Six hours’ drive south of Karratha is Juna Downs. This is a working cattle station and tourist access is limited to visitors wanting to visit Mount Meharry, Western Australia’s highest peak. Juna Downs is also close to Karijini National Park, an ancient landscape populated by gorges, rock pools and a myriad of wildlife.
Halls Creek lies on the edge of the Great Sandy Desert, at the junction of the Great Northern Highway and Duncan Road in the north west of the State. Halls Creek is the town closest to Purnululu National Park, the park of the famous Bungle Bungles. Also nearby is Wolfe Creek Crater, the second largest meteorite crater in the world. Tours of the crater and the Bungle Bungles are available from the town. Visit the site of the first goldrush in Western Australia following the discovery in 1885. You can still find gold in the area, particularly around the old town site which is 16 kilometres east of Halls Creek and also features ruins of mud brick buildings and a small cemetery. Mineral exploration continues on a large scale in the area. The town is also the hub of a vast cattle industry. Russian Jack, a goldmining character from the turn of the century who typified the hardy brand of early Halls Creek pioneers, has been immortalised in the town’s main street. The bronze statue depicts him in the act of pushing his sick friend in a wheelbarrow over 300 kilometres to Halls Creek in search of medical attention. Halls Creek services the tourist market with a hotel, motel, caravan park and two roadhouses.
Burswood is located on the Great Eastern Highway within a five-minute drive from the city of Perth. Burswood is also easily accessible by train on the Armadale train line. Burswood is home to the Burswood Entertainment Complex, State Tennis Centre, Burswood Superdome, Belmont Park Racecourse, a world-class golf course, Perth’s only casino and a variety of internationally recognised restaurants. The Burswood Superdome is host to many of Western Australia’s major events, including the famous Hopman Cup. The award-winning Burswood Heritage Trail, featuring bronze sculptures, tells many stories of Western Australia’s settlement, pioneering, and sporting history. The Trail has spectacular views of the Perth skyline.
Mount Helena is one of the towns in the beautiful Shire of Mundaring. Just a half hour’s drive from Perth, Mount Helena was originally called Lion Mill, from its early days as a timber town. The Lion Jarrah Mill was one of the early timber mills. Timber from this area was used in the interior of St Georges Cathedral in Perth. Many bed and breakfasts, restaurants, wineries and craft shops are located in the native forest around Mount Helena. Nearby are Mundaring Weir and Lake Leschenaultia, great for picnics and bushwalks. The Eastern Railway to York, built in the 1880s, originally passed through the town. Now called the Railway Reserve Heritage Trail, people walk and cycle along the trail as a great way to experience the native flora and fauna.
Situated 112 kilometres or an hour and a half’s drive south of Perth, the town of Waroona is at the centre of a forestry, dairying and potato farming region. Waroona Shire stretches from the Indian Ocean, across plains enriched with irrigation waters, over the Darling Range’s massive granite outcrops and magnificent views, to the forest, with majestic old jarrah trees leading right down to the Murray River. The still pools and contrasting rapids of the Murray River offer canoeists a challenging battle with nature. Waroona Dam, also known as Lake Navarino, covers some 200 hectares of water. It is used extensively for recreation. Power boating is permitted and the area is very popular for water ski activities. Fishing is also a major attraction, with marron, trout and perch abounding. The Vision Splendid Gardens are a great place for a picnic with thousands of trees, shrubs and flowering plants on display.
Nestled where the Murchison River flows into the Indian Ocean, two hours’ drive north from Geraldton, is the ideally situated town of Kalbarri. This is one of Western Australia’s most popular holiday resorts and is the premium place in the mid west for a total holiday experience. Nature provides visitors to Kalbarri with once in a lifetime experiences. The climate is warm and sunny for most of the year. Marvel at the 186,000 acres of some of the State’s richest wildflower bushland. With Kalbarri National Park boasting 800 species of wildflowers it is no wonder that on any day of the year you will find a bloom of some description. From July to October, the flowers’ riotous colours fight for your attention, with new species of blooms appearing each week. Take advantage of the calm waters of the estuary for swimming and water skiing. Stand awestruck at the edge of a towering cliff, take a deep breath and abseil down. Catch a fish from the beach, go surfing or hiking, play tennis, golf, or experience the unique wonders of nature as you canoe round a river-bend or charter a boat for a fishing trip. Spot dolphins or whales so close up that your friends back home won’t believe you. Ride a pushbike along miles of spectacular coastal scenery, stopping at secluded bays for a swim. For the true nature lover, a visit to the parrot breeding centre is a must. Here you can view an active breeding program for endangered species of parrots. Also not to be missed is the daily feeding of the pelicans on the foreshore. The town has good shopping, efficient touring services and sophisticated accommodation of all kinds. There are many touring services available both offshore and on. Canoe treks, whale watching, fishing charters, boat cruises and sightseeing flights over the National Park, coastline and offshore Abrolhos Islands offer fun for the whole family. Coach tours of the river gorges, coastal gorges and wildflowers, stargazing, Harley motorcycle tours, abseiling, horse riding and camel treks are just a few things to keep you busy on land. Paddleboats, dinghies, and windsurfers can be hired on the river foreshore. Stay in touch with friends via the town’s internet cafe. From nautical ambience, to a traditional Aussie barbecue, Kalbarri offers a range of restaurants and cafes, each with their own cuisine and charm. Accommodation in Kalbarri is plentiful and includes resort style hotel accommodation, motel style, serviced apartments, farm stay, self contained holiday homes, backpackers and caravan and camping facilities.
Located 125 kilometres or two hours’ drive south of Perth on the South Western Highway, Yarloop is a historic town where you can step back in time and rediscover the age of steam and timber. In the late 1800s Yarloop was established as a timber milling town. By the early 1900s, Millers Timber and Trading Company (now Sotico) was the towns’ major employer and land owner. The company set up engineering workshops to service the needs of logging mill towns in the surrounding forests. Sotico is now a modern timber mill and the old historic engineering workshops spanning the era of the steam and horse drawn days are being restored. Yarloop is classified as a conservation area by the National Trust due to its historic importance. Yarloop is serviced daily by the Australind train from Perth and Bunbury.
Take a 30 minute drive south of Perth’s city centre to the relaxing surrounds of Baldvis. Baldivis offers activities such as fishing, cycling, canoeing or just taking a gentle stroll. Golden ponds is a fish and marron farm with a series of man-made pools for you to fish from. Learn how to water ski, wave board or skurf through tuition and fun at Booney’s WA Water Ski Park. There are five man-made lakes fitted with a jump and a slalom course. Boutique wineries and olive farms are other reasons to visit freindly Baldivis.
Drummond Cove is a small country town to the north of Geraldton. Drummond Cove has spectacular panoramic views of the ocean and provides easy access to the surrounding areas and an alternative spot to spend the night. Holiday units and caravan facilities are available.
Located a 15 minute drive from the Margaret River townsite, Cowaramup is the gateway to the renowned Willyabrup wine area in the heart of the Margaret River Wine Region. A vibrant arts and crafts community exists in Cowaramup, represented by several quaint shops and galleries in town. Fine woodcrafts, pottery, paintings and sculptures are all available in the local galleries. Gourmet food, home-made fudge and honeycomb can also be found. The Margaret River Regional Wine Centre is located in the centre of town. Agriculture plays a significant role in the area and green pastures, vineyards and natural bush make the area attractive the whole year round. Dairy farming in the area supplies local cheese-making establishments; visitors can sample and purchase a range of delicious cheeses, yoghurts and creams. Cowaramup is in close proximity to well known wineries, spectacular beaches, natural bush, wildflowers and birdlife. A caravan park and bed and breakfasts are available in the area, with a wider range of accommodation available in Margaret River and surrounding areas. Cowaramup has a general store and tearooms.