Wonders of Western Australia’s North in a Week

Details: Category: Travel in WA; Published: Friday, 04 June 2021 09:58; Written by Bob Figg

Pilbara
Pilbara
Photo Credit: Bob Figg

Is there anywhere better in the world to be in these difficult times than Western Australia?

It’s okay that’s a rhetorical question. The answer is yes.

If you have to be stuck somewhere, then WA is the place to be.

With holiday choices limited we decided to try and see some iconic WA sites in one week. The rule was keep the shared driving to daylight hours. Seriously, don’t drive after dark in WA’s north. The kangaroos are big, but the cattle are even bigger. In daylight we had three cattle come across in front of us in different spots.

Our trip began in Perth and our first stop was Cue. We did an overnight stay at the Queen of the Murchison. A guest house, this is the ideal stop off point on the way to Karijini National Park.

The rooms are comfy, the eating is communal and the conversation entertaining. An ideal stopover to rest up for the next leg.

From there it was onto Karijini. If you have not been, go. If you have been, go back.

One of Australia’s finest places to visit. The big, comfy eco tents are great. The dining options even better. We ate at the restaurant three times and there was not a bad meal amongst them. Just one warning, the Barramundi is so good you will spend the rest trying to find something to match it.

The gorge walks can be challenging, so be careful and follow the safety advice. Drink plenty of water, protect yourself from the sun and keep an eye out for snakes. It is all worthwhile though. To swim in on of the many pools is to experience something truly Australian.

Unless you are in the toughest of four-wheel drives make sure you do not take the gravel road from the visitor centre to the eco resort. Instead go the long way round on the sealed road and come in on the shorter gravel section. Boneshaker does not begin to describe the experience on the longer route.

Matching Karijini is tough. We found Cheela Station and it very nearly did. As the name suggests, it is a station stay. The accommodation is basic, but fine and again the eating is communal. You can also take your own caravan, camper trailer, or tent in.

Whatever you do, join the guided tour of the night sky. It is fascinating, informative and simply stunning.

For us from there it was onto Coral Bay. Now please don’t turn up without a booking. We arrived pre-school holidays but it was extremely busy. Our beachside unit was great but the caravan parks looked chockers and you will struggle to book a holiday house less than 12 months out at any time of year.

I have written before for Walkabout regarding Coral Bay. This time we added a really enjoyable quad bike tour to our itinerary. A great way to get to the more remote beaches and well worth the investment. Of course you will also add snorkelling across coral reefs teeming with fish to the waterhole swims and the night sky experience.

The final leg of our loop took us to Monkey Mia. The RAC resort was our destination and it was absolutely stunning.

The beach chalets are world class. This is the type of resort you see on the TV travel programs. Walk off your deck onto the beach and chill. The restaurants are also top class. The stars are the dolphins who come in for breakfast every morning (at the beach, not in the restaurant).

In all, our trip took us eight nights. We took it easy with the driving and shared the load.

Paradise, in various forms, really is easily accessed from Perth.