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Travelling To West Australia: Tourist Attractions You Don’t Want To Miss

western australia attractions

Western Australia is home to several beautiful beaches, historical buildings and other must-see tourist attractions. Due to the state’s sheer size, however, it is quite difficult to explore and visit all of its wonders in just a month or two.

That is why it is highly recommended to do proper research before embarking on a journey to ensure that your itinerary is well-prepared and your time well-spent.

In this article, we will try to help you with your Western Australia trip by providing you with a number of wonderful tourist destinations in the region.

A lot of people like to start their itineraries with the capital of the state, and it’s not a bad strategy. Arguably the most popular city in Western Australia, Perth is famed for its clear-blue beaches, green grassland parks and World Heritage-approved historical buildings.

Perth draws millions of tourists annually with its unique combination of nature and infrastructure, with world-famous botanical gardens and well-protected marine reservoirs open daily to accommodate backpackers.

Kings Park and Botanical Garden

Speaking of beautiful green sceneries, Kings Park and Botanical Garden should be at the top of your list if you are to visit Perth. It is one of the largest parks in the world, covering almost 1,000 acres of natural bushland, well-groomed gardens and grassed parkland.

The park is Western Australia’s number one local attraction, receiving up to five million visitors every year.

Kings Park is home to over 300 unique species of plants and flowers, both local and imported. You can also find specific divisions of the garden for select flora: there are water gardens that house rare species of aquatic and wetland plants, and you can also visit the acacia garden to take a look at the sturdy trees that help shelter the park’s wildlife.

Swan River

If you go to the top of Kings Park, you should be gifted with a panoramic view of Swan River, another famous tourist spot.

The river is a perfect location for simple, outdoor fun – you can take your family for a  picnic, go on riverside hikes or short trails, or try fishing, sailing or kayaking. There are also several cruise trips offered along the river, with the Swan Valley cruise being the most-talked about.

Swan Valley

The Swan Valley cruise allows tourists to visit the Swan Valley region, an area recognized as Perth’s wine production capital. The valley is full of wine-related attractions, mostly vineyards and breweries, but you should also see homemade cheese shops and bakeries offering products that go well with the drinks.

Perhaps the most important part of this seven-hour cruise is taste-testing a selection of wines and other drinks from the local businesses. Make sure to prepare your budget though, as the wine-tasting part has driven up the price of this tour quite nicely.

St. Mary’s Cathedral

Perth also has its share of historical buildings, and a good way to kick off the history tour would be by paying a visit to St. Mary’s Cathedral. Initially built using old stone, this church has been augmented with modern-day technology over the years just to keep the building standing. Despite the modifications, the cathedral has managed to keep its gothic touch via the classical inner designs and old-school structural shapes.

Bell Tower

Travel to Barrack Square and you shouldn’t miss the Bell Tower, the world’s largest musical instrument. The tower houses the original 14th-century bells from Fields Church, Buckingham Palace’s original parish church.

The tour includes interesting exhibits about the bells inside, as well as an interactive lesson on how to ring bells properly. Lastly, couples can buy a love lock, a specially-created padlock for the tower’s romantic myths, and leave it locked to a chain link fence for added mystery and excitement

Hillarys Boat Harbor

Located northwest of Perth is Hillarys Boat Harbor, a family-friendly attraction with a number of restaurants and shops to visit. Enjoy meals by the seaside while feeling the ocean breeze, or try the beginner-friendly bike paths nearby if you want to stretch your legs a little. You can also try the Aquarium of Western Australia situated just next to the harbour to take a look at over 200 different species of marine animals, from dolphins and stingrays to sharks and whales.

Rottnest Island

You can take a ferry from Hillarys Boat Harbor to get to Rottnest Island, easily one of the most underrated tourist spots in Western Australia. The island is ripe with pristine, sandy beaches for swimming and diving. However, the main draw of this small island lies in its diverse collection of animals.

The island offers a 90-minute cruise trip, which includes stops to see the fur seals, dolphins and birds in the area. Some people prefer to explore the island manually, though, since the cruise only covers a limited portion of the island. If you travel on your own by foot, you should have a bigger chance to meet local green turtles hiding in the sand or spot Humpback whales migrating across the shore.

Rottnest’s world-famous creatures, the quokka, rose to prominence after hundreds of their smiling pictures hit the internet this past decade. Recognized as the selfie species, quokkas are normally found in scrublands and other swampy areas. Be careful when you see one, though, as they aren’t always as friendly as they appear – these endangered marsupials have been known to attack if they feel provoked or threatened.

The port city of Fremantle is a tourist destination just as popular as Perth. A stone’s throw away from the capital, Fremantle is famous for World Heritage sites like the Fremantle Prison and the Round House. Although both of these buildings were originally built as premium-security jails, they are now being maintained and kept open as local attractions that offer tours through the underground tunnels, cell blocks, and stone walls to give visitors the ultimate prison experience.

As you can see, the number of tourist destinations in Western Australia can be quite overwhelming, and we haven’t even touched its beaches yet. Then there’s also the art galleries, museums, vintage stores and night markets that are all must-see attractions for any visitor.

To make the most out of your trip to West Australia, secure the perfect accommodation nearby so you can visit as many of these tourist spots as your time permits. If you’re looking for the best things to do in Perth then check out this detailed guide.

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