I haven’t been to Western Australia in almost ten years, so I really enjoyed our whirlwind long weekend in and around Perth, visiting old and new places.
We had to tough it out somewhat on the first day in Perth after a punishingly early morning flight, so we took it easy and spent some time in the Kings Park and Botanic Garden, situated on the hill overlooking the Swan River and the central business district. Last time I was there it was awash with spectacular spring flowers and blooming trees, but it’s still a beautiful spot in winter.
Next day, we hopped into our hired car for a two and a half hour drive north of Perth, to visit one of the most unique and fascinating natural landscapes in Australia. The Pinnacles Desert is a sizeable area inside the Nambung National Park, dotted with thousands of striking limestone structures and covered in sand that’s brilliant mustard-yellow in the sun. It was a surreal experience to finally see the place in real life, after years and years of seeing it plastered all over the travel brochures for Western Australia.
I was also keen to check out Rottnest Island, located just off the Perth coast and accessible by ferry. It’s probably best visited during summer when you can relax on its many beaches, surf or snorkel, but since we only had half a day to spend on the island we decided to join a bus tour to get a quick overview. Cars are not allowed on Rottnest Island, so visitors can only get around on a bike or a special shuttle bus.
Another popular thing to do at Rottnest Island is a selfie with a quokka, a small marsupial that got marooned on the island after the last ice age. The early Dutch explorers apparently took them for rats, hence the name of the island which translates to “rats’ nest”. We found plenty of these adorable critters around the settlement.
With the overcast weather, you could only imagine how stunning the white-sand beaches and aquamarine bays look on a clear sunny day, but the scenery was inspiring nonetheless and you could just feel yourself surrender to the slow-paced, relaxed island life. I’d definitely love to spend a real summer holiday there.
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