Welcome to the Aussie wild west
The often overlooked state might be sparsely populated but as JANE MEMMLER finds, it is teeming with natural attributes EDITED BY NIGEL THOMPSON
WEARING a wetsuit for the first time, I can hardly breathe yet I’m determined to look the part. Snorkel and mask at the ready, I’m trying not to feel seasick as we bounce over the waters of Western Australia’s Shoalwater Bay in search of wild dolphins.
A dozen of us are straining to spot even the tiniest flash of shiny, steel-grey skin breaking the choppy surface.
Suddenly the rallying cry from guide Tess goes up: “Let’s move to the back of the boat!” We quickly assemble on the steps, buzzing with anticipation.
Led by Tess, powered by a mini jet propeller enabling her to replicate the dolphin’s movements, we jump in, holding each other’s waist belts.
Four playful and inquisitive dolphins flash by, darting all around us, dipping and rising – it’s hard to keep up with them. We hear their distinctive, high-pitched squeaking and clicking noises, a clear indication that they are checking us out.
Clearly as curious and happy as we are, it is a most humbling and exhilarating encounter. We are totally at one with these adorable creatures.
Some may see interacting with nature as an intrusion, but it’s obvious they didn’t want their playtime to end. And nor did I.
I was starting to love Western Australia’s wild landscapes and natural, protected attributes. The vastness of the Indian Ocean, the quaint towns, the rolling hills of fire-charred eucalyptus trees with their resilient bright new growth defiantly sprouting.
It was incredible that during my 400-mile road trip, from the shiny capital Perth, south to Margaret River, I had barely passed another car.
Everywhere you go, whether it be downtown Perth with its recycle bins and pristine streets lined with restored heritage buildings, or wandering the trails through bushland frequented only by kangaroos, this is a state proud of its natural assets and is fiercely protective of them.
On a tour with Walk Into Luxury, my guide Anne and I hiked a small part of the 84-mile Cape to Cape Walk from exclusive Yallingup along Cape Naturaliste. The trail varies dramatically. Clambering over granite rocks, stacked up like truffles, it felt like we were pioneers in another world.
This region is known as the place of the Wardandi Tribe (tree people by the sea). Things are straightforward here.
From the bulbous lunar-like landscape we wandered along rugged sandy trails, dotted with acacia and “shark teeth” bushes, weaving through limestone-capped rocks.
All the while, we were following turquoise waters fringed with brilliant white sand beaches, devoid of any sign of life, bar the trail of footprints. We finished at the stupendous Injidup Spa Retreat (where the walking tour is based), which offers self-contained villas with private plunge pools and ocean views.
It is beyond me why most visitors to Oz bypass Western Australia. With the recent launch of Qantas’s direct flight from Heathrow to Perth on board the comfortable Dreamliner 787-9, this will surely create a sea change.
That night I rebooted at the Pullman Bunker
Bay Resort just outside the surf town of Dunsborough where I enjoyed the local fish, barramundi, before bedding down in a villa set within fragrant gardens of eucalyptus and jasmine.
Next morning, guests mentioned they’d seen humpback whales directly out in the Indian Ocean. That only heightened my excitement for my next aquatic adventure. At this time of year (early December), the whale’s southern migration to the freezing Antarctica waters is still under way.
So, boarding a sleek catamaran run by Naturaliste Charters Whale Watching at Dunsborough beach, we headed out around two miles offshore. Spotting around 20 per trip is not unusual, according to the crew. This is also the place to see the most prolific of the species, the southern right whale, the humpback, as well as the increasingly rare blue whale.
After an hour there were still no sightings. Then suddenly, a voice boomed from the upper deck: “Whales at one o’clock!” There in the distance, it glided through the water. The fluid movements and majestic bulk of this beautiful creature mesmerised us all.
A spurt of water here, a slight raise of the back there, denoted others further away, including mothers with calfs. Mission accomplished.
I moved on to Albany, taking the slow road through Manjimup and Nannup, charming one-horse towns with a pub, an antique shop and great coffee. The terrain was refreshingly wild and untouched, as some of the dense eucalyptus forests indicated.
Albany, on the south-west corner is where the Europeans chose to land in 1616. The harsh landscape deterred the Dutch explorers, who didn’t stay, and the state was left alone for another 200 years. It wasn’t until 1829 that the New South Wales
Government sent an expedition who finally proclaimed it to be a free settlement.
Much of the city’s colonial architecture remains. Unsurprisingly, it brims with history, from the days of the convict prisons to an active (now illegal) whaling industry.
It’s also the departure point from which the first convoy of 41,000 Anzacs left for the battlegrounds of the First World War. Many visitors pay their respects, making the pilgrimage to the National Anzac Centre.
To honour them, UK artist Bruce Munro has carpeted the Avenue of Honour with his installation of 16,000 shining spheres in the colours of the national flowers of Australia and New Zealand. Called Field Of Light, it’s astoundingly sad to know that as far as the eye can see, each sphere represents one young life – yet that’s merely a third of all of those who perished in The Great War.
My long drive north back to Perth offered me an excuse for regular pitstops, particularly in Margaret River, home to more than 150 vineyards.
At the Aravina Estate, set on a hill overlooking rolling vines and natural bush, in Yallingup, I savoured creamy chardonnays and crisp sauvignons. It was difficult not ordering a full glass. A take-out had to suffice. It’s also home to The WA Surf Gallery.
Adjoined to the estate, it exhibits an array of “antique” surfboards, footage of the great surfers of their time, photos, trophies and vintage cars.
I also took a tour of Margaret
River’s founding vineyard, Vasse Felix, with plenty of tastings along the way. This beautiful property is a temple to wine and the menu of local produce and wine pairings is well respected right across Australia. Nearby Vasse Virgin (no relation) at Wilyabrup offers lessons in the art of perfumery, lip balm production, and even how to distinguish good olive oil from average. Stock up on olive oil lotion, chamomile and lavender body polish. All are natural and produced on site.
Many foolishly bypass Busselton on pretty Geographe Bay. Not only does it host Western Australia’s Ironman competition in its sweeping narrow bay, it also has the world’s second longest wooden jetty. At just short of a mile, you can walk it or catch the dinky train to the underwater observatory.
Afterwards, step back in time to 1861 to see the courtroom and austere cells of the Old Gaol. With bars at the windows and shackles still visible, it isn’t somewhere to linger.
And so to Perth, Western Australia’s charming, yet underpopulated capital. Even rush hour here feels like a sleepy Sunday afternoon. Modern glass monoliths, home to giants BHP Billiton and petroleum company Woodside that dominate the pretty Swan Bay riverfront, are testament to the vast wealth found in this state.
However, the mines aren’t going to produce lucrative minerals forever so the city is focused on diversifying and reinventing itself.
Hotels-wise, COMO The Treasury, in the elegant 19th-century state building on Cathedral Square, is a showstopper. The ultra-modern Westin nearby has funky beanbags on the front deck.
Ritz Carlton, on Perth’s hot new development Elizabeth Quay, is due to open this spring. The Perth City Library, with its award-winning circular design, sits in perfect harmony with the grand 100-year-old Royal Park Hospital opposite.
Oh yes, Perth is re-inventing itself. Why, the Old West Australian newspaper office is now a hub of cool eateries as well as Bob’s Bar, named after past prime minister, Bob Hawke. The city’s bigwigs have also decided they don’t want buses cluttering up their jacaranda-lined streets, so have built a new underground bus station.
With the sympathetic convergence of old and new and the world’s best surf beaches minutes away, you’ll wonder why you didn’t go earlier.
BUNK DOWN: Recharge in style at Bunker Bay