of Australia's most rewarding and uncrowded states.

Explore Western Australia's Cities & Regions

Choose a destination below to open its full travel guide, or read on for help deciding where to go, when to visit and how to get around Western Australia.

Perth

One of the world's sunniest and most isolated capitals, Perth is a relaxed, modern city strung along the broad, blue Swan River and a string of glorious white-sand beaches. Its highlight is Kings Park, one of the largest inner-city parks in the world, with sweeping views over the river and city skyline, while the riverside, the revitalised city centre and the long, golden Indian Ocean beaches such as Cottesloe and Scarborough give the city its sun-loving character. The historic port of Fremantle, with its markets, breweries, maritime museum and convict-built prison, adds salty heritage charm, and just offshore lies Rottnest Island, famous for its quokkas, cycling and turquoise bays. Perth is also the gateway to the Swan Valley wineries on its doorstep and to the vast wonders of the west beyond, making it a sunny, easygoing base for a Western Australian adventure.

Why Visit Western Australia

Western Australia offers a sense of space, freedom and natural beauty found nowhere else in the country. It has more than 12,000 kilometres of largely uncrowded coastline, from the white-sand beaches and turquoise water of the south-west to the coral of Ningaloo Reef, where you can swim with whale sharks and manta rays straight off the beach. It has the world-class wineries and tall-timber forests of Margaret River, the wildflower-carpeted plains that bloom each spring, the otherworldly Pinnacles desert, and the ancient gorges and remote, dramatic landscapes of the Kimberley and the Pilbara. Perth itself is one of the sunniest capitals on earth, relaxed and beach-loving, with Rottnest's quokkas and Fremantle's heritage close at hand. The distances are vast, which keeps the west gloriously uncrowded, and the light, the colours and the scale of the landscapes are unforgettable. For travellers seeking pristine coast, remarkable wildlife and epic wilderness with room to breathe, Western Australia delivers like nowhere else.

Best Time to Visit Western Australia

Western Australia spans climate zones from Mediterranean in the south to tropical in the north, so the best time depends on your destination. Perth and the south-west (including Margaret River) enjoy a Mediterranean climate, best in spring (September–November), when the wildflowers bloom, and autumn (March–May), with hot, dry summers ideal for the beaches and mild winters. The Coral Coast and Ningaloo are good much of the year, with whale sharks present from roughly March to August. The tropical north and the Kimberley are best in the dry season (May–October); the wet season brings heat, humidity and road closures.

Spring is also Western Australia's famous wildflower season, when vast areas of the state's south and midwest burst into bloom — one of the great natural spectacles of the country.

Getting Around Western Australia

Western Australia's scale demands planning. Perth is the hub, with a major international airport and a good public-transport network of trains, buses and ferries within the city. For the south-west — Margaret River, the forests and the coast — most visitors use a hire car, with the region within a few hours' drive of Perth. For the vast distances north, most fly to centres such as Exmouth (for Ningaloo), Broome and Kununurra (for the Kimberley), as driving the entire coast takes many days. Rottnest Island is reached by a short ferry from Perth or Fremantle and explored by bicycle. The remote north and the Kimberley are often best experienced on guided tours, which handle the four-wheel-drive tracks, remoteness and logistics. Wherever you drive in the outback, carry water and fuel and respect the distances.

Planning a Western Australia Trip

Given the state's size, plan around one or two regions rather than attempting it all. A Perth and south-west trip pairs the city, Rottnest and Fremantle with a few days in Margaret River and the tall-timber forests — an easy, rewarding week. A Coral Coast trip heads north to Ningaloo Reef and the Pinnacles, flying to Exmouth to save the long drive. A Kimberley adventure, in the dry season, explores Broome, the Bungle Bungles and the gorges, usually on a guided tour or with a four-wheel drive. With two or more weeks, combine the south-west with a flight north. Each of the guides linked above goes into the attractions, itineraries and practicalities in detail, so you can build a trip that suits your interests, your season and your pace.

Western Australia's Climate & What to Pack

Western Australia ranges from Mediterranean in the south to tropical in the north, so packing depends on where and when you travel. Around Perth and the south-west, summers are hot and dry — light clothing, swimwear and strong sun protection — while winters are mild and a little wet, needing a jacket. The Coral Coast is warm year round, ideal for swimwear, a rash vest and reef-safe sunscreen for snorkelling Ningaloo. The tropical north and Kimberley are hot, with the dry season warm and sunny and the wet humid and stormy, so light, quick-drying clothing, a hat and insect repellent are key. Across this sun-drenched state, a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses and high-SPF sunscreen are year-round essentials, along with sturdy shoes for the gorges and plenty of water for outback travel.

The South-West: Margaret River, Rottnest & the Forests

The corner of the state south of Perth is one of Australia's most beautiful and rewarding regions. Margaret River is a world-class wine region wrapped in dramatic coastline, tall karri and jarrah forests, limestone caves and surf breaks — a place to taste premium Cabernet and Chardonnay, walk among giant trees, and watch the Indian and Southern Oceans meet at Cape Leeuwin. The tall-timber towns of Pemberton and the south-west forests, with their climbable fire-lookout trees, the protected bays and white sand of Esperance and the Great Southern around Albany, and the spring wildflowers add further riches. Closer to Perth, Rottnest Island — car-free, ringed by turquoise bays and home to the famously photogenic quokka — and the Swan Valley wineries make easy escapes. The south-west alone justifies a Western Australian trip.

The North: Ningaloo, the Pilbara & the Kimberley

The vast north of Western Australia holds some of the most spectacular and remote landscapes in the country. The Coral Coast's Ningaloo Reef, a World Heritage fringing reef off Exmouth and Coral Bay, lets you snorkel pristine coral and swim with whale sharks, manta rays and turtles straight off the beach — a rare and unforgettable experience. Inland, the ancient red gorges of Karijini National Park in the Pilbara plunge into cool swimming holes, and the coastal landscapes of Shark Bay, with its dolphins and stromatolites, and the Pinnacles desert add wonder. Furthest north, the Kimberley — one of the world's last great wildernesses — offers the beehive domes of the Bungle Bungles (Purnululu), the gorges of the Gibb River Road, the pearling town of Broome and Cable Beach, and a coastline of staggering, remote beauty, best explored in the dry season.

Wildlife, Wildflowers, Culture & Events

Western Australia's natural calendar is one of its joys. Each spring, the state stages one of the world's greatest wildflower displays, as more than 12,000 species — many found nowhere else — carpet the south-west and midwest. Its waters teem with wildlife: the whale sharks and manta rays of Ningaloo, the dolphins of Shark Bay and Bunbury, migrating whales along the coast, and the quokkas of Rottnest. The state's deep Aboriginal heritage, including the ancient rock art of the Burrup Peninsula (Murujuga) and the Kimberley, can be experienced through cultural tours and centres. Perth and the regions host a lively events calendar — arts and food festivals, the Margaret River Gourmet Escape, and outback events — while Fremantle's markets and breweries and the state's sunny, relaxed culture round out the experience.

Western Australia with Kids

Western Australia is a brilliant family destination, built around sunshine, beaches and remarkable wildlife. Children adore the quokkas and cycling of Rottnest Island, the gentle dolphins at Monkey Mia and Bunbury, and snorkelling the easy, shallow coral of Ningaloo and Coral Bay. Perth offers Kings Park's nature playgrounds, the Perth Zoo and AQWA aquarium, and calm river and beach swimming, while Fremantle's maritime museum and prison fascinate older children. The south-west adds caves, forests and tree-top walks. The long distances mean planning, but the abundant wildlife, safe beaches and sense of space make Western Australia an adventurous and rewarding place to travel with children of any age.

Shark Bay and the Coral Coast

Midway up the Western Australian coast, the World Heritage area of Shark Bay is a place of rare natural marvels. At Monkey Mia, wild bottlenose dolphins come into the shallows to be seen each morning, a beloved and carefully managed encounter; nearby, the ancient living stromatolites of Hamelin Pool offer a glimpse of the earliest life on earth, and the dazzling white expanse of Shell Beach is made entirely of tiny shells. The wider Coral Coast, running north towards Ningaloo, strings together the wildflower country, the eerie Pinnacles, the pink hue of Hutt Lagoon and the beaches of Kalbarri and its dramatic river gorges. This stretch of coast, far less visited than the east, rewards travellers with extraordinary natural diversity and a real sense of discovery.

Esperance and the Great Southern

The south coast of Western Australia holds some of the most beautiful and uncrowded beaches in the country. Around Esperance, the squeaky-white sand and impossibly turquoise water of Lucky Bay — where kangaroos sometimes lounge on the beach — and the islands of the Recherche Archipelago and Cape Le Grand National Park are simply spectacular. To the west, the Great Southern around Albany offers a dramatic coastline of granite headlands and the historic whaling station, the towering forests and the cool-climate wines of the Porongurup and Mount Barker, and the wildflower-rich Stirling Range. This corner of the state, reached by a long drive or a flight from Perth, rewards those who make the journey with wild coast, ancient forest and a quieter, cooler beauty distinct from the sun-baked north.

Broome and the Pearling Coast

On the remote Kimberley coast, Broome is a town like no other — built on the pearling industry, with a rich, multicultural history and a frontier-meets-paradise character. Its famous Cable Beach stretches for 22 kilometres of white sand, where camel trains amble along the shore at sunset against the Indian Ocean, one of the iconic images of the Australian north. The town's Japanese pearling cemetery, the dinosaur footprints at Gantheaume Point, the open-air Sun Pictures cinema and the natural "Staircase to the Moon" phenomenon add to its allure. Broome is also the western gateway to the Kimberley's wonders, and a place to slow down at the end of a long northern journey. Its blend of history, beach and tropical romance makes it one of the most distinctive destinations in the country.

The Pinnacles and the Wildflower Country

A few hours north of Perth, the Pinnacles of Nambung National Park form one of Australia's most surreal landscapes — thousands of weathered limestone spires rising from golden desert sand, especially striking at dawn and dusk and under a full moon. The drive there passes through the wheatbelt and coastal country that, each spring, becomes the heart of Western Australia's famous wildflower season. From roughly July to November, vast areas of the midwest and south-west burst into bloom with more than 12,000 species, many found nowhere else on earth — everlastings carpeting the plains, orchids, banksias and kangaroo paws — in one of the greatest floral displays on the planet. Touring the Pinnacles and the wildflower country together makes a memorable journey from Perth into the state's strange and beautiful interior.

The Swan Valley and Perth's Doorstep

Right on Perth's edge, the Swan Valley is Western Australia's oldest wine region and a favourite local escape, a compact loop of cellar doors, breweries, distilleries, chocolate and produce makers and restaurants barely half an hour from the city. It makes an easy half-day or day trip, sampling the region's Chenin Blanc, Verdelho and fortified wines along with its food and craft drinks. Close to the city too are the forested hills of the Perth Hills and the John Forrest National Park, the beaches and marine life of Rockingham and Penguin Island, and of course Rottnest and Fremantle. This wealth of accessible day trips — wine, hills, beaches and islands all within an hour — means even a short Perth stay can take in a remarkable variety of the west's pleasures.

Karijini and the Pilbara

In the ancient heart of the state's north-west, Karijini National Park protects some of the oldest landscapes on earth — a remote Pilbara wilderness where rivers have carved spectacular gorges hundreds of metres deep into rock more than two billion years old. Visitors descend into a hidden world of plunging chasms, tiered waterfalls and cool, jewel-coloured swimming holes such as Fern Pool, Fortescue Falls and the dramatic Hancock and Weano gorges. The surrounding Pilbara is iron-ore country on an epic scale, its red ranges and spinifex plains stretching to the horizon. Reached by a long drive or a flight to the mining towns, Karijini rewards the journey with adventure and a profound sense of deep time. It stands among Australia's most spectacular and least-crowded national parks, a highlight for those who venture into the state's vast interior.

Planning Your Western Australia Journey

Western Australia's immense scale is the key planning consideration: it is impossible to see it all in one trip, so choose your focus. A Perth-and-south-west journey pairs the city, Rottnest and Fremantle with Margaret River and the forests in a rewarding week. A Coral Coast trip heads north to Ningaloo and the Pinnacles, flying to Exmouth to save days of driving. A Kimberley adventure, in the dry season, explores Broome, the Bungle Bungles and the gorges, often on a guided tour. Travel in the right season for each region, carry plenty of water and fuel for outback driving, and allow for the long distances, using flights to link far-flung areas. Time a southern trip for the spring wildflowers if you can. Each linked guide details the attractions, itineraries and practicalities, so you can craft a journey through the vast west that matches your interests, your season and your pace.

The Spirit of the West

What lingers longest about Western Australia is its sense of space and light. This is a place of immense horizons and few crowds, where you can have a flawless white beach to yourself, watch the sun sink into the Indian Ocean — the only mainland state where the sun sets over the sea — and feel the scale of a land that occupies a third of the continent yet holds barely a tenth of its people. From the sophisticated, sun-loving life of Perth to the remote grandeur of the Kimberley, the west rewards travellers with a frontier spirit and a love of the outdoors, offering nature on an epic scale and a relaxed, unhurried welcome. For those willing to embrace its distances, Western Australia delivers some of the most pristine and memorable experiences in the country.

Getting the Best from the West

The secret to Western Australia is to embrace its scale rather than fight it: choose one or two regions, travel in the right season, use flights to bridge the vast distances, and allow time simply to enjoy the space, the light and the uncrowded beauty that define the state. Approached this way, the west delivers some of the most pristine and memorable experiences in the country.

More Cooee Tours Travel Guides

Looking further afield? Explore our growing library of Australian city and regional travel guides across every state and territory.

• All City Guides
• Queensland City Guides
• Perth Travel Guide
• Adelaide Travel Guide

Western Australia Travel FAQ