South-West WA
The south western corner of Western Australia is rich with rolling farmlands, boutique wineries, winding rivers, spectacular cave systems, magnificent forests and great coastlines.
Margaret River, famous for its wineries and surf beaches, is an ideal base to discover the coastal scenery of the region, as well as to go wine tasting, surfing, caving and whale watching.
Forests of huge karri trees surround the towns of Northcliffe, Manjimup and Pemberton. There are many scenic drives through karri country, which is carpeted in wildflowers during the spring.
WA Wheatbelt
The Western Australian Wheatbelt, covers a vast area that extends from the Indian Ocean to the Eastern Goldfields. The area encompasses some of the most productive agricultural areas of the state and the wheat fields in Australia, in an area more three times the size of Tasmania.
The Wheatbelt has long established towns, such as Merredin, Kellerberrin, Northam and York, and has well developed networks, social amenities and services. It also benefits from its close proximity to the Perth metropolitan area.
The Wildflowers in the Wheatbelt are spectacular, exotic and in some cases rare. The central agricultural district boasts some of the finest arrays of Western Australia's best wildflowers, often seen as a vivid carpet of colour beside the roads and highways. The wildflower season extends from August to November.
Shipwreck & Coral Coasts
Covering approximately 1270 kms of Western Australia's coastline, the Shipwreck Coast stretches from Cervantes, north of Perth, to Exmouth on the north-west corner of Australia. Its name reflects the rugged nature of the region's coastline, which is the resting place of Australia's oldest shipwrecks.
The northern section is promoted as The Coral Coast. Here you can swim with the world’s largest fish - the whale shark, snorkel from the beach to the stunning Ningaloo Reef, meet the dolphins of Monkey Mia and take in the unique rock formations of the Pinnacles.
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Regional Drives
South-West of Western Australia Drive: 5 days
The south-west is one of the prettiest corners of Western Australia where nothing is too far away from anything else - something rare in a state where in some parts the next town is often just a tiny settlement over an hour's drive away. Being where the Southern Ocean meets the Indian Ocean, the South-West has higher rainfall than anywhere else in the state except for the tropical north, resulting in dense forests and lush green farmland that are a pleasure to drive through. On this drive there is dramatic coastal scenery, particularly on the south coast, to photograph, wild but friendly dolphins to interact with at Bunbury, giant waves to surf at Yallingup and Prevelly, acclaimed wines to taste at Margaret River, and a giant Karri tree to climb at Pemberton.
Distance: 1,041 km
Shipwreck Coast Drive: 4 days
The coast of Western Australia between Cape Leeuwin and Shark Bay has been known to be dangerous to shipping ever since Dutch seaman Frederick Houtman marked his charts 'Abri voll olos' - meaning 'watch out' in 1719, after having came across a group of rugged islands off the recently discovered coast of New Holland (Australia). Over the next century, at least three Dutch trading vessels came to grief on this coastline and many more followed over the ensuing centuries. This drive follows the coast to Kalbarri, then returns via an inland route through the central wheatbelt, an agricultural region known for its spectacular wildflowers in Spring.
Distance: 1,443 km
Murchison/Pilbara Drive: 8 days
If you want to see a big slice of Western Australia - that vast area to the south of the Kimberley region and to the north of Perth - then this is the drive for you. It follows the coast north from Perth all the way to Dampier, taking in Geraldton, Kalbarri, Shark Bay, Carnarvon, Ningaloo Reef and Exmouth Gulf. From Karratha, it then heads inland through the heart of the Pilbara, Western Australia's iron ore mining country, encompassing the mining towns of Tom Price and Newman and the spectacular gorges of the Hamersley Ranges (Karijini National Park). The return drive to Perth is via the inland route through the East Murchison Goldfields, and the outback goldmining towns of Meekatharra, Cue, Mt. Magnet and Paynes Find.
Distance: 4,231 km
Gt Southern and Eastern Goldfields Circuit Drive: 10 days
The first half of the trip takes you to the shores of Geographic Bay in Busselton, the Margaret River wine region with its vineyards and cheese and chocolate factories, on to the forests of Pemberton and the historic town of Albany. It return to Perth via Esperance, the goldfields city of Kalgoorlie and the Eastern Wheatbelt.
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