Australia — Come say G'day

PERTH AND MARGARET RIVER - 4 Days / Tour Code H6

Arguably the largest state in the world, Western Australia covers one-third of the Australian continent.

Western Australia is adored for its brilliant blue skies, warm sunny climate and white sandy beaches. It is a land blessed with some of the world's most precious natural phenomena including the dolphins of Monkey Mia, the 350-million-year-old Bungle Bungle range and the towering Karri forests of the South West.

Perth is the capital of Western Australia. Situated on the Swan River and only a few kilometers from the beaches, Perth enjoys a Mediterranean climate - with more hours of sunshine than any other Australian capital.

Mid West:

Incorporating Western Australia's Mid West region as well as the Gascoyne Coast. Where the desert meets the ocean. The fine beaches and small coastal towns have fascinating landscapes and a wonderous abundance of wildlife.

Gateway to the Mid West (Batavia) Coast, the Abrolhos Islands, historical Greenough, unique wildflowers and the rugged Australian outback. On the way to the dolphins of monkey mia, the gorges of Kalbarri and the whale sharks of Ningaloo reef.

An Outback holiday in the Mid West is ideal for those who want a change from the noise and hustle and bustle of the big cities. It's a place where you can immerse yourself in wildflowers and savour the sweet scent of everlastings and bush flowers that hang on the crystal clear night air.

Pilbara:

The Pilbara is rugged, exciting country, enticingly beautiful where the White gums form a stark contrast against the red earth. The area is one of the oldest parts in the world, yet it is still one of the best kept secrets.

Karijini National Park is so accessible - you can literally pull into a car park, walk 50 metres and peer into a 100 metre canyon to see waterfalls and emerald coloured rock pools - the great appeal of Karijini lies deep within its gorges.

Exmouth is an excellent year round fishing village, for keen anglers. It has terrific beach weather and is a popular destination for tourists . Exmouth lies close to the Ningaloo Marine Park, with its coral reef providing a wonderful diving experience. In some areas the reef is only metres from the shoreline. The Gape Range National Park with its rugged scenery and abundant wildlife is also easily accessible from Exmouth.

Broome:

Broome, a unique, exotic town that is the southern gateway to the raw wilderness of the Kimberley.

The town is a fascinating place with a mixture of cultures created by those who came in search of pearling wealth. Pearling still remains one of the town's leading industries.

Wander through Chinatown, the original commercial centre, which is now home to some of the world's finest pearl showrooms. Purchasing a souvenir is a must. Daily tours are also available to the Willie Creek Pearl Farm where you can see a working pearl farm and learn more about the many interesting facets of the pearling industry.

Broome is washed by the turquoise waters of Cable Beach. Said to be one of the most stunning beaches in the world, it stretches 24 kilometres (15 miles) along the coast and features clean white sand and offers some incredible sunsets.

At Gantheaume Point nature has left a unique calling card. Dinosaur footprints, more than 130 million years old, can be seen at low tide embedded into the rock. It is also an ideal spot to view the red craggy cliffs of the Broome peninsula.

Just outside Broome is the Broome Bird Observatory where you can see the thousands of migratory birds that visit there from September to March. The Observatory is the most well regarded bird watching site in the world and should not be missed by visitors to the area.

Kununurra:

Kununurra is the Kimberley's gateway from the east. It offers access to an enormous variety of unique and colorful Kimberley adventures.

A pleasant, modern town, Kununurra is also one of the largest towns in the region with some 6,000 residents. Many local tour operators use this as a base for their Kimberley excursions and offer a range of exciting activity options.

From Kununurra you can explore the 300-million-year-old sandstone cliffs of the Hidden Valley National Park which is also known as Miramar by the Aboriginals.

Take a cruise on Lake Argyle. With its 1,000 square kilometres (386 square miles) it is more like an inland sea than a lake. This vast body of water has formed its own eco-system where you can find many examples of native flora and fauna.

While in the area why not book a tour of the Argyle Diamond Mine. The mine produces some 34 million carats of diamonds per year... that's more than one-third of the world's total production and includes the rare pink Argyle diamonds.

Central Kimberley:

Wild and wonderful, the Kimberley is one of the world's last great wilderness areas.

Covering more than 420,000 square kilometres (261,000 miles), an area three times the size of England, it is home to only 25,000 people. This means that there are fewer people per kilometre than almost any other place on the planet.

Remote and rugged, its landscape is truly spectacular.

Take a trip into Purnululu National Park where you will marvel at the thousands of huge beehive-shaped mounds of the Bungle Bungle. Striped in orange and black colours, these sandstone mounds rise majestically from the red earth and are one of Western Australia's most significant natural features.

Travel further north along the remote and pristine Kimberley coastline and you will find the Buccaneer Archipelago or 'Thousand Islands'. Rugged red cliffs, cooling waters and white sandy beaches abound.

The Kimberley has a tropical summer and dry winter and this diverse climate changes the landscape from season to season.

Whichever season you choose you are sure to agree that Mother Nature was remarkable when she created the Kimberley.

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