Western Australia is the largest state in Australia, taking up a good 3rd of the continent, and has a total land area of 2,527,013 km2 (975,685 sq mi), so there is a lot of ground to cover. Here is a list of things to see and do if you plan on traveling to Western Australia.
Take a drive
If you are heading to WA from the eastern states, one of the most exciting ways is to drive across the Nullarbor Plain. The trip will take about 34 hours, including breaks to get to Perth if you start out in Adelaide. There are quite a few things to see and do on this trip.
Once you are across the border, visit the Eyre Bird Observatory located in the Nuytsland Nature Reserve. Once you reach Cocklebiddy, there is a quirky roadhouse to check out. After that, there is the Fraser Range Station near the Dundas Nature Reserve. It has expansive land with camels and emus roaming the property as well as camping facilities if you fancy a night out there. Next, you will get to the town of Kalgoorlie. Once there, you can check out places such as the Museum of Goldfields and the Super Pit, a massive open-cut working goldmine. Once you have checked out what the town has to offer, you can continue onto Perth, which is right on the western coast.
Hyden Wildlife park
There are some amazing rock formations at Hyden National Park, most notably Wave Rock, which looks like a giant wave about to break, and Hippo’s Yawn, which looks like a giant hippo mid-yawn. The National Park is located near the town of Hyden, which is about 296 kilometers (184 miles) southeast of Perth.
Visit the horse races at Belmont park
Belmont Park is home to some of the most exciting winter racing in WA. Among the other races, there are three Group 3 races, so be sure to check your Belmont racing odds when attending. The Belmont Sprint is a weight-for-age thoroughbred horse race that runs at a distance of 1400 meters and is inaugurated in 1963. It has a total prize purse of $200,000AUD and was a Principal Race from 1963 to 1979.
The inaugural race was won by FreeStyle, and the latest win was in 2021 by The Velvet King. St. The 1972 inauguration race of the Hyperion Stakes was won by Just, which has always been run at a distance of 1600 meters. The total prize purse today sits at $200,000AUD. The Strickland Stakes is the longest race, with a distance of 2000 meters and a total prize purse of $160,000AUD. This race used to be held at Ascot Racecourse but was moved to Belmont Park in 2011.
The racecourse itself has been open since 1910 and is known as the winter racecourse. It has all the amenities for racegoers regardless of the weather and also has ample parking.
Purnululu national park
Also known as Bungle Bungle National Park, this world heritage-listed location was unknown until 1983. It is located in the East Kimberley region, which is in the north of Western Australia. It is home to some incredible sandstone formations that look a bit like giant beehives. It is a bit of a drive to get there, so a scenic flight to the area would be recommended.
