5 Beautiful Reasons to Hit the Road and Go to Western Australia in Autumn

Photo Credit: NingalooWhaleSharkFestival.com

When the weather starts to change and Australia’s hot summer starts to fade away, the amazing colours of the fall begin to emerge and Western Australia is the best place to be to take full advantage of the beautiful fall colours and spectacular weather. Our 5 must see places in Western Australia in autumn are Kununurra, the Blackwood Valley, Rottnest Island, Margaret River, and Ningaloo Reef. This is a lot of ground to cover, so be sure to hire a vehicle from Budget Australia to help you get around the state while touring the best spots in the fall.

1) Kununurra for the Ord Valley Muster


Photo Credits: OrdValleyMuster.com.au

Kununurra is located in the remote Kimberley in northern Western Australia. For 17 years now, it has been home to The Argyle Diamonds Ord Valley Muster. This festival celebrating the business, culture, Aboriginal history, and beautiful scenery takes place each May.  You can experience one of the most remote places in the world when you visit Kununurra and the Kimberley. It is one of the stops on the legendary road trip known as the Gibb River Road. In this region, you can see some of the most spectacular and dramatic scenery including gorges, waterfalls, hot springs, and national parks. In the fall, the Kimberley is just heading into the dry season which is the best time to visit because the weather is still warm but less humid than in the summertime. 

2) The Blackwood Valley


Photo Credit: AustraliasSouthwest.com

The Blackwood Valley is located west of the Margaret River Region and about a 3 hour drive south of Perth. The valley is carved from the Blackwood River, the longest river in Western Australia. It is a wonderfully picturesque region filled with quaint bed and breakfasts, small businesses that show off the amazing local craftsmanship, local galleries, delicious food and wineries. In the fall, the leaves start to turn colours and the weather begins to cool down making for a lovely getaway.

3) Rottnest Island

Photo Credits: ExperiencePerth.com

Rottnest Island is a vacationer’s dream island located off of the coast of Perth near Fremantle. It is great any time of the year, but in the fall it is even more special because the summer crowds have diminished but the warm and sunny days have not. There are beautiful white sand beaches, snorkelling, boating to be had all along the perimeter of the island. The interior is filled with local wildlife. One of the most popular animals are the Quokka. These are adorable and friendly marsupials that are native to Western Australia. If you look up #QuokkaSelfie on social media, you will see just how friendly and how cute these little guys are!

4) Ningaloo Reef


Photo Credit: VisitNingaloo.com.au

Ningaloo Reef is located near Exmouth and is the largest fringing reef in Australia. A fringing reef means that the reef begins right off of the beach. It has some of the best snorkeling in Australia, but is most well-known for being one of the few places in the world where you can actually swim with the largest fish in the ocean, the whale sharks. They migrate to Ningaloo Reef between April and July. In May is the annual Whale Shark Festival in Ningaloo, and is a prime opportunity to go snorkeling before the waters get too cold. Swimming with these gentle giants is a chance of a lifetime. There are plenty of other things to do in this vacation town with resorts, restaurants nearby. Plus, the desert and some fascinating scenery is just a short drive away.

5) Margaret River, Western Australia



Photo Credit: MargaretRiver.com
 
Margaret River is a region south of Perth located on the coast of the Indian Ocean. It is one of the top spots in Australia for wine, so there is delicious foods and excellent wines to sample at the vineyards of the region. However, there are also beaches, national parks, forests, and caves, so there is something for everyone in Margaret River! During the fall season, the weather is beautiful and the panoramic scenery all around is lit up in beautiful colour.

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5 National Parks to Visit near Perth

Perth is a city growing in size and popularity and one that offers great access from airports across South and South East Asia. If you are visiting Perth in Western Australia and love nature and the outdoors, you will love the fact that it is surrounded by parks. There are 15 national parks, 8 regional parks, 3 marine parks, and 3 nature reserves. There is so much nature and wilderness to explore, even within the city limits. Plus, you are right near the coast of the Indian Ocean, so that leaves so much to see, do, and explore.

If you need to narrow down your choices and pick and choose which parks to visit while on holiday in Perth, here is a refined list for you. The five National Parks near Perth we recommend you to visit are Yanchep National Park, Serpentine National Park, Yalgorup National Park, Wandoo National Park, and Helena National Park. What’s the best way to get around to these various parks? Hire a car or a 4WD vehicle from Budget Australia. It’s an inexpensive way to have your own tour bus, stay on your own schedule and go where you want to go, when you want to go there. On top of that, you can get local travel information from their friendly agents, or read up all about Australian ideas from their travel tips blog. Here is a little bit about each park.

Yanchep National Park




Photo Credits: Parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au

In addition to the forests and coastline surrounding Perth, it is also home to a very large cave system. Yanchep National Park gives you the opportunity to explore some of the 400 plus different caves in this region. The Crystal Cave in Yanchep is one of the most popular caves to explore  and so is the Cabaret Cave which you can reserve for a special occasion. The Cabaret Cave even has catering available and a private room for up to 200 people. The caves are just one reason that Yanchep is one of the most popular National Parks in all of Western Australia with over 240,000 visitors a year. There is a long list of things to do within the park including:

• Cave tours
• Walking trails
• Exploring the coastal wetlands
• Haunted historic ruins to tour
• Gorges and other fantastic scenery to take in
• Walk the 240 metre koala boardwalk to see the marsupials in their natural habitat
• Picnicking and barbecuing
• Camping at the Henry While Oval Campgrounds
• Book an educational Aboriginal history tour to learn about the rich culture and past of the local Nyoongar people

Serpentine National Park  



Photo Credits: ExperiencePerth.com and Park.dpaw.wa.gov.au

Serpentine Falls are the big draw to Serpentine National Park. The park covers 4,300 hectares of land about 55 km southeast of Perth. This is a great park for walking through the trails in search of native wildlife and bird watching. The walking trail is a 500 metre path that leads down to the falls and follows the river. Picnic, barbecue and toilet facilities are available. There is also a cafe and tearoom within the park. The wildlife that can sight during a trip to Serpentine National Park include:

• Western grey kangaroos
• Wallabies
• Western brush-wallaby
• Possums
• Brushtail possum
• Echidna
• Mardo
• Quenda
• Quokkas
• 70 species of birds

Yalgorup National Park



Photo Credits: Parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au

Yalgorup National Park is a coastal park located on the western edge of the Swan Coastal Plain. It is located 117 km north of Perth. In addition to being on the Indian Ocean, there are 10 lakes within the 12,888 hectares of the park. In the Nyoongar Aboriginal people’s language, Yalgorup translates to place of many lakes. The national park is part of the Peel-Yalgorup Wetland system, which ensures that the parklands and wetlands are protected. The park sustains several threatened plant and animal species.



Photo Credits: Parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au

There are quite a few trails for bushwalking within Yalgorup National Park. While walking through the park, birdwatching is very popular since this is an internationally recognised important bird area for migratory birds such as black swans, kingfishers, grebes, coots, waterfowl, parrots, and dotterels. There is also plenty of wildlife in the park including western grey kangaroos, emus, brush wallabys, brush-tailed possums, echidnas, bandicoots, and foxes. Other things to do in the park include camping, picnicking, and fishing.

Wandoo National Park



Photo Credit: Wikipedia Photo by Gnangarra

Wandoo National Park is about an hour drive west of Perth. The name comes from the Wandoo Eucalyptus trees that make up most of the forested land of this 44,000 hectare park. The other types of trees in this woodland are paperbark trees and there are also granite outcrops that make up the interesting landscape. Mount Observation is one of the most visited spots in the park. It is a recreation area with picnic facilities and the base for many of the walking trails in the park.

Photo Credit: (Wiki Commons) By John Tann from Sydney, Australia (Powderbark in Wandoo National Park)

Helena National Park




Photo Credits (anti-clockwise): TrailsWA.com.au, Wikipedia By Zamphuor BibbulmunTrack.org.au

The main attraction in Helena National Park is Mount Dale, a recreation site for camping and base for the Mount Dale Walking Circuit. Mount Dale provides beautiful, panoramic views of the entire 8,000 hectares of the park plus the surrounding state forest land. The views you can see up there include the Darling Ranges and the Darkin River Valley. The Bibbulmun Track, one of the longest walking tracks in the world runs through this region and passes through Helena National Park where it meets up with the Mount Dale Walking Circuit so that the bushwalkers can experience the views from the highest point on the Darling Scarp. Camping and picnics are popular park activities.

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Guest Post: My Five Favourite Things to Do in Perth, Western Australia

I’ve been in Perth for around three months and have managed to tick off several of the “must see” things to do based on Trip Advisor and other travel guides and blogs. Everyone enjoys doing different types of activities; I’m more of an activities type of person rather than a museum fan. If that’s you I’d recommend these five popular things to do in Perth.

Cottesloe Beach Cottesloe is only a 15 minute train ride from Perth’s central business district. It’s the perfect place to see the sun set over the Indian Ocean, I’ve never seen such a beautiful sunset.


It also offers great waves so is popular for swimming and amongst surfers.

Enjoy some delicious fish and chips at the nearby cafes and make sure you go here for a Sunday Session. The locals love going to the pubs along the beachfront to enjoy a drink and watch the sun go down, I was very impressed with Cottesloe Beach Hotel, bit more expensive but a beautiful pub and great atmosphere.

Fremantle Markets Further down the same train line as Cottesloe is Fremantle. A seaside port, the main one in Western Australia, there are many things to see here. One of my favourites is going to the Fremantle Markets at the weekends.


Great for picking up the freshest fruit and veg, quirky little stalls and a great selection of dishes such as paella and gozleme and treats including chocolate doughnuts, strawberries covered in chocolate and homemade macaroons. Yum Yum! I had an awesome chorizo gozleme. Markets are open Fridays to Sunday and on bank holiday Mondays.

Little Creatures Brewery - Fremantle Head to the Brewhouse Bar first for a free sample of any of the beer and ciders or like me try all six Little Creatures drinks on offer to find your favourite/s. I’ve never been a fan of dark ale but I thought their White Rabbit Dark Ale was phenomenal and the Pipsqueak Apple Cider was very light and sweet without being too sweet. I can’t recommend them highly enough.


I found the atmosphere to be very warm and welcoming at Little Creatures. Head to the main bar to enjoy a full pint, have a meal or try Creatures Next Door and sit back and relax in one of their big comfy lounge chairs while taking in the waterfront views.

Swan River A better way to Fremantle is to take a relaxing river cruise down the Swan River. Look back and soak up the fantastic city skyline, get envious at the expensive homes and wave as you pass the many sailing boats. Fairly inexpensive trip at $27 per person one way, or $37 for a return.

Perth Mint I’m not a fan of traditional museums, just doesn’t do it for me. However I went to the Perth Mint for the gold pouring demonstration. It was fascinating to watch the process and see how quickly the liquid gold turned into a gold bar.

I was pleasantly surprised by the rest of the Perth Mint; the tour was very informative, interesting history and I had the chance to pick up a $200,000 gold bar.


Guide showing off replicas of the biggest ever pieces found in Western Australia.
They are upgrading part of the facilities so it costs just $10 at the moment, bargain.

Kings Park If you wake up feeling like exploring the great outdoors, get your walking boots on and head to Kings Park, the world’s largest inner city park at 1,003 acres. To get to Kings Park you can drive, take the bus up, jump on the free blue CAT bus to take you nearby or my preferred option, a short walk from the city and up the very steep Jacobs Ladder, which is popular with joggers.

There is lots to explore, my highlights were relaxing and enjoying the magnificent views over the Swan River and the city’s business district from the grassy area off of Frasers Avenue, a great spot for enjoying a picnic. Come back or stay to see the fantastic views of the city by night.


Explore The Park’s Botanic Gardens to discover many species of plants which represent plants found all over Western Australia. Then there is the impressive 750 year old Boab tree which has been transported over 3,000km from the Kimberly Region.


Also worth doing is the Tree Top Walk along the Federation Walkway, great views of the trees around you and the Swan River. Try to fit in the Indigenous walking tour to learn more about the fascinating history of the aboriginal people and how Kings Park is viewed as a sacred place.

This guest post was written by Chris M and all the photographs in this post belong to him. Follow Chris’s adventure via his blog - My 30s Travel Blog, on Facebook or his Twitter.

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Top 5 Underrated City Destinations

City breaks are ideal for those who want to get away for just a few days or even a longer break. They all have plenty for the visitor to see and do and are perfect for those who enjoy spending time in the hustle and bustle of city life. However, they are all different and for those who want something a little more off the beaten track there are plenty of cities that are considered to be well worth a look.

1. Why not take a trip to the capital of Estonia? Tallinn is considered to be one of the most beautiful places in the Baltic region. Explore the Old Town district and visit some of the wonderful museums in order to find out more about the area. It is also a great place for those who want to do some shopping. There are plenty of boutiques and shops that sell items that cannot be found anywhere else. Enjoy some of the local cuisine in the restaurants and as there are now plenty of budget flights available, it will not break the bank.

2. Marrakech is just coming into its own as a holiday destination and is perfect for those who want to immerse themselves in a very different culture to their own. There are vast marketplaces where visitors are able to buy anything and everything. In recent years the hotel accommodation that has been developed there has tended towards the luxury end of the market, so there are plenty of spas to be enjoyed.

3. For those that do not mind a longer journey flights to Perth are becoming more and more reasonable. For a trip to the Australian city it is better to have at least two weeks to spare because of the travelling time, and because there is so much to see and do. The city has plenty of art galleries and boutiques and visitors are always sure of a warm welcome from the friendly locals.

4. Another long haul option is Hong Kong, and it is a must for serious shoppers. There are so many markets and stores that plenty of time will be needed to explore them all. It is also a great place for a night out, with numerous restaurants serving both local and international cuisines. Visiting Hong Kong may sound like an expensive option but visitors will be surprised by how reasonable the area can be.

5. Head over to Colombia for a trip to the city of Cartagena. This has the best of both worlds; it has the vibrant city life as well as a beach resort atmosphere. Visitors can enjoy local cuisine in the restaurants and appreciate the traditional hospitality, and also have great fun on the beach and in the clubs.

City breaks are a must for those who love to explore new places and with so many beautiful cities within easy reach it would be a shame not to take advantage of the offers available on flights. Why not take that advantage now and see more of the world?

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