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4 cities
State · Austrália Ocidental (Perth)
Austrália Ocidental
Western Australia is the state of Perth and Fremantle, of the Rottnest quokkas, the wines of Margaret River, and the reefs of Ningaloo and Shark Bay.
In the photo: The Pinnacles, Nambung National Park
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
The state
Get to know Austrália Ocidental
Western Australia covers about one third of the country, from the Indian Ocean coast to the desert. It is the largest state in Australia, with distances that call for plane travel between south and north, and it has its own time zone, 11 hours ahead of Brasília.
Perth, the capital, sits on the banks of the Swan River, with Kings Park above the city and beaches facing the sunset. Fremantle, at the port, has the market and the Fremantle Prison, one of UNESCO’s penal sites. Ferries reach Rottnest Island, the quokka island, where people get around by bicycle. About 200 km to the north, Cervantes is the base for the Pinnacles desert in Nambung National Park.
In the southwest, Margaret River is the wine, surf and limestone-cave region; Busselton has a nearly 2 km jetty over the sea, and Dunsborough is near Cape Naturaliste. From late winter into spring, wildflowers carpet several parts of the state.
Heading up the coast, Shark Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage site: from Denham you can go to Monkey Mia, with its dolphins, to Shell Beach and to the stromatolites of Hamelin Pool, and Kalbarri, along the way, has gorges and lookouts. The Ningaloo Coast, also UNESCO-listed, has the reef right next to the beach at Exmouth and Coral Bay, with the whale shark season usually running from April to July.
In the north, Broome has Cable Beach and sunset camel rides, and Kununurra is the gateway to Lake Argyle and Purnululu National Park, with the striped Bungle Bungle domes, a UNESCO site. On the Pilbara coast lies the Murujuga Cultural Landscape, with Aboriginal rock art, inscribed by UNESCO.
Destinations
1 destination in Austrália Ocidental
Cities
4 cities in Austrália Ocidental in the guide
Austrália Ocidental
Capital
Perth
Capital of Western Australia, Perth lies on the banks of the Swan River, facing the Indian Ocean. Kings Park, atop Mount Eliza, has the city's most famous viewpoint; Elizabeth Quay opens the CBD to the river, and the WA Museum Boola Bardip tells the state's story. Cottesloe Beach, the Swan Valley with its wineries, and the Caversham wildlife park round out a visit.
Austrália Ocidental
Cervantes
A small lobster-fishing village about 198 km north of Perth on the Indian Ocean coast, Cervantes is the base for the Pinnacles desert in Nambung National Park, 17 km away. On the village outskirts, Lake Thetis preserves stromatolites, life forms among the oldest on Earth. The region has white beaches and wildflowers in spring.
Austrália Ocidental
Fremantle
Port city at the mouth of the Swan River, about 19 km from Perth, Fremantle has 19th-century streets, cafés on South Terrace and a market dating from 1898. The prison built by convicts is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the Round House from 1831 is the state’s oldest public building. Boats to Rottnest Island depart from the harbour.
Austrália Ocidental
Rottnest Island
Island about 18 km from Fremantle, with no visitor cars, Rottnest has dozens of beaches and clear-water bays, bike paths and the quokkas, small marsupials that live free. The village of Thomson Bay concentrates the jetty, shops and bike rentals; Wadjemup Lighthouse sits on the highest point, and the West End at the western tip has sea lions and whales. The Noongar peoples call the island Wadjemup.
When to go
In the south (Perth, Margaret River), the seasons are the same as in Brazil: summer is hot and dry, and spring, from September to November, is the wildflower season, which in some areas begins in August. In the north (Broome, Kimberley, Ningaloo), the best time is the dry season, from May to October; from November to April there is more rain, higher heat and cyclone season, and roads and parks in the Kimberley can close.
Getting there
Perth Airport (PER) receives international flights, including from Asia and the Middle East, and flights from across Australia. Connections to Brazil require at least one stop, typically in Santiago, Chile or another city. Confirm before booking. To the north there are flights from Perth to Learmonth (near Exmouth), Shark Bay (Denham), Broome and Kununurra. Fremantle is about 20 km from Perth, served by train; ferries to Rottnest depart from Perth, Fremantle and Hillarys. Margaret River is roughly 270 km south of Perth, and the regional airport is in Busselton. The Indian Pacific train links Perth with Adelaide and Sydney.
Your questions
Frequently asked questions about Austrália Ocidental
How to get to Rottnest Island?
Ferries depart from Perth, Fremantle and Hillarys, and the crossing from Fremantle is the shortest. Visitor cars are not permitted on the island: people get around by bicycle (rented at the quay or taken on the ferry) or on the bus that circles the island. Quokkas live throughout the island and must not be fed.
When to swim with whale sharks in Ningaloo?
The season usually runs from April to July, and boats depart from Exmouth and Coral Bay. tours depend on sea conditions and on the animals appearing, and during the rest of the year you can see manta rays and, from June to November, humpback whales.
Is it possible to drive from Perth to Ningaloo?
You can, but it’s more than 1,200 km — a multi-day trip that goes via Cervantes, Kalbarri and Shark Bay. Travelers short on time usually fly to Learmonth, near Exmouth, and hire a car there.
What is Perth’s time difference with Brasília?
Perth is 11 hours ahead of Brasília year-round, because Western Australia does not observe daylight saving. Compared with Sydney, the difference is 2 hours, and 3 hours when the eastern states are on daylight saving time.
How many days for Perth and surroundings?
Three to four days are enough for Perth, Fremantle and Rottnest Island. With two extra days you can add the Pinnacles as a long day trip, or spend a few days in Margaret River.