Western Australia Holidays

John Forest National Park [south west WA]
WA's first national park and located on the outskirts of Perth

Kalgoorlie-Boulder [goldfields]
Extravagant architecture dating from the early gold rush days

Margaret River [south west WA]
Magnificent coastal and river scenery plus excellent wines

Nambung National Park [south west WA]
Eerie landscape of limestone pillars... aka The Pinnacles

Valley Of The Giants [south west WA]
Tree Top Walk through the stands of giant Karri and Tingle trees

This is Australia's largest state, with a cosmopolitan, fertile south-west corner, a dry desert centre, vast iron ore deposits in the Pilbara region and the rugged Kimberley coastline, gorges and rock formations in the very north of the state.

A quick synopsis of Western Australia is that much of the wealth is in the north and the people are in the south. Outside of the south west corner and the goldfields, only a few thousand inhabitants live in the other towns scattered throughout the state. The centre of the state consists of dry, desert landscapes.

Western Australia has man-made lakes in the north that hold 10 times the amount of water in Sydney Harbour. The state boasts inviting sandy coastlines, spectacular coastal scenery in the south, historic goldfields and ghost towns, Australia's primary pearling centre, the world's largest diamond mine and is home of much of Australia's Aboriginal dreamtime legends.

Western Australia has always been home to a significant proportion of Australia's Aboriginal people. Archaeological records confirm Aboriginal settlements over most of the state dating back 30,000 plus years. Today many of the Aboriginals live in the northern areas of the state.

Western Australia - Things To Do

In addition to the highlights detailed above, here are just a few ideas on getting the maximum enjoyment from a Western Australia holiday.

Western Australia Holidays - Places To Stay

Visitors to Western Australian will find plenty of excellent accommodation options. Perth hotels range from 5 star luxury through to economy establishments as well as a selection of smaller boutique hotels. Serviced apartments are available that provide for self catering in a home away from home atmosphere.

The number of hotels declines in the country regions where roadside motels and motor inns are more prevalent. Personalised lodgings such as bed and breakfasts, beach retreats, country lodges and farm stays are generally located in and around the major cities and towns.

Airport transfers will usually be required to get to and from your accommodation. This may involve significant costs as distances to some of the accommodation properties might involve a lengthy trip. Ask about this when booking your accommodation.

Western Australia Holidays - Transport

Western Australia is huge with wilderness areas bigger than some overseas countries. It is approximately 2600 kilometres (1625 miles) north-south and 1600 kilometres (1000 miles) east-west.... and those are straight line distances, so actual road distances are considerably further.

Flights are available to all the major regional towns and bus services also run the major highway routes. Sealed roads connect the state's major towns but off the major routes, visitors should expect unsurfaced roads.

All state transport services are detailed in the Public Transport Authority site. Perth has a metropolitan commuter train service plus local services that operate between Perth and Bunbury and Perth to Kalgoorlie. For interstate travel, the Indian Pacific service links to Adelaide and beyond, 

All major car rental companies are represented throughout the state. A popular form of transport are 4WD campers and 2WD motor homes that enable the visitor to travel with their own itinerary and timetable. Tour operators provide itineraries that cover all popular sites.

The Royal Auto Club of WA (RAC) has offices throughout the state that can provide driver information and road maps.

Western Australia Holidays - When Is The Best Time

As is the case throughout Australia, Western Australia is a year-round destination. However, the desert regions have extremely high summer temperatures so any travel at that time of year should be undertaken with all due care.

Western Australia experiences climate variations that include tropical, mediterranean and desert heat and cold. Winter temperature lows range from around around 8°C in the southern coastal regions to approx 15°C in the northern coastal regions.

Summer maximums typically range from around around 24°C in the southern coastal regions, and up to 35°C on the central and northern coastal regions. The central desert is a different story. Summer maximums typically exceed 40°C and winter minimums can drop to around 3-5°C.

The northern areas of the state receive most rainfall during the summer "Wet Season" when cyclones occasionally cross the Kimberley and Pilbara coastlines.  These events usually result in localised property damage and flooding. The southern areas of the state experience winter rains. The further removed from the coast, the less the rainfall.

There is always an increased demand for holiday accommodation and travel bookings during school holiday periods.

Also see Australian Bureau of Meteorology - official Australian weather web site

Australian Hotel Accommodation - the most comprehensive list of Australian holiday accommodation
Best Deals On Australian Travel Insurance - buy your insurance online at the best available rates
Western Australia motorhome rentals - see the best of WA from the comfort of your own camper
Western Australia Holidays Locality Maps - gateway to locality map pages for all the major Qld regions