Stage 7: Van-Tastic Western Australia

What's so Van-Tastic about Western Australia?

Pick up: Darwin, Drop off: Perth

Here in the West we believe that size does matter! So for a BIG van-tastic adventure there’s only one choice, Western Australia or WA as it’s known by the locals.

Swim with the world’s largest fish – the whale shark - at Ningaloo Reef. Explore the beehive-like formations of the Bungle Bungle Range in the Kimberley with the help of an Aboriginal guide. Climb the ancient gorges in Karijini National Park. Take a camel ride at sunset along Cable Beach in Broome. Relax under a canopy of eucalypts in the largest inner city park in the Southern Hemisphere – Kings Park & Botanic Gardens in the capital city of Perth. Or simply put your feet up and wet your whistle with a locally brewed beer or wine.

And that’s just for starters!

Geoff recommends: take a helicopter ride over the Cockburn Range in the East Kimberley and check-out the epic landscape that inspired Baz Luhrmann’s movie Australia.

Our Van-Tastic partners will look after you. Check out these FREE activities on offer for our WA team......more fantastic offers to come

	Get your feet wet Take the plunge and go swimming with whale sharks at Exmouth on the Coral Coast with Three Island Marine Charters. These gentle giants grow up to 18 metres and visit Ningaloo Reef between April and July each year. A little further south Coral Bay Adventures will take you snorkelling with Manta Rays at Coral Bay. At Monkey Mia hop on board a Monkey Mia Wildsights wildlife cruise. Closer to Perth swim with dolphins and take a cruise to Penguin Island part of the Shoalwater Marine Park with Rockingham Wild Encounters. For more marine action, swim with real sharks at AQWA – the Aquarium of WA.
	Island Hopping Rottnest Island is where the locals go to holiday. This aquatic playground is only a 30 minute ferry ride from the historic port city of Fremantle. Take a day trip to ‘Rotto’ with return ferry, bike hire & island discovery tours, courtesy of Rottnest Island Authority.
	Outback Adventure. It doesn’t get more rugged than the Kimberley region of WA. Start your adventure in Kununurra with 3 days self guided paddling expedition along the magnificent Upper Ord River with Big Waters Kimberley Canoe Safaris. In the exotic pearling town of Broome go for a camel ride along sensational Cable Beach with Ships of the Desert. In the Pilbara region of WA explore the gorges & waterholes in Karijini National Park with West Oz Active day tours. See thousands of huge limestone pillars rise from the shifting yellow sands, resembling a landscape from a science fiction movie at The Pinnacles in Nambung National Park, care of Department of Environment and Conservation. Get a unique outback experience with Boshack Tours.
	City Life In Perth start your day with breakfast in the tree tops overlooking the city at Frasers Restaurant in Kings Park & Botanic Garden. Then its up in the sky for a bird’s eye view of Perth and surrounds on a Fremantle Flyer helicopter ride. For more adrenalin do a tandem skydive from 14,000 ft with Skydive Express! If your head is spinning, talk to the animals at the Perth Zoo.
	Indulge Drink and eat your way through the Swan Valley, WA’s oldest wine region and only 25 minutes drive from Perth, with Out & About Tours . Fancy a beer instead? Feral Brewing Company is offering lunch and drinks. After all that eating and drinking, discover your weight in gold at the Perth Mint and see a gold pour and one of the world’s largest collections of gold bars and natural nugget collections.
	Rest a while Take your pick of accommodation options around Western Australia with Aspen Parks.

Where could you go on your WA Van-Tastic Adventure?

Grab Geoff in Darwin and cross the WA border into the red and rugged East Kimberley. For the journey of a lifetime, travel the iconic Gibb River Road through cattle station and gorge country until you reach the exotic pearling port of Broome and the beautiful Cable Beach. Head south inland to explore the gorgeous gorge country of Karijini National Park, then back to the coast where you can swim with the whale sharks and loads of other marine life at Ningaloo Reef. See the dolphins of Monkey Mia. Soak up the WA lifestyle in Perth & Fremantle before venturing further south to Margaret River where you can take in the many wineries and ancient forests. Down to Albany for some whale watching and then loop back to Perth where your Van-tastic adventure ends with a huge party!!!

And because you want to know more.....

Visit: www.westernaustralia.com and www.backpackwesternaustralia.com