Western Australia

moutuakilla

I'll be travelling to Western Australia for a couple of weeks come may before I return to sunny England. First stop is set to be Exmouth to swim with Whale Sharks - can't wait for this i've wanted to do it for years. I'll have to head back down the coast at this point towards Perth. I am wondering if anyone has any recommendations for some places to visit on my way down. I am thinking about Monkey Mia. Also if anyone has been to exmouth and to Ningaloo, any companies you can recommend to me?

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Thanks!

Absurdistan

Avoid being eaten.

TEL

moutuakilla said:

I'll be travelling to Western Australia for a couple of weeks come may before I return to sunny England. First stop is set to be Exmouth to swim with Whale Sharks - can't wait for this i've wanted to do it for years. I'll have to head back down the coast at this point towards Perth. I am wondering if anyone has any recommendations for some places to visit on my way down. I am thinking about Monkey Mia. Also if anyone has been to exmouth and to Ningaloo, any companies you can recommend to me?

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Thanks!

Drop ozaddick, erike Bakke, cafcinperth a pm, all good lads from that neck of the woods who will be happy to help I'm sure.

adamtheaddick

Lived in perth for 6 months did all the west coast. broome is a wicked little place to visit there is so much to discover my advice rent a car and hit thr indian ocean drive, amazing road just head out if u dont drive they do pretty amazing little tours. oh and WA dosnt mean western australia it means wait awhile..its so laid back and calm as a pomm at first u may get rattled waiting ages for change or to be served. just realax and go with it WA in my view is mind blowing indian ocean stunning nature reserves. enjoy it mate. dont over plan do it the wa way.

WSA

I visited a cousin in Perth for six days and my itinerary/memories included feeding joeys and seeing koalas in a local park, Cottesloe beach, the Pinnacles (weird and beautiful), boat trip up Swannie, Perth for daytime shopping, Perth from Kings park at night for photos, Freemantle, crayfish, BYO Chinese restaurant.

Enjoy yourself.

cafcfan

Only been to Perth once. Nice town but it does shut at precisely 6:15 every evening.

Try to get the time to drive inland - about 180 miles I think - to Wave Rock which is worth the schlep as long as you don't mind flies and heat.

Athletico Charlton

Loved W Australia. Sure there is another thread somewhere about it - worth searching. Long time since I was there, 1999.

Monkey Mia was a bit too contrived for me, dolphins swam in at the same time every day and swam past tourists who were only allowed so far in and could pat them, bit too much like a zoo. I have been spoilt swimming with wild dolphins though, and maybe it has changed in that time.

Would love to go back, hire a 4 by 4 and 'do it properly'.

Pinnacles were cool to see, Broome is a good place, bungle bungles awesome, helicopter flight over the top only way to really see them without a 4 wheel drive ( unless there is a new road now which I doubt). My fav spot was Coral Bay, a beautiful, undeveloped little bay with a stunning beach and coral straight from the sand, I spent hours snorkelling there.

Karijini was also cool, some great walks, we had fly proof hats and you needed them, they were horrendous at that point. It was also hot and we cooled down by diving into a lake (billabong mate!), when we got out it was like the scene from Stand By Me the movie (leaches!).

Knox canyon slide - didn't make it ( lack of 4 wheel drive) - Google it, looks good if adrenaline is your sort of thing!

Finally, did a 4 day trip around Kakadu, amazing, esp seeing the salt water crocs.

Too much for 2 weeks but I am sure you have a fantastic time.

I am envious of you going to Exmouth for the whale sharks, at the time I was back packing and decided I could not afford it, looking back I wish I had begged or borrowed the cash as really a once in a life time opportunity.

Margaret river area was nice and had the wine.

Wave rock - I decided the drive was too far to see a rock, but probably fairly unique.

shine166

Hope you have a great trip, im currently looking for a Gallery in Sydney to help me justify a trip

LargeAddick

Had four days in Perth so didn't have time to get out of the City much. Cottesloe Beach is really nice, Freo is worth the time visiting and a boat trip out to Rottnest Island was interesting. However as others have said if you have the time you are spoilt for choice; Ningaloo Reef, Wave Rock, The Pinnicles, Margaret River etc. Lucky bugger. Am really envious of you right now. Enjoy.

Pedro45

We did the drive from Perth up to Monkey Mia and back. Long stretches of notthing but some good places worth stopping at too. Pinnacles and Hangover Bay are fun. Northampton is a funny town but has plenty of motels if you want to stop over. Kalbarri is worthy of a couple of days. Great cliffs and a nice little homely town set on the Murchison River. Lots of gallahs flying around and a nice little butterfly/bird sanctuary. Take a trip out to the river gorge, and look out for wildlife (we saw a brown hawk and a Thorny Lizard), while walking up to the "window". An abseil company now run trips here and get good reviews. We also did a nice sunset cruise here (with beer!). Further up the coast, after the Monkey Mia turn off, Shell Beach is worth a look, and you have to see the first life on earth - the stromatalites (spelling?) just off the road side at the end of Shark Bay. We saw the dolphins come to the beach at MM but also went out on the catamaran for a lovely days sailing, and saw dugongs and the dolphins with babies too. Overall, the trip was good, but do be careful - you can get mesmerised by the straight tarmac and emus don't move quickly when standing in the road!

moutuakilla

Some great suggestions in here, I'll probably end up getting to exmouth and deciding my route from there. So many things to do and too little time. Disappointed I am not going to get to see any of northern Australia, and by the time I leave i'll have only scratched the surface!