Ningaloo and Broome
Western Australia is famous for long days of sunshine and diverse landscapes and climates. Cruise down Perth’s Swan River to Fremantle or the Swan Valley vineyards. Or visit wineries fringed by tall forests and crashing surf in the Margaret River. Dive with the huge whale shark on Ningaloo Reef and feed wild bottlenose dolphins at Monkey Mia. Ride a camel down Broome’s Cable Beach at sunset and four wheel drive along the remote, beautiful Dampier Peninusla. Fly over the Bungle Bungle ranges and boat down huge, man-made Lake Argyle in Kununurra. Get gold rush fever in Kalgoorlie or swim from the snow-white beaches of Esperance. Don’t miss Western Australia’s huge spaces and unique natural beauty.
Ningaloo is one of the world’s largest fringing reefs, stretching for 260 kilometres off Western Australia’s mid north coast. What’s more, its closest point is within 100 metres of shore so you can join the festivities just by stepping off the beach.
Meet intriguing marine life
Swim with the docile whale sharks, the world’s largest fish, who visit between April and June. Watch humpback whales between June and November and see rare turtle species hatch on guided, eco-interactive trails in January and February. Sea kayak from Exmouth and spot migrating whales and visit remote sites teeming with dugongs and turtles. Or join a boat tour to watch the spectacular mass coral spawning in March and April. You only have to step off the beach at Exmouth or Coral Bay to see clownfish bathing in anemone tentacles, lionfish and predatory moray eels as well as hundreds of other species of tropical fish.
Slip on a snorkel and flippers
Snorkel through coral lagoons and gardens in calm, protected Coral Bay and meet graceful manta rays, dolphins and brightly coloured fish. If you’re ready for deeper waters, jump on a glass-bottom boat or join a snorkelling tour from Exmouth. Head to Lighthouse Bay or the classic desert Muiron Islands for spectacular reef diving. See sea creatures from small to big in the reef sanctuary of Bundegi Bombies, which has shallow waters perfect for entry level divers and snorkellers. More experienced divers can discover the diverse collection of large sponges, gorgonians and sea whips in the sponge gardens at the entrance to the Exmouth Gulf. Whatever level you are, Ningaloo has a piece of underwater Eden for you.
Stay in salty seaside towns
Stay in pretty Exmouth, where you can hire a car, join an eco safari or a beach, reef and game fishing tour. Learn to surf on the gentle waves of Wobiri, catch a left-handed swell on The Bombie or ride the reef breaks at Dunes Beach and Murion and Montebello Islands. Back in town, you’ll find accommodation to suit all budgets, from self-contained apartments to backpackers and campsites. Wander the yachting marina and visit the town's cafes, restaurants, boutiques and wine bars. Then have a yarn with the locals or other travellers over a beer at the local tavern. In the idyllic seaside town of Coral Bay you can stroll to everywhere. Snorkel, swim and feed fish off the beach, do a dive trip or take a scenic flight over the reef.
Have adventures on land and sand
Four-wheel-drive the Shothole Canyon Road or Charles Knife Canyon to Cape Range National Park, just 35 kilometres from the centre of Exmouth. Here you can camp where spectacular gorges, carved by ancient rivers, meet Ningaloo’s coral reefs, clear blue seas and sandy beaches. Walk to Yardie Creek past wildlife and wildflowers, watching out for rare black-footed wallabies crouching on the steep walls. These mangrove areas shelter many bird species and marine animals. Or follow the three-kilometre walking trail through Mandu Mandu Gorge for panoramic ocean views. When it's time to dry off, explore more of the coastline on a four-wheel drive or quad bike.
Go castaway
Join a day tour to the tranquil Muiron Islands, classic desert islands with tropical waters teeming with marine life and complex coral reefs. Dive or snorkel at Turtle Bay, a nesting sanctuary for turtles. You’ll find many other great dive sites just offshore, with colourful coral gardens in depths of 3 to 20 metres. Laze on a deserted beach or cast your line in the shallow waters for a giant trevally. For the ultimate in solitude and romance, get permission to camp overnight.
Broome is an exotic pearling town at the western gateway to The Kimberley region of Western Australia, with a history and culture as vibrant as its landscape. Situated in the State's far north, a two and a half hour flight from Perth, it's an oasis of colour, culture and characters.
Here you can shop for exquisite Broome pearls or rare pink diamonds, or ride a camel into the sunset along the pure white sands of Cable Beach. You can also visit sites where dinosaurs once roamed or go bird-watching at world-renowned Roebuck Bay.
Two of Australia’s greatest four wheel drive adventures can be found here: the Savannah Way between Broome and Darwin via Kununurra; and the 660 kilometre Gibb River Road.
Derby, east of Broome, is the base for exploring the Buccaneer Archipelago – a thousand or so islands scattered across the Timor Sea.
The Kimberley is larger than the states of Victoria and Tasmania put together, and driving distances between major towns are long, so you’ll need to plan plenty of time for your visit.
Kununurra, or 'big water' in the local Aboriginal language, is more than 1000 kilometres from Broome. Here you’ll find the mysterious beehive-shaped rock formations of the Bungle Bungles in World Heritage-listed Purnululu National Park, the rugged gorges of the Mitchell Plateau and Horizontal Falls and the amazing Gwion (Bradshaw) Aboriginal rock art, some of the oldest on earth.
The vast blue skies, fiery red soil and rugged bush landscape of Broome and its surrounds bring to life the best of the Australian outback.
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