10 Natural Wonders of Western Australia - Part 2

10 Natural Wonders of Western Australia - Part 2

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Posted 2017-12-05 by finyfollow
This is the second part of my articles on the 10 Natural Wonders of Western Australia and these are 11 to 20! My original article can be seen here.

There are really more than 20 natural wonders in this vast state, however, I have had to pick out the ones I have enjoyed over the years I have lived in Perth.

11. BUNGLE BUNGLES
This is a difficult one to explain in few words as it is so vast and fascinating! Called Purnululu National Park and the Bungle Bungle Ranges, these are World Heritage listed and are in the Kimberley region of WA. Purnululu, means "sandstone", and this area has had local Indigenous people living there for some time, but the rest of the world did not know of its existence until the mid-1980's.

They are one of the world's fascinating geological landmarks, where at any time you can see orange and black sandstone domes, known as the Bungle Bungles. These swell about 300 metres above the land of Purnululu National Park and you can explore the range on foot. You will find there are long narrow "chasms and hidden gorges" some of which are large enough to hold a full-scale concert. Also seen here are some 130 species of birds and other animals.

Instead of putting one photo in here, I have given you the opportunity to see a short video which shows just some of the majesty and splendour of this fabulous region, which should be a must on everyone's bucket list!

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I also could not resist this next video as it is a different aspect of the Bungle Bungles and also truly fascinating:

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12. LUCKY BAY, ESPERANCE
Is this possibly Australia's whitest beach? Lucky Bay is a bay located on the south coast of Western Australia, in the Cape Le Grand National Park. It received its name from Matthew Flinders, who discovered it in January 1802.

Here you will find a clear, white sandy beach and turquoise waters in this wide, sheltered bay which is a great place for all water activities. You will be able to swim; snorkel, fish, surf and launch a small boat, and there is also a nice camping area which overlooks the bay.



You are able to walk to where there is a plaque standing to mark the event of Captain Flinders discovering this beautiful beach land.

**13. MT AUGUSTUS[/b]
Is this the world's biggest rock? It is rumoured to be, though it is one place I have not had the chance to visit, and it is bigger than Uluru. The start of Mt Augustas is 60 kms from Burringurrah Community. It is some 852 km north of Perth, and 390 km northwest of Meekatharra, in the Gascoyne region.

Mount Augustus or Burringurrah is one of the most spectacular solitary peaks of the world's largest peaks and is visible from the air for more than 160 kms!

It is a granite formation and is roughly 8 kms long, covers an area of 4,795 hectares and is estimated to be 1,750 million years old.



The area around here is traditional aboriginal land as can be seen by the many markings in the area.

14. SHARK BAY
This is closer to Perth and well known internationally with tourists coming here from around the world. It has the famous Monkey Mia dolphins where you can actually stand in the water and the dolphins come up to you and also should be on everyone's bucket list! There have been known to be around 16 dolphins come up to a party at one time - what a thrill!



**15. KALBARRI NATIONAL PARK[/b]
Kalbarri National Park is a very pleasant place to go to with some interesting walks, scenery and it has a casual atmosphere.



It surrounds the lower reaches of the Murchison River, where there is an 80 km gorge through the red and white banded sandstone to create several interesting formations. There is quite a lot of things to do in the area and most are family friendly.

**16. LIMESTONE CAVES, LEEUWIN[/b]
There are over 150 limestone caves that lie beneath the surface of the Leeuwin Naturaliste Ridge. You can see some on self-guided tours at your own pace or, if you're feeling adventurous, you can even abseil your way in! These caves are delightful when the weather is really hot and are just so fascinating as most have something unique about them.



17. JEWEL CAVE - MARGARET RIVER
Both the Jewel Cave and the Mammoth Caves are fascinating and I visit them each time I go down to Margaret River, and never tire of seeing their beauty, and what nature can do!



18. LEEUWIN-NATURALISTE NATIONAL PARK
This park is situated in Yallingup and is well known for the incredible views it offers. There is a lot to do in this area and it is said that it is "an absolute paradise for both surfers and fishermen"! Sugarloaf rock is a great place to spot native birds and catch a few fish while you are birdwatching, and also of interest are Canal Rocks and Wyadup Rocks.



19. VALLEY OF THE GIANTS
This is situated in Tinglewood or near Denmark and is a fascinating place with huge trees where you can venture onto the canopies of magnificent Tingle Forest.

Although the walkways which are here are not natural wonders, the area is, with its ginormous trees. Here you can walk, or better still, go on guided tree top walk! Absolutely fascinating is this 40-metre high walk which incidentally also can accommodate wheelchairs. It is a 40 m high walkway constructed of a series of 60 metre, lightweight steel trusses.



[b]20. SHOALWATER ISLANDS MARINE PARK[/b]
Here you will see pristine islands and reefs and if you are into diving, you can also look over some shipwrecks, as well as wildlife watching in the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park.

If you are lucky you will also see some bottlenose dolphins which are extremely common in the marine park, or you can do a tour of "swimming with dolphins". Seal Island is home to a colony of rare Australian sea lions which can often be seen fishing and swimming in nearby waters.



Shoalwater Islands Marine Park is easy to get to from Rockingham which is less than half an hour's drive south of Perth.

[b]NOTE** - If you enjoyed this article, please check out my other part of the Wonders of Western Australia here .

#adventure
#attractions
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#lists
#natural_attractions
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%wnperth
114929 - 2023-06-12 18:02:15

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