South-West Australia's highlights
Travel in Margaret River, Denmark, Albany and Walpole
South-west Western Australia is a beautiful part of the world, and destinations such as Margaret River, Denmark, Albany and Walpole are great places to book a trip.
It can’t be easy being different. Look at the ginger kid at school who got beaten up for having the wrong colour hair, or albino whales that get shunned by the rest of their mates. Southwest Western Australia is a little bit like that. WA is a massive state, roughly the size of India, and it’s full of some of the harshest, driest terrain in the world, but that bottom corner of it sticks out like Jim Davidson at a Nation Of Islam fundraiser. It’s green, it’s beautiful in a nice, natural way, rather than an oppressive desert way, and it has amazingly scenic coastlines.
Basically, the southwest is the only sizable part of WA that vaguely resembles something hospitable. It’s got good farmland, European-style rainfall and forests all over the place. It simply doesn’t fit with the rest of the state, which is probably why it makes such a refreshing place to visit.
A trip up north from Perth will involve seemingly endless driving down dirt roads and being attacked by a fog of flies. It’s got that epic feel, and when you finally do get to somewhere, it’s going to be a pretty amazing sight.
The southwest is vastly different. There are loads of beautiful spots, and plenty of places to visit. None are as jaw-dropping as the occasional attractions of the northern route, but the proximity of them is very handy, and it’s a perfect spot to spend a couple of days in the great outdoors.
The main town of the southwest is Albany, the first British settlement in WA. The coastline here is spectacular. It’s next stop Antarctica, and the sea marks the end of a huge granite block that stretches all the way back to Perth. This means that there are plenty of big rocks for waves to crash into, and round every corner, there’s another photo opportunity.
Go inland a bit, and you’ll get into the forests. Here you’ll find wild flowers, massive karri trees, and great hiking opportunities. The Bibbulmun track is a famous walking route which cuts through this green corner of the state, and if you’ve got the time and inclination, it’s one of the most pleasant treks in the world. Other attractions of the forest area include a treetop walk near Walpole and three huge sentry trees, which you can climb very nervously.
There’s also the delightful hippy town of Denmark, which unfortunately is not made of Lego and bacon, but you can hire out a log cabin for a few summer days, and completely chill out with Momma Nature.
Further west, there is the Margaret River region. This is most famous for its surfing. The breaks around this strip of coastline are rated as the most consistent in the world, and you can bet your life that if there’s any wind at all, the beaches will be swamped by blokes with messy long, blond hair. Margaret River is also WA prime wine-growing region, and there are plenty of wineries that will let you sample their produce, allowing you to get dru… er, experience the range of subtle flavours.
