Australia's Golden Outback Holiday Planner 2022/23

HOW TO GET THERE: By Road:

Road conditions are excellent, with sealed main roads heading in and out of Esperance. Esperance is accessible from many of the drive routes from Perth and the Nullarbor By Air: Esperance is serviced by Rex with daily flights from Perth. Tel: 13 17 13. Skippers provides charter services from Perth to Ravensthorpe. Tel: 1300 729 924. By Coach Transwa operates regular coach services from Perth to Esperance and from Albany to Esperance via Ravensthorpe. Tel: 1300 662 205.

O ut of the way and out of this world, this destination is your reward at journey’s end. Brilliant blue water and snow-white beaches are a spectacular backdrop to magnificent national parks and unspoilt marine playgrounds, and the summer vibes keep rolling all year long. Drive yourself right into the quintessential Aussie beach holiday; no crowds, just space. Unplug for a moment, find a private cove, lay out your towel and exhale. Rock pools form natural aquariums where shy hermit crabs and starfish play hide and seek. Kangaroos sunbathe at Lucky Bay , happy to pose for a selfie while you sip a signature ‘Kangacino.’ The southern gem of Esperance is the ideal base to explore the Instagram worthy beaches and hinterland of this remarkable coast. Immerse yourself in its live music scene, enjoy outdoor movies and summertime twilight markets, explore the James Street Precinct and take a selfie with the Whale Tail Sculpture or the full-size replica of Stonehenge on the town’s outskirts. Just offshore, 105 islands peek across the horizon presenting a maritime maze to explore by boat or air. The Recherche Archipelago is a paradise inhabited only by dolphins, whales, seals and seabirds. Visitors can day trip to Woody Island Nature Reserve on a cruise, or stay

River National Park is renowned for its biodiversity; some 1.53 million hectares are protected under the UNESCO listed Fitzgerald Biosphere . Ravensthorpe (home to the world’s largest wildflower show) and Hopetoun are both gateways to this spectacular park. A popular road trip is the Fitzgerald Coast Loop . The Golden Outback’s southern coastal strip is the starting point to one of Australia’s most epic road trips; the great Nullarbor Plain . Start at the woodland town of Norseman, where the corrugated iron dromedarie (camels) are a tribute to the camel trains of old, and continue east to the Caiguna Blowhole, Eyre Bird Observatory and the old Eucla Telegraph Station ruins. Just for fun, play a round or two at the world’s longest golf course, Nullarbor Links.

overnight at luxurious glamping tents, safari huts and campsites. The largest isle, Middle Island , is home to the famed pink Lake Hillier , a sight only accessible by heli or scenic flight. From above, the contrast of the fairy floss lake and the azure ocean is especially striking. The land’s original custodians, the Nyungar, named Esperance Kepa Kurl which means “where the waters lie like a boomerang.” Listen to their dreaming story and the songlines of the land by choosing an Indigenous-owned, local eco-culture tour during your visit. Do plan your road trips to make the most of this region’s stunning national parks; vivid Cape le Grand National Park combines sheltered bays, granite peaks, rolling heathlands and native wildlife, while the similarly impressive Fitzgerald

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