Best things to do in Western Australia

Western Australia is the largest Australian state, and arguably the most adventurous to visit. For Europeans, it has the advantage of being the closest state – there are now direct flights from London to Perth. But the distances in WA are huge.

This is not so much the case in the south-western corner of the state, which is relatively compact and provides a lovely introduction to Australia. A looping road trip from Perth around the south-west combines glorious beaches, fine wild, walking, wildlife and heritage.

Going up the west coast provides an entirely different kind of road trip, however. Expect hours of driving through seemingly empty red dirt landscapes, interspersed with some of the most phenomenal natural sights in the world. The emptiness and remoteness is part of the appeal though – you feel like you’re exploring a part of the world no-one else knows about.

Australia Travel Questions has plenty of coverage of things to do in Western Australia, and that coverage is growing all the time. A region-by-region breakdown of things to do in Western Australia be found below. There’s a separate page for things to do in Perth.

Things to do in the Perth Hills and Peel Region

Visit the John Forrest National Park, and walk to National Park Falls.

Walk to Lesmurdie Falls.

Take a twilight wildlife tour of the Karakamia Sanctuary in Chidlow.

Swim in the pool at Serpentine Falls in the Serpentine National Park near Jarrahdale.

Take a boat trip from Rockingham to Penguin Island.

Visit the Peel Zoo in Pinjarra near Mandurah.

See thrombolites at Lake Clifton in the Yalgorup National Park near Preston Beach.

Play links golf at The Cut Golf Course in Dawesville.

Go camping in Lane Poole Reserve near Dwellingup.

Go fishing at Lake Navarino near Waroona.

Walk to the Indian Ocean beaches of the Leschenault Peninsula in Australind.

Enjoy a dolphin-watching cruise in Bunbury.

Learn about dolphins at the Dolphin Discovery Centre on Koombana Bay.

Walk the Bibbulmun Track from the Perth Hills to Albany.

Things to do in South-West WA

See the weirdly bright waters of Black Diamond Lake in Collie.

Admire the 8,000 square metre Wellington Dam mural near Collie.

Search for cuttlefish on a Busselton Jetty helmet walk.

Take on the Busselton Jetty Swim around Busselton Jetty.

Taste good value wines at the Wise Winery at Eagle Bay.

Try paddle-boarding at Meelup Beach in Dunsborough.

Do a Geographe Bay whale-watching tour from Dunsborough.

Walk from Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse to Sugarloaf Rock.

See woylies at night on a private wildlife reserve.

Tackle the wild waves of the Injidup Natural Spa in Yallingup.

Go snorkelling at the Aquarium, Yallingup.

Taste wines at Cullen Wines in Margaret River.

Taste chocolates at the Margaret River Chocolate Company on a Margaret River tour.

Explore the massive caverns at Jewel Cave and Giants Cave.

Meet the wild stingrays of Hamelin Bay at Boranup Beach.

See the autumn leaves at the Golden Valley Tree Park in Balingup.

Things to do on the South Coast

Walk to Beedelup Falls from the Karri Valley Resort.

Enjoy remarkable tales on the Wow Wilderness Eco Cruise in Walpole.

Go swimming at Greens Pool in the William Bay National Park.

Rent a car in Albany to explore the Stirling Range National Park and climb Bluff Knoll.

Visit the National Anzac Centre in Albany.

Take a whale-watching cruise in Albany.

Watch the ocean crash at the Gap in Torndirrup National Park.

Learn about whaling history at the Cheynes Beach Whaling Station.

Go clambering over massive granite boulders in the Porongurup National Park.

Enjoy the whitest sand in Australia at Lucky Bay and Wharton Beach in the Cape Le Grand National Park.

Things to do in the Goldfields and Nullarbor

See the State Barrier Fence at Burracoppin on the drive from Kalgoorlie to Perth.

Take a Superpit tour in Kalgoorlie.

Learn about the history of gold mining at the Museum of the Goldfields or Hannans North Tourist Mine.

See where Skylab crashed at Balladonia on the Nullarbor.

Play the Nullarbor Links – the world’s longest golf course.

Drive 146.6km along the longest straight road in Australia.

Stop at Eucla, one of the few settlements on earth to observe Australian Central Western Standard Time.

See the Antony Gormley sculptures on a salt lake at Lake Ballard.

Things to do in the Wheatbelt

See fossils and wildflowers in Coalseam Conservation Park near Mingenew.

Branch off the Great Eastern Highway to explore the granite outcrops around Kellerberrin, Quairading and Bruce Rock.

See the changing colours of Lake Magic.

Things to do on the west coast: Perth to Geraldton

Go sandboarding at the Lancelin sand dunes in Lancelin.

Visit the monks at New Norcia – Australia’s only monastic town.

Land on the beach after a Jurien Bay skydive.

Admire the wildflowers in Lesueur National Park near Jurien Bay.

Fly over the oldest building in Australia on a day trip to the Houtman-Abrolhos Islands.

Learn about shipwrecks at the Museum of Geraldton.

Hire a car at Geraldton Airport to explore the region.

Things to do in Shark Bay

See the ancient stromatolites at Hamelin Pool.

Feed dolphins on the beach at Monkey Mia.

Camp at Big Lagoon and visit Cape Peron in Francois Peron National Park.

Take in views of the Murchison River Gorge from Nature’s Window or the Kalbarri Skywalk in Kalbarri National Park.

Things to do on the Ningaloo Reef

Sleep by the Indian Ocean on a vast sheep station at Quobba Station.

Explore Charles Knife Canyon on the drive from Coral Bay to Exmouth.

Visit the Ningaloo Centre in Exmouth to learn about the reef.

Go swimming with whales on the Ningaloo Reef.

In whale shark season, take a Ningaloo Reef whale shark swimming cruise.

Fly over the Ningaloo Reef in a microlight.

Go on a Ningaloo Reef kayaking tour.

Things to do in the Pilbara

Fly into Karratha Airport and explore the Pilbara coast around Karratha.

Swim at Hamersley Gorge, Fortescue Falls and Fern Pool in the Karijini National Park.

Hike to the summit of Mount Bruce.

Take a harbour tour in Port Hedland.

Things to do in Broome and the Kimberley

Walk into town from Broome Airport – it’s ridiculously close.

Go on a Broome sunset cruise.

Look for dinosaur footprints at James Price Point.

Discover the history of the Australian pearl industry at the Broome Pearl Luggers.

Do a tour of the Willie Creek Pearl Farm.

See the giant Kimberley tides on a scenic flight from Derby.

Do a Horizontal Falls tour from Derby.

Cruise on the enormous Lake Argyle.

Walk through the narrow gorge of Echidna Chasm.

Swim at Zebedee Springs and Emma Gorge from the El Questro Homestead.

Make the trek out to the Wolfe Creek Crater – the second largest meteorite crater on earth.