Perth may be the Western Australian capital, but it’s home to a remarkable amount of green space. Join your Travel Director for a city tour and a stroll through inner-city Kings Park, home to more than 3,000 floral species in the Botanic Garden overlooking the Swan River. Meet again this evening for dinner with your Travel Director and travelling companions.

Wave Rock deserves its name – the cliff resembles an enormous surf wave about to crash into the bush. Stretching 110 metres, the rainbow-hued granite swell was formed more than three million years ago. Wave Rock locals are a friendly bunch, and they’re truly passionate about the place they call home. But don’t take our word for it. Meet Sheenagh, who will proudly show you around her farm and discuss life on the land, which can be harsh, but also extremely healing, in a way unique to the wide open spaces of the Aussie outback. Glimpse her collection of vintage cars and hear about the stories behind them.

View the wide gold rush era streets and buildings of Kalgoorlie and see the vista over the staggering ‘Super Pit’ opencut gold mine. Today’s outings continue to gleam as you visit Hannans North Mine – the history here is overwhelming – Kalgoorlie’s ‘Golden Mile’. Nothing quite puts things into perspective like standing next to enormous Haul trucks and loaders.

More than 31,000 hectares of sweeping heathlands, rugged coastal peaks and white sandy beaches… it’s no wonder Cape Le Grand National Park is voted among the most alluring of its kind in Australia. Arrive at Thistle Cove – listen for the whistle of the Whistling Rock among the sounds of wind and sea – and discover Lucky Bay, a postcardworthy cove where kangaroos love lounging on the beach. Continue to the scenic Hellfire Bay, where you meet your Aboriginal guide. On this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, learn about the cultural history of Wudjari people and the rich nature of this stunning area.

Today’s tour from Esperance continues through some of the most bountiful wilderness areas in the state, including the Stirling Range National Park, filled seasonally with a staggering range of wildflowers, when they are in season – more than 1,500 different species, some of which are found nowhere else on Earth. Get an overview from the Bluff Knoll Lookout, topping one of WA’s highest peaks.

Nature, history, food and wine… there’s not much that Albany can’t do. The hardest thing you have to do today is decide which direction you want to travel. Perhaps opt for an Albany tour that relives the town’s heritage as the last port of call for ANZAC troopships departing Australia in WWI. Being here is a moving experience that tells the tale of thousands of servicemen. Maybe explore Torndirrup National Park, where steep cliffs give way to dramatic rock formations and whales are a common sight during migration. Or get a taste for the region on a culinary excursion that includes tastings of local cheeses, fudge, chocolate, ice-cream, cider, wines and gins. Better wear your elasticwaisted pants for this one (all own expense). How you spend your day exploring the region is totally up to you.

Optional Experiences:

1. Tasting Delicious Denmark – ADD: A$240 Per Adult / A$217 Per Child
   More than just a food and wine tour! Take in the cathedral of towering karri trees as you travel through lush bushland to hidden venues in Denmark WA. On this full day tour, taste handcrafted cheese and award-winning wines, mead, freshly made ice cream, honey, handmade chocolates flavoured with Australian bush foods, and relax at lunch in a picturesque boutique winery overlooking lush bushland. Hear passionate authentic stories and explore flavour sensations.
2. The Gap & Natural Wonders – ADD A$132 Per Adult / A$119 Per Child
   On this half day tour, discover The Gap & Natural Bridge; a 40m chasm into which the Southern Ocean hurls itself against the walls. Feel the exhilaration of crashing waves and taste the salty air. Enjoy the pristine marine environment of the southern Australian coastline on the journey through the Torndirrup National Park. In Torndirrup National Park, walk Stony Hill to fabulous views and spot wildflowers like banksia, acacia, hakea, dryandra. Enjoy refreshments overlooking King George Sound. Visit the Albany Wind Farm and the Sandpatch coastline, and view Princess Royal Harbour from Frenchmans Bay.
3. Icons of Albany – ADD A$199 Per Adult / A$180 Per Child
   Embark on a full-day journey through Albany’s rich history, from its Indigenous heritage to early settlement, wartime stories, and whaling traditions. Explore Princess Royal Fortress and Heritage Park, then uncover Albany’s pivotal role in Australia’s ANZAC legacy at the National ANZAC Centre. Stroll on a guided walk to Padre White Lookout and the Desert Mounted Corps Memorial on Mt Clarence. Continue on to one of Western Australia’s oldest homesteads before enjoying lunch, overlooking the beach. Take in breathtaking panoramas of Princess Royal Harbour and King George Sound, and marvel at The Gap and Natural Bridge in Torndirrup National Park – where the Southern Ocean surges dramatically into a towering 40-metre chasm. 

Suspended 40 metres above the forest floor, the Tree Top Walk gives you a bird’s-eye view of the soaring tingle trees that stand large through the Valley of the Giants. The Margaret River region of Western Australia deserves its reputation as one of the county’s top grape-growing areas. There are too many high-quality vineyards to name here. So, we’ll give you just one: Hamelin Bay Wines. Since 1992, this postcard-perfect estate has been producing wines that hero this pocket of the state, where the Indian and Southern oceans converge. The result is delicious drops that span the spectrum from sparkling to shiraz, rose to reserve chardonnay, which you’ll enjoy during a hosted tasting at
the cellar door.

The Margaret River is one of the only wine regions in the world where grapes are grown just metres from the sand. Grapevine backdrops follow you all the way to Busselton, home to the longest wooden jetty in the Southern Hemisphere. Tip your cap to those who built this 1.8-kilometre structure out into Geographe Bay. The remainder of the day is all yours in Freo. Why not explore the Fremantle Markets, which boasts over 150 stalls?

Sometimes, the most memorable travel days are those where you lose yourself wandering the foreshore, lingering over lunch or a cool ale. We highly recommend you spend this day of leisure doing just that (Freo’s Little Creatures Brewery is legendary). Of course, there are Optional Experiences*, like having a local show you around, with a Fremantle tour revealing those hidden haunts most visitors pass right on by. Or if you’re catching the ferry to Rottnest Island, make sure you have your phone ready to capture selfies with the island’s smiley quokkas, not to mention the blindingly turquoise water.

Optional Experiences:

1. Rottnest Island Day Tour – ADD: A$165 Per Adult / A$77 Per Child
   Enjoy a ferry cruise to and from the island. Explore the beauty and tranquillity as you tour the island in the comfort of an air-conditioned coach. Enjoy commentary of historical, cultural and natural points of interest along the way. There is free time to explore more of the island by bike or by foot.
2. Fremantle Walking Tour – Convicts, Culture & Street Art – ADD A$65 Per Adult / A$45 Per Child
   Fremantle is Perth’s hip and historic cousin with streets full of heritage buildings, cafés, street art and amazing stories waiting to be shared. Starting at the Fremantle Town Hall, this walking tour is no boring history lesson, but rather takes a non-traditional route, discovering factual, anecdotal, and downright fascinating local stories, all as you wander Freo’s vibrant cappuccino strip, boat harbour, narrow West End streets and see the landmarks, including the Fremantle Prison and the Roundhouse. Once home to whaling stations and mass immigration, Freo is now a charming town celebrated for its variety of culture and multicultural history. The locals here were as hard as nails salty sea dogs who rubbed shoulders with newly arrived immigrants to create a town full of characters – some of who’s stories you’ll be amazed to hear about from your local guide!You’ll hear tales from prisoner escapes and convict antics to the expulsion of Indigenous peoples to Rottnest Island. Find out why almost 10,000 men were transported from Great Britain and Ireland, how they built their own prison and helped shape the future of Western Australia. There is no better way to explore Freo than with a local guide to share all its fascinating stories and visit the amazing sites, of which there are many, if you hadn’t guessed!
   

Yanchep National Park is staggeringly beautiful, a union of bush and wetlands that is as spectacular as it is sacred. The best way to understand its significance to First Nations communities is in the company of an Aboriginal guide. On this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, hear about how stories are told and used. Hear didgeridoo playing, and hands-on learning with traditional tools. Two national parks in one day – your next stop is Nambung National Park where you’re greeted by an ethereal moonscape. Your Pinnacles tour meanders around this collection of headscratching limestone formations. This afternoon, Geraldton’s moving HMAS Sydney Memorial beckons.

Get set for Monkey Mia, located in the heart of the Shark Bay World Heritage region. Keep your sunnies handy at Shell Beach, a powder-white cove formed from billions of coquina bivalve shells up to 10 metres deep. Aboriginal communities have lived in Shark Bay for 65,000 years; you’ll discover this history when you join proud Nhanda man, Darren ‘Capes’ Capewell. Hear how stories are told, before a didgeridoo performance – men will be given a lesson, while women accompany them on clapsticks. This experience includes a tasting of bush tucker cooked over a campfire.

This morning watch for the dolphins that swim into shore. Every morning, Monkey Mia’s wild dolphins swim close to shore where the National Park Rangers explain the feeding habits of these friendly mammals that they know by name (Note: As dolphins are wild their appearance cannot be guaranteed). After watching the famous dolphins swim into shore, the rest of the day is free for you to explore on one of our Optional Experiences* or relax as you wish.

Optional Experiences:

1. Francois Peron National Park Tour – ADD: A$239 Per Adult / A$205 Per Child
   Unveil the wonders of Francois Peron National Park on a full day tour. Nestled on the tip of the Peron Peninsula in the breathtaking Shark Bay, Francois Peron National Park is a mecca for nature lovers. The tour guide will take you to Cape Peron, where crystal blue waters, soft white sand and rugged red dunes meet. From Skipjack Point, spot Shark Bay’s unique wildlife from Thorny Devils and echidnas, to sharks and rays in the shallows surrounding the Peron Peninsula. Traverse the iconic red sands as your experienced 4×4 guide shows you the best bits of the National Park, and learn about the rich pastoral history of the area.
2. Steep Point & Dirk Hartog Island Marine Safari – ADD A$299 Per Adult / A$239 Per Child
   Embark on a full day adventure exploring the wonders of the Shark Bay World Heritage Marine Park. Visit iconic locations such as Steep Point, the westernmost point of the mainland Australia, the breathtaking Zuytdorp cliffs, and have the opportunity to set foot on the pristine Dirk Hartog Island. As we navigate through the crystal-clear waters, discover untouched snorkel sites within the unspoiled South Passage and along the Dirk Hartog coastline. Encounter an abundance of marine life, such as dolphins, dugongs, turtles, sharks and rays.

Millions of years ago, the Murchison River carved its way through Kalbarri National Park, leaving behind echoinspiring gorges of red-and white banded sandstone as well as soaring coastal cliffs. It’s quite the sight, and best taken in from a height. Enter the Kalbarri Skywalk, a precipitous projection 25 metres beyond the gorge rim and a dizzying 100 metres above the river. Here you’ll be welcomed to Country by an Indigenous guide, explaining the stories behind the land on which you stand. On this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, learn about bushfoods, medicine plants and the traditional uses of local flora. Hear stories about growing up on country and learn about the social history of the region from an Aboriginal perspective. Look around you – there’s plenty to eat in the Aussie bush, not to mention traditional medicines to cure what ails you.

Just when you thought WA couldn’t get any more colourful, Hutt Lagoon appears on the horizon – one of the state’s pink lakes that changes its pink hues depending on the conditions. Arriving back in Perth you have dinner with your new friends and reminisce about the last two weeks.

Bid farewell to your fellow travellers when your trip concludes after breakfast.