Australian Traveller Australian Traveller: Special Edition - Western Australia 2022

AFTER MORE THAN a decade and a half of covering ‘every state, every issue’, you are about to launch into the pages of Australian Traveller’s first one-state-only collector’s edition. It seems fitting that the state getting all the attention is Western Australia, a vast, diverse, compelling proposition for travellers. In fact, when we started researching this issue, it became clear that we would have no problem filling its pages, so spoilt for choice were we when it came to the singular landscapes and experiences offered up by the country’s largest state. From the delightful anomaly of the undulating banded rock stacks of the Bungle Bungle Range in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Purnululu National Park in the Kimberley to the mesmerising adventure of swimming with whale sharks – and real whales –…

ORIGINALLY built in the 1970s, this 16-storey hotel started life as an office tower, painted a suitably retro shade of cendre blue. Since then, it’s been through two significant upgrades: the first converted it into a hotel, and the second saw its transformation into the five-star, 240-room InterContinental Perth City Centre. Opening its doors in October 2017, the arrival of the hotel and its two celebrated restaurants marked the luxury brand’s first foray into the Western Australian market. UNIQUELY WEST AUSTRALIAN The building is the perfect example of mid-century modern architecture, cutting an imposing figure on the Perth skyline. Its facade is a tessellation of ‘squircle’-shaped windows, which give a subtle salute to the shipping company that first occupied the building. Their porthole likeness is the only lasting remnant of the building’s…

THE PRETTIEST ROTTNEST ISLAND BEACHES AND BAYS Make the most of the beaches and bays on Rottnest Island by using our guide to help you decide which stretch of sand is right for you. GET TO KNOW KARIJINI Located in the rugged Pilbara region, a journey to Karijini National Park takes you to one of the world’s most remote locations. But trust us – it’s well worth the trip. EXPLORE NINGALOO REEF Being wowed by the size of a whale shark while swimming near Ningaloo Reef is one thing. But this gentle giant of the sea is just one of the region’s Big Three that inspires visitors to don a mask and snorkel. THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CAMPSITES IN WA From the dramatic Kimberley region in the north to the talcum-white beaches of the South West, you’ll be…

The delightful creaming-soda effect of pink waters swirling up to a white salt-fringed edge is the stuff of Dr. Seuss books, so fantastical is the concept. But nature has a habit of trumping anything that humankind can conjure in its imagination. Case in point: Lake Hillier. Located on Middle Island, the largest of the Recherche islands, 11 kilometres from the coast of Cape Arid National Park, the lake’s bubble-gum hue is believed to be the result of the presence of 10 different species of bacteria, archaea and several species of Dunaliella algae in its water, almost all of which are pink, red or salmon-coloured and love the tang of salt. While explorer Matthew Flinders might have been the first tourist to visit the lake, having led an expedition here in…

SAMPHIRE ROTTNEST If you’re feeling starved of sky, sea and sunshine, Wadjemup/Rottnest Island’s first beachfront boutique accommodation is the place to escape to. Like the native samphire it’s named after, Samphire Rottnest is found close to the water’s edge on Thomson Bay on the island’s east coast. It’s all about understated elegance at the flip-flop-friendly hotel, which has 80 bright and breezy rooms all designed to celebrate the island’s rugged, relaxed environment. Throw in great cocktails, fantastic food, and a beach club with kick-back configurations of seating and you’ll find even more reasons to rate Rotto. samphirerottnest.com.au DOUBLETREE BY HILTON PERTH WATERFRONT While the 18-storey, 229-room DoubleTree by Hilton Perth Waterfront is right in the thick of it, near Perth’s exciting Elizabeth Quay precinct, it also offers softly lit bedrooms with Swan River…

UNA MOMENTO, POR FAVORE Frui Momento means ‘enjoy the moment’. Just under three hours from Perth in the Margaret River region is where you will do just that at one of the most exciting destinations for dining in Australia right now. While the region has had gastronomic credibility for decades, restaurateur Seth James has upped the ante in Wilyabrup with his collab with winemaker Larry Cherubino, creating a venue that is as much about the wine as the food. The space includes a 50-seat restaurant and a raw bar and Champagne lounge where you can get a bump of caviar and glass of bubbles. The venue will have more than 200 wines from the Cherubino vault, as well as a selection of local and international drops. James spent eight years cooking…