68 Best Sights in Western Australia, Australia

The view from the top of the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, the tallest lighthouse on mainland Australia and only a 10-minute drive south of Augusta, allows you to witness the meeting of the Southern and the Indian oceans. In some places this alliance results in giant swells that crash against the rocks; in others, you'll spot whales surfacing (in season: May–September). While the ocean can be chilly, small coves are blessed with calm waters ideal for swimming. The lighthouse precinct is open daily 9–5 (last entry 4:30 pm, includes self-guided audio tour; A$8). Guided tours to the top of the lighthouse (via a lengthy stairway) cost A$20 and run daily every 40 minutes. The last tour is at 4:20 pm.

One of the "founding five" wineries in the area, Cape Mentelle planted its first vines in 1970 on a 16-hectare block just outside Margaret River. Today, it's still one of the most notable wineries, not only for its delectable drops but also for its seasonal movie nights. During the summer months, you can enjoy a balmy evening of food, wine, and film at the winery's outdoor cinema (a must-do). To learn more about the vineyard, take the 90-minute Behind the Scenes tours. There's also a food and wine pairing experience Monday through Wednesday, and Friday and Saturday morning; private tastings; and a picnic basket with wine flight option. As is the trend in the region, a A$10 per person fee is charged for wine tastings but refundable with a purchase. 

At the northern end of Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park, a 13-minute drive from Dunsborough, stands Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse. From the lighthouse keeper's cottages (now a gift shop, tour desk, information center, and café) take a 15-minute walk to the whale lookout, a purpose-built deck that overlooks the Indian Ocean. If you want to go inside the 75-foot tall lighthouse, you'll need to book a guided tour (every half hour from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm), where you learn everything there is to know about the history and operations of the lighthouse. You'll also get to climb the stairs to the top and stand on the outside balcony to take in the spectacular seascapes of this rugged coastline. Migrating whales are often spotted along this stretch from September through December. This is also the start of the coast-hugging 135-km (86-mile) Cape to Cape Track.

At the northern end of Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park stands Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse. A 1½-km-long (1-mile-long) trail leads from Cape Naturaliste to Canal Rocks, passing rugged cliffs, quiet bays, and curving beaches. You can opt for guided tours, on request (various routes and costs); the cape to cave trail wraps in Ngilgi Cave and a stunning stretch of coastline. Migrating whales are often spotted along this stretch, and from the lighthouse. This is also the start of the coast-hugging 135-km (86-mile) Cape-to-Cape Track, for which there are also guided tours (Cape to Cape Tours are recommended for extended hikes; 0459/452–038, v26495593capetocapetours.com.au). Four major cave systems are easily accessible within Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park.

This winery is known for its award-winning Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Merlot, and is loved for its natural bushland setting, about 18 km (11 miles) south of Dunsborough. The contemporary-style cellar door offers A$10 per person wine tastings, which is redeemable upon purchase of a bottle of wine. The spacious café has glass doors that open onto a large timber deck that overlooks a picturesque vineyard in warm weather, while two huge stone fireplaces warm the tables in winter.

Borrow one of the café's picnic blankets and relax in the garden.

Biodynamic? Tick. Homegrown produce? Tick. Gorgeous vineyard setting? Tick. Stellar wines. Tick, tick, tick. Cullen isn’t the flashiest winery in Margaret River, but its rustic, cottage feel is a strong part of the allure. Family owned since it began in 1971 it has long followed an ethos to care for the planet and exist sustainably, and it seems Mother Nature is returning the favor. The Cullen Biodynamic Wine Room serves crisp, clean wines, along with fresh, flavorsome meals using seasonal ingredients from the on-site biodynamic spiral garden (visit for free independently). Seated wine tastings offer a personal service and in-depth experience from A$30 per person. General tastings at the bar start at A$15. 

Traveling in a group of six or more? Make a booking for wine tastings.

This expanding distillery got its start by making and supplying hand sanitizer to the masses! Now they are Bunbury's favorite producer of gin, vodka, and rum. This adult activity includes spirit tastings, make-your-own-gin classes, yin-and-gin yoga sessions, and, of course, shopping for your favorite spirits and Cuprum merchandise in their giant shed. Visit their website to see what's on offer during your visit and feel free to contact them with expressions of interest.  Try the raspberry gin.

Like most of Fremantle, the Gothic-looking Fremantle Arts Centre (FAC) was built by convicts in the 19th century. First used as a lunatic asylum, by 1900 it was overcrowded and nearly shut down. It became a home for elderly women until 1942, when the U.S. Navy turned it into its local submarine base in WWII.

As one of Australia's leading arts organizations, FAC has an engaging, year-round cultural program. There are also dynamic exhibitions, a gift shop, and an expansive live music and special events program, which includes free live music on Sunday afternoon from October to March; people like to bring picnics and blankets but there's also an on-site bar-café. 

An eye-catching landmark of early Fremantle atop an ocean-facing cliff, the Round House was built in 1831 by convicts to house other convicts. This curious, 12-sided building is the state's oldest surviving public structure. Its ramparts have great vistas spanning from High Street to the Indian Ocean. Underneath, a tunnel was carved through the cliffs in the mid-1800s to give ships lying at anchor easy access from town. From the tunnel you can walk to the calm and quiet Bathers Beach, where there used to be a whaling station, and listen for the firing of the cannon at 1 pm daily. Volunteer guides are on duty during opening hours.

Over the dunes is the whitest of white sand and the most azure waters of Geordie Bay. Photographed by many, this beach abuts a flat, motionless ocean that makes for safe swimming. A confetti of yachts spreads across the bay in the summer months (there are protected, boat-free swimming zones), and beachside accommodation mirrors the cove. Nearby, next to a minimart, find Geordie's Cafe and Art Gallery (0402-990--870), the only eatery in the bay. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, it also serves many gluten-free dishes. Expect to see furry quokkas looking for scraps. Amenities: food and drink; showers; toilets. Best for: swimming.

Winemaker and owner Michael Kerrigan—once chief winemaker at neighboring Howard Park and Madfish Wines—is on a mission to produce "modern wines from old vines" under several different labels. His hands-on approach, using the best grapes from the thirtysomething-year-old plantings, has won show awards and five-star endorsements by wine writers. The tasting room breaks from the usual Margaret River architecture—no rammed earth, timber, and stone here, rather a lovely white-painted clapboard building, polished concrete floors, and pitched ceiling. Tastings cost A$10 per person and you'll get it back if you buy a bottle. As the name suggests, the building is the original hay shed on what was a dairy farm. Rustico Restaurant serves tapas from 11 to 5 daily.

Overlooking Blackwood Valley, Holberry House is a charming colonial B&B with exposed beams and stone fireplaces. The gardens are peppered with statues and sculptures set among a woodland of jarrah trees through which Mount Folly Creek flows, and for a small donation at the main gate, the general public is welcome to explore the extensive gardens without overnighting here.

Ask about the facts and myths surrounding the legend of the Nannup Tiger.

The southernmost cave of the entire underground system, Jewel has one of the longest straw stalactites in any tourist cave in the world—measuring about 16 feet. There's also an interpretive center on-site and a café nearby.

Centered around a tranquil, eerie-looking underground lake, Lake Cave is the deepest of all the open caves in the region, and there are tearooms on-site.

This eco display center at Lake Cave gives a good introduction to the whole cave system and how it was formed. There's a simulated cave tunnel called a cave crawl for kids to safely experience tight spaces.

This national park clutches one of Western Australia's most spectacular coastlines, from Cape Naturaliste in the north, to Cape Leeuwin, near Augusta, in the south. The park is not a composite destination, rather a narrow patchwork of protected areas along the coast, intersected by beach access roads and small beachside villages, and traced by the Cape to Cape Track.

The mostly unspoiled coastal vistas are as awe-inspiring as any in the world—on a calm day the view northward from Yallingup past Sugarloaf Rock toward Cape Naturaliste is nature at its best and it's often sprinkled with surfing dolphins. Farther south, between Cowaramup Bay and Karridale, scenic lookouts allow you to access coastal cliffs and rocky shoreline that bear the brunt of giant ocean swells generated across thousands of miles of Indian Ocean.

Use extreme care when hiking or fishing cliff-side.

South of busy Cottesloe and about 30 minutes from central Perth, Leighton is a relatively quiet beach loved for its sugarlike sand and flat, calm water, which is perfect for those who like to paddle. It's equally loved by wind- and kite-surfers on windy days, who tear across the tabletop surface. At the northern end of the beach, dogs are allowed to be off-leash, so expect to see lots of happy pooches running around. Amenities: lifeguards (summer); parking; toilets; food and drink. Best for: snorkeling; swimming; sunset; walking; windsurfing.

Gold-mining entrepreneur Claude de Bernales built this quaint outdoor shopping arcade in 1937. Today it's a magnet for anyone with a camera wanting to recapture the atmosphere and architecture of Tudor England, and for those looking for Australian souvenirs. Along its length are statues of Sir Walter Raleigh and Dick Whittington, the legendary lord mayor of London. Above the arcade entry in Hay Street Mall, costumed mechanical knights joust with one another when the clock strikes the quarter hour.

The Genuine UGG boot store is popular with tourists.

Here you'll find ancient fossil remains of extinct animals and a tannin-stained stream. You can do a self-guided tour or opt for an audio experience, available in English, German, and Mandarin. Wheelchair access is possible to the first chamber.

Sheltered from wind, this soft-sand haven makes for a gorgeous coastal escape. Its aquamarine-blue waters attract visitors and locals alike. You can bring food with you if you like and use the barbecue facilities and picnic tables. Meelup Beach Hire (meelupbeachhire.com) offers heaps of beach and water-play rentals, including stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, bodyboards, umbrellas, and snorkel sets. Amenities: showers; toilets. Best for: solitude; swimming; walking.

Rustic timber cottages and historic buildings characterize the small town of Nannup, 100 km (62 miles) east of Margaret River. Several scenic drives wind through the area, including the Blackwood River Tourist Drive, a 10-km (6-mile) ride along a section of river surrounded by hills with karri and jarrah forests. You can also canoe on the Blackwood River and wander through the Blythe Gardens. A map of the buildings used in the 2013 surf movie, Drift, is also available from the Nannup Visitor Centre (open daily, 10–4; v26495625www.everythingnannup.com.au). At various times of the year look out for Nannup's popular festivals: music, flower and garden, and art and photography. The Festival of Country Gardens displays an artist's palette of WA's spring and autumn colors.

This is the quieter end of Cottesloe, where local residents go to walk their dogs (a section by Grant Street is a designated dog beach), dive in for an early morning dip, or share a sunset wine on the sand. The concrete walking path looks over the sandy beach and affords impressive views of the coastal mansions that look out to sea. Coastal reef fans out to the right of Grant Street and makes for good snorkeling in summer, but take caution in high waves as stronger currents form near the reef. Beware invisible jellyfish, known as stingers, which cause pain but pose little other threat. Amenities: lifeguards; showers. Best for: snorkeling; solitude; sunset; swimming; walking.

All that glitters is gold at the Perth Mint, one of the oldest mints in the world still operating from its original premises, and a reminder of the great gold rush days at the turn of the century. Established in 1899, it first refined gold from Western Australia's newly discovered goldfields, striking gold sovereigns for the British Empire. Today it still produces Australia's legal tender in pure gold, silver, and platinum bullion and commemorative coins for investors and collectors. Visitors can tour the site and watch 200 ounces of molten gold being poured in time-honored fashion to form a gold bar. The tour also lets you marvel at the biggest coin ever made, weighing 1 ton, get close to more than A$50 million worth of gold bullion, and see Australia's best collection of natural gold nuggets, including the 369-ounce Golden Beauty, one of the largest natural nuggets in the world. You can also discover your own weight in gold. There's an on-site gift shop and café.

From kangaroos to crocodiles and venomous Aussie snakes to Asian sun bears and orangutans, this expansive, more than century-old zoo is an easy 10-minute drive from Perth's CBD. Expect lush gardens—perfect for a BYO picnic—and different native habitats of various animals from around the world. Walk among Australian animals in an environment depicting the diversity of Australia's native landscape, including a bird-filled wetland. Discover the Reptile Encounter, Rainforest Retreat, and the Australian Bushwalk. For something a little more exotic, there's the African Savannah, with rhinoceroses, giraffes, lions, cheetahs, and baboons; and the Asian Rainforest, with elephants, tigers, otters, gibbons, and a Komodo dragon. A number of special encounters are available, such as joining a keeper as they feed the lions, which is best booked and paid for in advance. Free guided walks depart daily at 11 am and 1 pm,  and there are more than a dozen free talks and presentations each day. A one-hour guided tour around the zoo on an electric Zebra Car, seating seven passengers, is also available.

A local favorite, wide Port Beach has small, gentle waves; water the color of a Bombay Sapphire bottle; and pale white sand. It butts up against Fremantle Harbour's North Quay wharf and stretches towards Leighton. Like most of the western-facing coast, the sunsets are epic and the views of Rottnest charming. Amenities: food and drink; toilets; lifeguards; parking. Best for: snorkeling; sunset; swimming; walking; windsurfing.

After the West Australian premier described the Scarborough precinct as “tired and old,” the state government pledged A$30 million to pretty-up the beachfront, and things have markedly improved. The beach was always beautiful and the waves surfable, but now there are a number of busy cafés, including the Wild Fig, the Local Shack, and The Peach Pit. There's also the long-standing takeout spot, Peters by the Sea for fish-and-chips. Kids love to run wild on the beachfront playground and the Snake Pit skate park, while holidaymakers come and go from the towering Rendezvous Hotel. The more enviable locales of Cottesloe, Fremantle, and Perth CBD are all a 15- to 20-minute drive away; Scarborough is not on the train line. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; showers; toilets. Best for: partiers; sunset; walking.

Interactive science and technology displays educate and entertain visitors of all ages—particularly the younger ones—in this excellent facility. There are more than 100 hands-on general science exhibits, as well as in-depth feature exhibitions. Daily science and puppet shows present science in an entertaining way, and the space shows in the half dome planetarium will stretch your imagination as they take you to the far edges of the known Universe. Minimum age restrictions apply to the planetarium.

Keep an eye out for the quirky facts that dot the space, including the fact that the heart of a giraffe is two feet long.

In a state of extraordinary beaches, this one rates high on the list. Bookended by rounded granite boulders, the caramel-hue sand sinks beneath your feet and the gentle, rolling waves beckon, daring you to cool off in the clean ocean. Edged by native bush, this beach that is 12 km (7 miles) from Dunsborough is quiet and secluded. Smiths Beach Resort and Lamont's Restaurant (at resort) are nearby. Amenities: food and drink; parking; toilets. Best for: solitude; sunset; surfing; walking.

North of the creek has strong waves and rips (undertows) and can be hazardous.

This pool-like bay is one of Rottnest's most popular, both for its safe, shallow waters and proximity to the main settlement. Protected by an outer reef, the ocean is crystal clear, the waves are gentle, and little fish dart about. Major renovations in 2021 saw improvements to toilet blocks, shelters, barbecue facilities, and play spaces. Amenities: lifeguards; showers; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

The spiral-like Bell Tower is home to one of the world's largest musical instruments, the 12 antique Swan Bells, which have surprising historical links. Originally from St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church of London, England, these same bells were rung to celebrate the destruction of the Spanish Armada in 1588, the homecoming of Captain James Cook in 1771, and the coronation of every British monarch. The tower contains fascinating displays on the history of the bells and bell ringing and provides views of the Perth skyline and the nearby Swan River. Flat, closed shoes must be worn for access to the observation deck; stroller and wheelchair access are available via the elevator.

Purchase a heart-shaped love lock to leave on the chain fence to secure forever love.