AGO Holiday Planner 2026

A LITTLE MORE TIME

HOW TO ROADTRIP IN THE WHEATBELT

By Max Brearley

AS SOMEONE NOT BORN IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA, ITS VASTNESS FASCINATES ME. BEYOND GEOGRAPHY IT’S REMOTENESS SHAPES PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES; A SENSE OF RESILIENCE, INGENUITY AND CIVIC MINDEDNESS FAR FROM THE CITY.

You may be passing through, having crossed the Nullarbor, be heading east to Kalgoorlie and the Goldfields, or on a loop from the south-west. Day trips or an overnight loop from Perth to towns like Dalwallinu, Moora, and Wongan Hills are common in wildflower season, July to October. In those months you’ll meet a spectrum of nature lovers from novice to perennial hunters of up to 12000 species of wildflowers that bloom annually. But let me make a case for a little more time, my preferred approach to exploring the Wheatbelt. I remind myself that it’s not a race when in country WA and the quickest route isn’t always the best. Back roads, detours and the road less travelled are where the most interesting memories are made. I also try to adhere to a simple rule: stopping for fuel in as many towns as possible, even if I’ve got a half tank or more. It’s an act of support to those towns that don’t capture as much passing traffic and chance conversations with locals reveal the best cafés, accommodation, and local tales. Word of mouth is strong whereas having an operational website isn’t always a given.

The Wheatbelt, at 155,000 square kilometres, runs from the outskirts of Perth, north to the mid-west region, east to the Goldfields, and borders the south-west. I often need a comparison to wrap my head around the numbers. England, my other home, is 130,278 square kilometres, its population, over 57 million people. The Wheatbelt is home to just 75,000.

FROM TOP TO BO OM RIGHT Sandford Reserve, Baladjie Reserve and Mary’s Farm Cottages Kukerin.

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AUSTRALIA'S GOLDEN OUTBACK