Page 44 - Holidays with Kids - Volume 62 (January 2020)

WESTERN AUSTRALIA
03

“ The friendly 'puppies of the

sea' thrill us with their high

jinks, leaving plenty of salty

kisses on our camera.”

arena in the Southern Hemisphere alongside sporting
memorabilia and stellar views of the city. Of course, a day
trip to Rottnest Island to meet a quokka, the world’s 04
happiest animal, is an absolute must. Paddling at a few of
Rotto’s gorgeous blue beaches proved a delightful bonus.
Sand dunes and salty kisses
Leaving Perth, we make our way north along the Coral
Coast, with the first day alone revealing beaches so perfect
they look photoshopped, epic roadside sand dunes where
we stop to climb and slide, and the peculiar site of the
Pinnacles in Nambung National Park.
Day two delivers more magic via an adorable encounter
at Jurien Bay with Australian sea lions – one of the world’s
rarest sea lion species. The friendly 'puppies of the sea'
thrill us with their high jinks, leaving plenty of salty kisses
on our camera as precious keepsakes.
Wandering off the beaten track into wildflower country
in Mingenew for a wilder version of Kings Park, Coalseam
Conservation Park proves a great example of how mining
lands can be reclaimed to promote active regeneration.
The park is also one of the best spots to stop and dance
among the wildflowers during their brief season from
September to October.
Red dirt and dolphins

The outback collides with the sea at Kalbarri. Rust red cliffs
merge with jade waters on its front doorstep, while on its
back sits the ancient gorges of Kalbarri National Park. We
visit the national park early, as hiking here can be
dangerous if it gets too hot, particularly with kids. A
moderate walk to Nature’s Window offers views to where
the Murchison River etches its way to the sea.
We cool off at Blue Holes, inviting tidal pools that fill up
on high tide, perfectly safe for little mermaids and mermen
to explore.
We spoil ourselves with a stay at RAC Monkey Mia
Dolphin Resort in Shark Bay to meet its famous dolphins.
Feeding times can get crazy busy, but there was plenty of
time to see them on our own – one even popping up while
we were paddling to say a splashy hello.
The surrounding area of Shark Bay is 2.2 million hectares
of World Heritage-listed land brimming with wildlife. We
watch a family of emus taking a dip in the sea, spot sea 01 Kalbarri Blue Holes 02 Sal Salis glamping 03 Nature's
turtles and rays sweeping through the clear waters from Window 04 Satellite at Carnarvon 05 Coalseam Conservation
the Eagle Bluff boardwalk, and visit Shell Beach to marvel Park wildflowers 06 Quokka at Rottnest 07 Rottnest Island's
Bathurst Lighthouse. All images © Narelle Bouveng
at millions of cockle shells.

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