29 Ridiculously Cool Experiences To Put On Your Western Australia Bucket List
I don’t know about you, but I have always put off travelling around Australia, even though there’s a million places on my bucket list. Something about ‘travelling overseas while I’m young’, but really there’s no good excuse.
So there’s something kind of wonderful (if you get rid of the whole coronavirus thing, of course) about having a good reason to put my Aussie bucket list front and centre.
I went to Perth to visit my cousin a few years ago, and a quick one-week taste left me wanting so much more of our largest state. So I’ve put together the ultimate Western Australia bucket list — I’ll see you there!
#1 Wave Rock
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Call me crazy, but I have a thing for weird rock formations in the middle of nowhere. By the way they have a music festival here (!!!), which will be back again.
#2 Margaret River wine tour
I mean, obviously. There is no such thing as too much wine, particularly in a place as stunning as the Margaret River.
#3 Truffle hunting in Pemberton
Truffle makes EVERYTHING tastier, and you can’t convince me otherwise. Imagine getting to go on your own truffle hunt, and yes that’s with a pooch.
#4 Swim with whale sharks
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Yup, there are giant whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef and you can join a tour to go swimming with them (respectfully, of course).
#5 4WD through the outback
Taking a 4WD trip along the 660km of gorges, red dirt, bush landscapes and cattle stations along Gibb River Road from Derby to Kununurra is the real outback experience.
#6 Tour Lake Cave
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Are you SEEING this crystal chamber? Plus you enter from the floor of a sunken forest surrounded by towering karri trees – 100% fairies live here.
#7 Walk through The Pinnacles
What did I say about weird rock formations? These limestone formations make the Nambung National Park look kind of like the moon.
#8 Helicopter over Horizontal Falls
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Approaching the mighty McLarty Ranges ⛰🙌 #gohorizontalfalls #gobeyondbroome
This particular activity is Sir David Attenborough recommended, so who are we to dispute it? Not that you’d want to, look at those views!
#9 Quokka selfie at Rottnest Island
I don’t care how ‘touristy’ this becomes, they’re bloody adorable and I don’t regret it at all. Plus Rottnest is so beautiful you HAVE to go, and once you’re there the quokkas will find you, trust me.
#10 Spot a croc in the Kimberley
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I could write a whole article on the Kimberley alone, but for now how about spotting a salt water croc in its natural habitat? Lake Argyle, the inland sea, has the largest population in the world .
#11 Cycle the Mundi Biddi Trail
Taking you from Mundaring to Albany, this 1000km mountain bike track is one of the best in Australia. Of course you could always just pick part of the trail.
#12 Watch the sun set at Cottesloe Beach
If you’ve never been to WA, let me just tell you the sunsets are different here and bloody beautiful. Plus there’s a really cute pub right next to the beach.
#13 Hot balloon flight over Avon Valley
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The Avon Valley lights up with wildflowers from April to November, making a hot air balloon ride over it particularly appealing.
#14 Ride camels in Broome
There are so many reasons to be in Broome, from dinosaur footprints (!!) to cocktails. But come on, you can’t NOT ride a camel on Cable Beach while you’re there.
#15 See dolphins at Monkey Mia
Speaking of animal encounters, I refuse to die before I get to watch the friendly dolphins at Monkey Mia, in the World Heritage Area of Shark Bay.
#16 Taste craft beer in Fremantle
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Freemantle is considered the birthplace of Australian craft brewing, so if that’s not a good reason to hit up some local breweries, I don’t know what is.
#17 Spot a Killer Whale
Of course, Humpback whales make their way to this side of the country too, but where else in Australia can you spot the largest pod of Killer Whales in the southern Hemisphere other than Bremer Bay Canyon?
#18 Visit The Bungle Bungle mountain range
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WA’s Purnululu National Park is home to the very striking Bungle Bungle Range. You can take a flight over the top, explore on foot and even camp overnight.
#19 Wander the Lake Ballard sculptures
Fifty-one laser scans of actual Menzies residents are scattered across Lake Ballard. They were done by the acclaimed sculptor, Antony Gormle.
#20 Snorkel at The Abrolhos Islands
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If you love snorkelling or diving with shipwrecks, the Abrolhos Island are home to 19 of them, including the infamous Batavia.
#21 Stay at a cattle station
Have you really ‘outbacked’ until you stay at a working cattle station? The are several options to get an authentic feel of life out of the city, but El Questro in the north is particularly popular.
#22 See the largest rock in Australia
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It may surprise you, but Uluru is not the largest rock in Australia, in fact, Mount Augustus is two and a half times bigger.
#23 Visit the home of Snugglepot & Cuddlepie
Did this hit anyone else right in the childhood? Harvey is where May Gibbs created her classic Australian children’s book, and the town still really leans in.
#24 Find snow on Bluff Knoll
Want to see snow? Bluff Knoll in the Stirling Ranges is the only spots in WA where it’s possible. Not to mention the views.
#25 Hike the Bibbulmun Track
If you’re an avid hiker, this nearly 1000km trail stretching from Kalamunda to Albany is for you. Even if you just tackle a section of it, you’ll be stunned by the beauty.
#26 Gaze on Kalbarri’s Red Bluff
Personally, I will never get over how striking red dirt is, and the dramatic coastal cliffs of Kalbarri’s Red Bluff are no exception.
#27 Fly over a pink lake
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Oh yes, you read that right. Lake Hillier, on Middle Island in the Recherche Archipelago, is a naturally neon pink lake. Need I say more?
#28 Visit the world’s largest rock art collection
The largest collection of rock art in the world can be found at Burrup Peninsula in WA. There are between 250,000 and a million art works here.
#29 Take an Insta shot at Black Diamond Lake
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It might be called Black Diamond, but this lake in Bunbury Geographe is actually the brightest of blues. It’s perfect for a kayak and a cheeky photo or 10.
(Lead Image: Tourism Western Australia)
