Youth Experiences
The landscape of Western Australia is inspiring, in its beauty and grandeur, with pristine beaches, rugged gorges, unique rock formations, towering forests and secluded waterfalls.
With a varied climate, visitors to Western Australia can find summer at any time of year. The State’s south experiences a Mediterranean climate, while the north has a tropical climate.
Home to multiple transport and touring options including direct flights, guided tours and self-drive experiences, Western Australia is the State of ‘extraordinary’ – with a number of experiences that can’t be found anywhere else on earth.
Destination Highlights
Whale sharks, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia
Western Australia boasts pristine coastline, beautiful beaches and bays, sensational surf and marine life. The State’s national parks, state forests and marine parks provide a fantastic opportunity to interact with some of the world’s most diverse flora, fauna and landscapes. Each spring, more than 12,000 species of wildflowers carpet the State from the north to the south.
Inland, Western Australia’s rugged, captivating and inspiring outback offers big blue skies and rugged red earth adventure in spades, and at night, visitors will be amazed by the millions of stars lighting up the night sky, with clear views to the Milky Way.
Highlights
- Easily accessible from shore, snorkel the world’s longest fringing reef, Ningaloo Reef. From March to July, jump on a tour and swim with the world’s largest fish, the whale shark
- Two billion years in the making, Karijini National Park is home to massive gorges, crystal clear rock pools and waterfalls, and deep ancient chasms. A must for anyone with a thirst for adventure.
- The Kimberley is the place for an authentic outback adventure – go on a four-wheel-driving tour, take a scenic flight across ancient land, or cruise the inland waterways and gorges
- Located an easy 30-minute ferry ride from Perth, Rottnest Island is the place to relax on the beach or cool off at one of the island’s 63 beaches and 20 secluded bays
- Margaret River is home to more than 220 wine producers and 100 cellar doors and produces more than 25 per cent of Australia’s premium wine. It’s also famous for its consistently spectacular surf
- Walk on some of the country’s whitest sand and see kangaroos sunbaking at Lucky Bay in Esperance
Accommodation
Wula Gura Nyinda Eco Cultural Tours, Shark Bay, Western Australia
Getting the accommodation right is key to enjoying the travel experience. Every traveller knows that having a good base to explore from is important.
Whether it’s for work or play, there are many great accommodation options available along Western Australia’s coastline. This includes campgrounds, caravan parks, eco-villas, backpacker hostels, motels and hotels. Many of the State’s caravan parks have permanent chalets available, providing world class views and basic amenities at a minimum cost.
Some of the State’s campgrounds are controlled by the Department of Parks and Wildlife. For a small fee, camp within a national park and be within a few steps of some of the world’s best beaches and forest set landscapes.
Highlights
- Dunsborough – located less than a three hour drive south of Perth, it’s a great place to stay for surf and wine
- Coral Bay – a small coastal town located only steps away from the World Heritage listed Ningaloo Reef
- Esperance – located on the southern coastline, here you will get to see Kangaroos lazing on Australia’s whitest sanded beach, Lucky Bay
- Broome – the tropical paradise is the gateway to the Kimberley and home to plenty of accommodation options for the carefree travelle
- Perth – combining a vibrant inner city nightlife and spectacular nature-based experiences, Perth is an ideal starting point for any Western Australia adventure
Local Immersion
Rooftop Cinema, Perth, Western Australia
Perth has always offered a beautiful natural environment but most recently, the attention has turned to the city’s urban offering with the State’s capital labelled as ‘hipster heaven’. The port town of Fremantle has also been catapulted in the spotlight with Lonely Planet describing it as ‘a raffish harbour town with sea-salty soul to burn’, Freo (as the locals like to call it) is located an easy 25 minute drive or train ride from the Perth city centre.
Regarded as Australia’s sunniest capital city, Perth experiences more than 3,000 hours of sunshine a year, making it the perfect destination to get outside and go exploring.
For the foodies, there are the night markets and other food events which have popped up in Perth and its urban villages, including the City of Perth’s Twilight Hawkers Markets, Perth City Farm Markets, Perth Home Grown, Beaufort Street Markets and events such as Eat Drink Perth and Taste of Perth.
Highlights
- The beaches – Perth is home to 19 pristine metropolitan beaches that are safe to swim and enjoy an iconic Indian Ocean sunset
- Outdoor movies – Due to Perth’s Mediterranean climate, the summer months are filled with opportunities to take in cinema under the stars
- Market fever – On weekends, visitors can visit one of Perth’s many market events and the twilight markets on a Friday evening are a must for tasty cheap eats
- Hiking – there are plenty of hiking options when visiting Perth from one of the world’s largest inner-city parks, Kings Park, to the Perth Hills region, there is an abundance of flora, fauna and scenic walk trails to be experienced
Nightlife
Elizabeth Quay, Perth City, Western Australia
Perth’s had an explosion of hip, under-the-radar small bars pop up in the past few years, paving the way for a style of socialising not seen in the city before. Disused heritage buildings and laneways are now home to bustling bars and street art. There are bars specialising in whiskey, gin, craft beers and wine, as well as high-quality food, with share plates and locally sourced produce becoming a popular trend.
In Perth, travellers are spoilt for choice, with more restaurants per capita than any other capital city in Australia. And it’s not just restaurants and bars that are pleasing Perth visitors, food trucks have also started appearing on the streets, signalling another new trend for the city. Their presence is so popular, it prompted a local foodie and entrepreneur to start the annual – the Food Truck Rumble. A gathering of some of the city’s best ‘street food’ trucks in the one place.
Highlights
- Northbridge is a cultural feast for the senses located only a few minutes walk from Perth’s city centre. Showcasing local, national and international art, fashion and history, it’s a multicultural melting pot of flavours blended together with a lively mix of bars and nightclubs.
- The port city of Fremantle is famed for its music and arts scene, cafes and bars, boutique breweries and historic streetscapes – all within an easy walk. It is also home to the historic Fremantle Prison, where travellers can sleep on-site at the YHA
- Perth’s neighbouring urban villages of Mt Lawley, Leederville and North Perth are brimming with cheap eats, fine dining restaurants and delis and a string of hip fashion boutiques
- All of the above destinations can be experienced on a walking tour – several Perth operators offer a variety of tour options, visiting historic sites, bars and restaurants and hidden laneways
Useful links
Destination Highlights
- Ningaloo Reef
- Karijini National Park
- Kimberley
- Perth
- Rottnest Island
- Margaret River
- Lucky Bay, Esperance
Accommodation
Local Immersion
Nightlife
