Page 306 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

304  WESTERN A USTR ALIA

Exploring Perth and the Southwest

The city of Perth lies on the Swan River, just 20 km (12 miles)
from where it flows into the Indian Ocean. The coastal plain
on which it stands is bordered to the north and west by the
Darling Range, beyond which lie the region’s wheat fields.
To the south is a diverse landscape: forests with some of
the tallest trees on earth, mountains that dramatically
change colour during the course of each day and a 0 kilometres 50
spectacular coastline. Inland are the gold fields that 0 miles 50
kept the colony alive in the 1890s; beyond lies the
Nullarbor Plain, bordering the raging Southern Ocean. Mt Magnet
Geraldton
New Norcia
Ledge Point
Guilderton Gingin
Muchea
Yanchep
Wanneroo
Sorrento
Midland
PERTH
FREMANTLE
Beach and raging surf in Leeuwin Naturaliste National Park, near the mouth ROTTNEST Armadale
of the Margaret River ISLAND
Rockingham
Getting Around Mandurah
Perth’s public transport is fast and reliable, Pinjarra
and travel by bus within the city centre is
free. TransWa, Greyhound and Skywest Lane
(a state-based airline) offer rail, coach and Pool
air services to many of the region’s towns. Harvey Reserve
Distances are not overwhelming, so
travelling by car allows visits to the many Brunswick
national parks in the area. The arterial Australind Junction
routes are fast roads often used by gigantic BUNBURY Collie
road trains. However, there are many tourist Boyanup
Tuart Forest
routes which lead to places of interest and National Park
great natural beauty. Some national parks Dunsborough Donnybrook
have unsealed roads, and a few are Yallingup BUSSELTON
accessible only by 4WD.
Ellensbrook
Homestead
MARGARET RIVER BRIDGETOWN
Nannup
Sights at a Glance Leeuwin-Naturaliste MANJIMUP
National Park
Glenoran Falls
1 Perth pp306–11 w Stirling Range National Park Hamelin Bay Augusta
2 Rottnest Island pp312–13 e York Cape PEMBERTON
3 Fremantle pp314–15 r Northam Leeuwin
4 Bunbury
5 Busselton The Goldfields and D’Entrecasteaux
National Park
6 Margaret River Nullarbor Plain See pp322–3
7 Bridgetown t Wave Rock Windy Harbour
8 Manjimup y Kalgoorlie-Boulder
9 Pemberton u Norseman
0 Denmark i Esperance
q Albany o Nullarbor Plain