We all know ‘Iconic Australia’. Sydney Harbour, Uluru, The Great Barrier Reef. If you’ve been before, it’s easy to think that you’ve ‘ticked off’ that destination. But it is a vast continent and many forget about looking west for something different.
Western Australia has so many good things going for it. But one thing it doesn’t have is lots of tourists. And that is probably its best asset.
Armed with two kids, a hire car and a road map - The Adventure Connection's Client Services Director, Lucy Palmer, set off to see if it could deliver a family holiday to exceed everyone’s expectations.
Perth
Perth is the perfect gateway city - one that soothes jet lag by making you instantly feel at home. There are so many interesting things to do, great architecture, fascinating history and it seamlessly blends into nature with expansive city parks and beaches.
Neighbouring Fremantle has a UNESCO listed convict prison to explore, colourful local markets, and yet more beautiful beaches. There was a city wide carnival of arts and entertainment, with dancing, street performers and parties on every corner when we were there. I was reminded why I loved living here when I was a backpacker in the 90s. Australia really does outdoor fun in the best way possible.
Our final day in Perth included a trip to Rottnest Island. Impossibly beautiful, with no vehicles allowed, everyone hops on a bike to explore remote beaches and wilderness areas. It has a great vibe. The famous inhabitant of the island is the cute and very tame Quokka and seeing these was a real delight for the kids!
Cervantes
The next day it was time to start our road trip. We were excited to pick up our hybrid car to begin the long drive up the aptly named Turquoise Coast.
Before long however, we found out that we were not alone! A large grasshopper was peering up at us from the gear stick! We pulled over at the next turn off to get ‘him’ out and inadvertently ended up at Yancheep National park. Looking up we spotted 3 koalas and a multitude of wallabies right beside the car = a great start!
The aim of the first day was to get to the Pinnacles National Park. Think big, beautiful, otherworldly desert landscapes. We timed our visit to coincide with sunset - by its very nature Western Australia does epic sunsets - and in that environment, under that immense sky, it was breathtaking.
The next morning we were up early for the first of our many watery adventures up this coast - snorkelling with sea lions. Our marine biologist guides fully briefed us on dos and don’ts and we dutifully kept our distance from their colony.
The objective is not to go to them but the curious sea lions immediately swam over to us to have a play. Up close they are very big and apparently they have the same jaw bite as a brown bear! Visits are strictly timed but it was an immense privilege to interact with these agile swimmers!
Geraldton - Kalbarri
The trick of a road trip with kids is not to spend all day driving. Geraldton served a purpose as a perfectly pleasant stop over town on our way up north. Onwards to Kalbarri National Park for dramatic outback landscapes - think an Australian Grand Canyon with immense gorges, rock foundations and an astonishing pink lake.
Monkey Mia
Famous for resident dolphins who turn up to swim on the beach every morning, I was a bit sceptical about how ethical this experience would be. But they are monitored closely by marine biologists and swim freely out in the bay.
It is truly amazing to see these creatures up close without even getting wet! We then sailed around their protected home - most of the waters around Monkey Mia are a national marine park - and saw manatees, turtles and even a sea snake.
Denham
A truly authentic and very special experience was arranged here with a local aboriginal guide. Driving to a remote desert location at night (always a bit of a terrifying experience in Australia!) he immersed us in aboriginal culture, giving us clearly defined roles for the camp.
The kids cooked freshly caught fish over the fire and we marvelled at the incredible sky - vivid constellations were brought to life with dreaming stories and the sounds of the didgeridoo floating over the fire and off into the stars.
Carnarvon
At the next ‘convenient stopover town’, we discovered a surprising secret. Canarvon was instrumental in the orchestration of NASA moon landings as a primary communication link!
On the outskirts of this unassuming, remote town is an incredible space museum - home to giant satellite dishes, space vehicles, flight simulators and cool paraphernalia!
Coral Bay
Moving further up the coast we finally reached the main reason for our trip. Ningaloo Reef is 260km long, the third largest reef in the world and hasn’t suffered coral bleaching like the Great Barrier Reef on the ‘other side’. It is also much less visited (by humans at least). Marine species that visit in great numbers include; sharks, turtles, rays and whale sharks.
Marine Biologists are on hand to ensure each encounter is strictly managed. Small groups entering the water are kept at distance from each other and are strictly timed so as to cause minimal disruption to the wildlife (and this also makes a pleasant experience for you too). We never felt crowded and everyone got a great view.
At Coral Bay we had the opportunity to snorkel with the resident manta rays - it is one of the few places in Australia where mantas are spotted year round. Seeing these giant creatures ‘fly’ through the water is an incredible privilege.
Exmouth
At Exmouth the main attraction is whale sharks - who populate the reef from March to July.
Sightings are very common but what isn’t common in this arid desert region is a cyclone - one just happened to arrive when we did. Getting on a whale shark trip is hard - it requires booking months in advance as numbers are very limited. After a mad scramble and lots of cajoling we were very lucky to find a spare space on a trip the day after the cyclone left.
The experience was epic and I just remember thinking how lucky my kids were! We swam with four different whale sharks and completed 10 short swims over the course of an hour - the maximum you are allowed in the water. We were the only boat in sight and often we were the only swimmers in the sea (that’s how strictly controlled it is). We had to wear stinger suits - the jellyfish mean business here - and we may have looked like smurfs - but all of us were utterly overcome as the giant beasts of the ocean swam gently past us.
So did Western Australia deliver as a family holiday destination? Absolutely. As the kids said on the way home - how are we ever going to top that trip?! There are only a few places on earth that inspire you with the kind of landscape and wildlife that makes you realise how small we humans really are. Australia is one of them. We made such incredible memories there that will last a lifetime.
If you're searching for an experienced and highly professional DMC in Australia that can offer those unique, off-the-beaten-track experiences, look no further than Australia Inbound.
Australia Inbound crafts exceptional travel experiences across Australia. Their itineraries capture the essence of the country's diverse and stunning landscapes, vibrant cities, indigenous culture and wildlife, specially curated for FITs and groups. They are led by a multi-cultural team known for seamless logistics, quick response times and personalised service.
For more information, please get in touch with calvin@theadventureconnection.com
Comments