Western Australia with Kids: A handy holiday guide
Western Australia
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Your Western Australia family holiday guide
Western Australia has plenty of beaches. Fewer crowds, sunsets over the ocean, white sand and crystal clear water. Once you’ve been to the beach in WA, you’ll never want to go anywhere else.
Perth
Kings Park and the Botanic Gardens are Perth’s prime picnic spots – they have plenty of room to run around and explore. Undoubtedly Kings Park has the most stunning collection of Australian native flora in the country. The ropes course is a firm favourite for most kids, and the treetop walk is awesome. Make sure you keep your eyes peeled while you’re in the park for the fantastic sculptures dotted throughout too.
It would be also be a shame to skip the beach in Western Australia’s capital. Grab fish and chips and play some beach cricket at Cottesloe or Scarborough Beach. Take the family on a cruise along the Swan River, visit the kid-friendly Western Australian Museum and the Old Perth Gaol, or for something different try The Nostalgia Box gaming museum or Wadjemup Museum on Rottnest Island.
Broome & the Kimberley
The Kimberley is one of the most spectacular parts of the country, but its sheer size (three times as big as England) and rough roads may be daunting for a lot of families. Start your adventure in Broome, the gateway to the Kimberley, where you can ride a camel along Cable Beach at sunset, learn about the area’s history at Willie Creek Pearl Farm, and discover Indigenous traditions with Yawuru man, Bart Pigram, from Narlijia Cultural Tours.
Spend a few days at the remote wilderness camp Kooljaman at Cape Leveque, owned and run by the Indigenous Bardi Jawi Communities, then book a family-friendly tour or set out in your 4WD along the iconic Gibb River Road, stopping to swim in waterholes and waterfalls, hike magnificent gorges, see ancient Aboriginal rock art and camp under the stars. Round out your itinerary with visits to Lake Argyle and Purnululu National Park (the Bungle Bungles).
Coral Coast
Glide beside the ocean’s gentle giants on a tour off Australia’s Coral Coast at Ningaloo Reef. Whale sharks – the biggest fish in the world – visit between March and July, and you can swim with humpback whales from late June to mid-October. Tours operate from both Coral Bay and Exmouth. You can also explore the reef on a glass-bottom boat tour, and see rare turtles, pods of dolphins and vibrant tropical fish.
Pilbara
While you’re in this part of the world, you can visit the Pilbara region as well, and discover Karijini National Park, the ghost town of Cossack, the Dampier Archipelago, and Mackerel Islands.
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Opening image: Take a camel ride along Cable Beach in Broome at sunset. © Lauren Bath