Secret Western Australia

Western Australia, covering almost a third of Australia’s landmass, is the largest state in Australia. Here are some of the lesser known highlights. There are some obvious reasons to visit this impressively varied state. The whalesharks that visit Exmouth each year are a huge draw as are the whale-watching opportunities in Albany, read more about both places here, but this post is about secret WA.

Having lived here for two years now I hate to admit it but before coming to WA I had never heard of these places. Now I know them fondly as unique attractions in the local area (which, I should probably point out, is a rather large area!)

Desert sculptures

Have you been to any art galleries in the middle of a desert before? At Lake Ballard in WA there is a salt plain where 51 cast black chromium steel sculptures stand. The sculptures are by Anthony Gormley and are said to each represent a resident of nearby town Menzies. They stand 500 metres apart and cast dramatic shadows in the early morning and late afternoon.

Wave Rock

‘Out of this world’ landscapes are something of a feature in Australia and WA does not disappoint. The north side of Hyden rock, near the town of the same name, has formed a wave-like shape and is known as Wave Rock. It stands 14 metres high, is about 110 metres long and makes for a great fake surfing pose! Other interesting rock features in the area are Hippo’s Yawn and Mulka’s Cave. The Rabbit-Proof Fence runs nearby too. Read more about Wave Rock here.

Big Ram

A trip to Wagin provides an insight into the heart of WA’s agricultural history. The Big Ram stands 7 metres tall and 15 metres long and is a monument to the local Merino Stud Industry. Wagin also has a historical village depicting the pioneering lifestyle lived in the Wheatbelt in the 1890s. Woolorama is one of WA’s largest agricultural shows and takes place in Wagin in March each year.

Western Australia wildflowers

Between June and November, but especially around September, the south-east corner of WA comes alive with wildflowers. Ravensthorpe, Hopetoun, Stokes Inlet National Park, Fitzgerald River National Park and Monjingup Lake Reserve bloom with over 12,000 species of native wildflowers, 60 per cent of which are not seen anywhere else.

Treetop walk

Parts of the south coast of WA are heavily forested with unique and gigantic trees. Just north of Walpole in the Walpole and Nornalup National Park is a forest of Tingle trees, some of which are 400 years old and up to 40 metres tall. The species is native to Australia and Walpole is the only place the trees are found. A treetop walk has been constructed enabling visitors to meander through the treetops and take in spectacular forest views.

Have you any tips on where to visit in WA? Please share them in the comments below.