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Australia

Travel Stories: Roadtripping Western Australia’s Coral Coast

17 May 2019 by Kate

Road trips aren’t measured by mile markers, but by moments. I read that somewhere and it has stuck with me. I think that’s one of the things I love most about road trips. The best part of the adventure is not necessarily the end destination, but the experiences you have and the things you see along the way. For me, that’s what makes a road trip so memorable and fun.

Whether it’s completely spontaneous or well planned, the idea of taking off in my car has always appealed to me. There’s nothing quite like the freedom of the open road. And although I’m quite comfortable with my own company, I think the best kind of road trips involve good company. With long conversations, laughter, spontaneous detours, pit stops, music and even the occasional sing-a-long.

Taking time out to admire a beautiful sunset
Photo copyright Kate Anderson


So it was a dream come true for me when I had the opportunity to explore a bit of Western Australia’s Coral Coast during a week long road trip from Perth to Monkey Mia. Heading north of Perth as we did, meant travelling along the scenic Indian Ocean Drive for a large part of the journey. FYI: Indian Ocean Drive begins in Lancelin and ends in Geraldton. It’s certainly a much more pleasant experience than driving inland on Brand Highway.

If you’ve never visited Western Australia before, one thing you need to know is that it is huge. HUGE. It is the largest state in the country, geographically speaking and covers more than 2.6 million square kms. In fact, if Western Australia was separate from the rest of Australia, it would be the 10th largest in the world. So exploring the state means covering a lot of miles – and that takes time, especially when you’re travelling by car. It’s just over 900 km from Perth to Monkey Mia, so we decided to split the journey. And Kalbarri was our first major stop.

Perth to Kalbarri

It took about eight or nine hours to drive from Perth to Kalbarri, including quite a few pit stops along the way. Our accommodation for two nights was the Kalbarri Edge Resort. The hotel was a great base to explore the charming seaside town and the main attraction, Kalbarri National Park. After settling in for the night, we made sure to wake up early the next day so we could head over to the foreshore to watch the pelican feeding. You’ll need to be there for 8.45 in the morning, if you want to watch local volunteers feed these beautiful wild birds. Better still, gets hands on and feed the pelicans yourself. It’s a really fun thing to do, whatever your age. Interestingly, the pelican feeding has been taking place along the foreshore for 40 years.

Pelican feeding time at Kalbarri foreshore
Photo copyright Tse Yin Chang


With one full day of adventure ahead of us, we made our way to Kalbarri National Park. Having seen plenty of photographs of the national park showcasing its natural beauty, I was beyond excited to explore this extraordinary place. As much as I loved the pelican feeding experience, this was the main highlight of Kalbarri for me. From the inland river gorges to the coastal cliffs, Kalbarri National Park is breathtaking, in every sense of the word. The park is huge – and I mean huge. It covers around 186,000 hectares, so we had to be a bit selective about the areas we wanted to explore. It’s not free to enter, but at just $13 (for a vehicle of up to 12 passengers) it’s well worth the entry fee.

First stop on our itinerary was Nature’s Window. So we headed inland to check out this amazing natural rock arch, which is formed from layers of Tumblagooda Sandstone. It’s an extremely popular spot for tourists and probably the park’s top attraction, enjoying incredible views of the Murchison River below. If you’re into hiking, I highly recommend walking the Z Bend Gorge river trail. It’s not the longest hike at just 2.6 km, but the terrain is challenging and demanding in parts. The trail includes loose rocks with steep descents and ladder climbs. But it is well worth the effort, just to take in the views from the bottom of the gorge.

The rugged seascape of Kalbarri National Park
Photo copyright Kate Anderson

Kalbarri National Park isn’t just beloved for its 400 million year old rock formations and river gorges. The contrasting landscape of its rugged coastal sandstone cliffs is equally beautiful and breathtaking. Most of the coastal sites are accessible by car, caravan or motorhome. Island Rock and Natural Bridge, Red Bluff, Pot Alley and Eagle Gorge all offer spectacular vantage points.

Kalbarri to Shark Bay

We left Kalbarri and headed for Denham and Shark Bay, which was to be our next base for the night. It’s a four hour direct drive, but along the way we detoured to check out a few of the sights along the World Heritage Drive, including Shell Beach and the Hamelin Pool stromatolites. Located in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Shark Bay, Shell Beach is a photogenic snow-white beach made up of billions of teeny tiny shells. The beach – which incidentally, has no sand – stretches for more than 70 km. Walking on Shell Beach is a truly unique experience, because it’s one of only a handful of similar beaches in the world.

Shell Beach is in the Shark Bay Heritage area of Western Australia
Photo copyright Tse Yin Chang


Shark Bay is also home to the Hamelin Pool stromatolites, living fossils which date back some 3.7 billion years. They are the oldest and largest living fossils in the world, and one of only four places where living marine stromatolites exist on the planet. Which makes them pretty special. Take a stroll along the purpose-built jetty and marvel at this natural wonder that provides a window into the origins of life and what the earth was like 3.7 billion years ago.

After several stop offs, we finally made it to Denham and Shark Bay and our home for the night, On the Deck @ Shark Bay. The location of this b&b is excellent and the accommodation was amazing, especially the decked area with a hot tub, where we sat and drank and watched the night sky in awe. Unfortunately, we were only there for one night, and despite the adventures we had ahead of us, it was hard to leave this lovely home away from home.

Francois Peron National Park

There’s lots to see and do in the Shark Bay area, but perhaps the number one visitor attraction is Francois Peron National Park. We headed to the Shark Bay Visitor Centre and booked a personal tour guide (Shark Bay Coastal Tours) to take us into the park. The majority of the track isn’t accessible by two wheel drive vehicles: due to the deep soft sand it is only suitable for high clearance four wheel drive vehicles. Although we had a four-wheel drive, we felt more comfortable letting someone else drive. The idea of getting stuck in the deep soft red sands was not appealing. Luckily for us, our guide Keith was brilliant and very knowledgeable about the area. And we didn’t get stuck once!

The incredible colours of Francois Peron National Park

We found that hiring a local guide was the best way to experience and enjoy the park’s exclusive spots. It also gave us an opportunity to learn about the rich history of the area from a passionate local. Exploring Francois Peron National Park – which is just a 10 minute drive from Denham – was an incredible experience. During the day we ventured to Cape Peron, the most northerly tip of the park. With red cliffs, red sand, bright blue skies and beautiful turquoise water, the landscape is phenomenal. Head to Skipjack Point, which offers a great vantage point to take in the amazing views. And marvel at how clear the water is. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to see manta rays, dugongs and small sharks cruising the water below.

Francois Peron National Park is pretty vast, covering over 52,000 hectares of arid shrublands and sand plains. It’s also home to some really cute little critters, like the Australian Thorny Devil. Also known as a Thorny Dragon or Mountain Devil, they have a lifespan of around 20 years and can grow up to 20cm in length. Our guide Keith managed to spot one wandering along the red sandy track.

Me holding a Thorny Devil
Photo copyright Tse Yin Chang

Our Coral Coast road trip took us as far north as Monkey Mia, where we had organised an overnight stay at the Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort. There had already been so many wonderful moments during this trip, but getting so see the local bottlenose dolphins in their natural habitat was a definite highlight for me. They visit the shores of Monkey Mia Beach up to three times a day to feed (from 7.45 in the morning to 12 noon) and you’ll have the opportunity to interact with these incredible creatures. Monkey Mia is actually one of the most reliable places for dolphin interaction, not just in Australia but the world. So the chances of you getting to see them is pretty high.

Given the fabulous location, we were really looking forward to our stay at the Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort. However, while the location is hard to beat, the accommodation when we stayed in 2015 was somewhat disappointing. Although clean (which is what’s most important!) it was dated and expensive. The one saving grace was that we had a room overlooking the beach. So not only did we enjoy a great view, but we were able to fall asleep listening to the soothing sounds of the ocean.

Waiting for the dolphins at Monkey Mia Beach
Photo copyright Kate Anderson

Back to Perth via Geraldton

The World Heritage-listed area of Shark Bay – with its gorgeous hidden bays, pristine white-sand beaches and towering limestone cliffs – stretches from Kalbarri to Carnarvon. But Monkey Mia was as far north as we were travelling on our road trip. And so, after 6 days away, it was time to head back to Perth. Rather than drive the entire 900 km in one swoop, we decided to break up the journey by stopping over in Geraldton. It was a perfect opportunity to explore a little bit of the coastal city and the area further afield.

About an hours drive from Geraldton is Pink Lake, also known as Hutt Lagoon. It’s become a hot spot for tourists and has made a name for itself as one of the Coral Coast’s most Instagrammable locations. Also worth a visit is the Heritage-listed Oakabella Homestead. Located between Geraldton and Northampton, just off North West Coastal Highway, it’s a short 30 minute drive from Geraldton. Not only is the tearoom a perfect place for a pit stop, you’ll also be visiting one of Western Australia’s most haunted houses. If you’re into ghost and ghouls and things that go bump in the night, make sure you pay the homestead a visit.

Taking in a stunning sunset in Geraldton
Photo copyright Kate Anderson

Someone wise once said that it’s all about the journey, not the destination, which for me truly sums up a great road trip. After my Coral Coast adventure, it reinforced my belief that there really is no better way to traverse this part of Western Australia. It’s certainly a lot more fun than sitting on a plane.

Filed Under: Blog, Travel Tagged With: Australia, blogging, road trip, travel, travel blog, Western Australia

Travel Stories: Off the Beaten Track With Blue Mountains Eco Tours

7 March 2016 by Kate

The Three Sisters, Blue Mountains
The Three Sisters, Blue Mountains

 

Back in May 2015 I had the opportunity to visit Sydney for the very first time. Like most eager and excited tourists, I was armed with a pretty long list of cool places to visit and things to do during my holiday. At the time I was living in Perth and had never ventured outside of Western Australia. So I was keen to see how New South Wales compared and what the state had to offer.

Top of my to-do-list was a trip out to the World Heritage listed Blue Mountains, home to approximately one million hectares of beautiful bushland and eucalyptus forests, mesmerising waterfalls and rugged sandstone cliffs. Not to mention some of the most spectacular views New South Wales, and Australia, has to offer.

The Blue Mountains National Park is located around 75 km west of Sydney. How you explore the area will depend on your budget. You can hire a vehicle and drive yourself – it takes around 90 minutes to two hours by car. Alternatively, catch the train from Sydney’s Central Station to Katoomba and use the hop-on-hop-off big red sightseeing bus, or book yourself onto a private tour. We opted to give the big impersonal group tours a miss and decided to look for a smaller tour operator. After doing a little bit of research (thanks Google!) we came across Blue Mountains Eco Tours.

Owned and operated by Paul and Jenny, Blue Mountains Eco Tours offer friendly and informative bespoke tours for small groups of people, usually no more than five or six. Paul has over 15 years of industry experience as a tour guide. He’s very passionate and knowledgeable, knows the Blue Mountains inside and out and is great at getting to off-the-beaten-track places most tour companies don’t go to.

Customer satisfaction is very important to Blue Mountains Eco Tours, and Paul prides himself on making sure his guests are happy. He will tailor the day to meet your needs to provide the best possible experience. Special interests are also catered for, whether you’re into photography, hiking or bird and wildlife spotting. One of Paul’s most popular tours is the Twilight Wildlife Tour, which combines the stunning scenery of the Blue Mountains with kangaroo and wallaby spotting.

Ours was a very last minute booking. But being late May (off peak) luck was on our side and we were able to book Paul for the day at relatively short notice. And better still, it was just the two of us taking the tour. It was like having our very own personal tour guide!

Our day started around 10am, when Paul picked us up from our Sydney CBD hotel. We opted to set off slightly later (7-7.30am is the usual pick up time) because we wanted to be in the Blue Mountains for sunset. We settled back into the plush leather seats of Paul’s very swish and comfortable Land Rover Discovery and started our journey to the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. Paul was keen to discover what we wanted from our tour, and being amateur photographers, we asked Paul to take us to the best locations for landscape photography. A keen photographer himself, Paul had first hand knowledge of all the best spots.

Our first stop was for morning tea and Tim Tams at Lincoln’s Rock. Also known as Flat Rock, here we were treated to some of the most spectacular views of the vast and rugged landscape going. Lincoln’s Rock is essentially a big rock jutting out from the Kings Tableland in Wentworth Falls. From here the views of the Jamison Valley are nothing short of breathtaking.

Katoomba Falls was another highlight. Around 800 ft high in three sections, we enjoyed a hike to the middle section, stopping off at various lookouts and vantage points to photograph mini waterfalls and take in the best views of Wentworth Falls and the several million years old sandstone structure, The Three Sisters – perhaps the most famous landmark in the whole of the Blue Mountains.

There are many lookout points scattered throughout the Blue Mountains National Park, all offering incredible vistas. One of my personal favourites was Anvil Rock at Blackheath, which you can only get to by driving down a long unsealed road. It’s a perfect example of an off-the-beaten-track hidden gem, which you’ll miss if you take one of the big coach tours. Here you get to feast upon the most stunning views of the Grose Valley, Mount Banks and Mount Hay. Wind Eroded Cave, a large 20 metre high overhang in the cliffs, is just 400 meters to the west of Anvil Rock car park, and also worth a visit.

Before we left, we made sure to sample one of the area’s famous meat pies. On Paul’s recommendation we popped into one of the best local pie shops, The Bakehouse on Wentworth in Leura. Known for their generous fillings and flaky pastry that melts in the mouth, it was probably the best pie I have ever tasted, and excellent value for money too. I do wish we’d had a little more time to explore Leura though, a charming little town adjacent to Katoomba. But there’s only so many hours in a day.

Our day ended watching the sun set over the magnificent valleys before Paul drove us back to our hotel, tired but buzzing from our wonderful Blue Mountains adventure.

We packed a lot into our five day Sydney trip and the Blue Mountains was everything we could have hoped for and more. Paul was a brilliant tour guide, and he went above and beyond to make sure we had the best day possible. If you’re in Sydney, and you can only book one tour, book this one. It was the highlight of a short-but-sweet trip.

9 Reasons to Book with Blue Mountains Eco Tours

  • Paul has been a tour guide for over 15 years
  • Excellent Trip Advisor reviews
  • Friendly and informative
  • Small, intimate groups
  • In depth knowledge of the area
  • Comfortable and luxurious vehicle
  • Special interests catered for
  • Go where tour buses cannot
  • Personal pick up and drop off

If you’d like to know a little bit more about Blue Mountains Eco Tours, please take a look at their website.

Katoomba Falls, Blue Mountains
Katoomba Falls

Sunset at Blue Mountains
Blue Mountains sunset

Lincoln's Rock, Blue Mountains
Lincoln’s Rock, Blue Mountains

View of Blue Mountains from Katoomba Falls
View of Blue Mountains from Katoomba Falls

Filed Under: Blog, Travel Tagged With: 4WD Blue Mountains tour, Australia, Blue Mountains, Katoomba, New South Wales, Sydney, The Three Sisters, travel, traveller, Wentworth Falls

Travel Stories: An Australian Affair to Remember

2 June 2014 by Kate

Perth at night
Perth at night

Australia. The land Down Under. The lucky country. Or that “really far away place on the other side of the world!” Call it what you like, it’s a place famed for its glorious beaches, hot sunny weather, laid back lifestyle and stunning scenery.

With these attributes the country effortlessly manages to cast a magical spell over the many millions of tourists who flock to its far away shores year after year. Millions of people who arrive as tourists but who leave feeling as though they’ve found a second home.

It’s pretty impossible to sum up Australia in just a few words. Sure it’s famous for a wide variety of things. Like great weather, stunning beaches, and a pretty good cricket team. It’s given the world Kylie Minogue, Mel Gibson and Neighbours. It’s home to a big rock (Uluru), a big bridge that resembles a coat-hanger (the Harbour Bridge), a vast remote patch of land (the Outback) and last but not least, the Great Barrier Reef.

But there’s more to Australia than sport, the weather, tourist attractions and a few famous names. To see it is to believe it. To feel it is to fall in love with it. And fall in love is what I did.

While Sydney and Melbourne remain the top destinations of choice for first time visitors, there’s heaps of equally amazing places to check out. Australia is a vast country – and I mean HUGE. It’s almost 32 times the size of the UK. It’s actually a continent, albeit the world’s smallest, with an area of less than 7.7 million square kilometres. Lying south of the equator, its geographical location is why Australia is affectionately referred to as the land Down Under.

Australia comprises of six states: Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania. It also has two mainland territories, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. And contrary to popular opinion, it’s Canberra that’s the capital city, not Sydney!

Yes, Australia is steeped in misconceptions. For example most ‘locals’ don’t greet each other by saying “G’day mate”. And most Australian men (at least the ones I know!) don’t fit the rugged, outback-dwelling bush-man type as portrayed by the likes of Hugh Jackman (Australia) and Paul Hogan (Crocodile Dundee). Oh and about the outback: yes it is massive – like 1.2 million square miles or something. But only a small percentage of people actually live there (at the last count it was something like 1%) because most Australians are very, very urbanised.

The Swan Bell Tower, Perth
The Swan Bell Tower, Perth

Which brings me to Perth, the capital city of Western Australia. And the start of my love affair with Australia.

Tucked away on the beautiful west coast, the city sits majestically overlooking the stunning Indian ocean. Perth is, in my humble opinion, Australia’s best kept secret. I’d even go so far as to say that it’s the jewel in Australia’s crown. It’s the most isolated city in Australia – the nearest city, Adelaide, is just short of 2,200 km away. So geographically speaking Perth is pretty isolated indeed. Although it is a misconception that it’s the most isolated city in the world. Perth may “seem” like the most remote city in the world, but in terms of cities with populations in excess of 1 million, Auckland takes that title. Perth is second.

Like most Australian cities it’s also pretty expensive.  Pricey Perth is actually the most expensive state capital after Sydney. But the best things in life aren’t always free. Don’t let its reputation for being one of the world’s most expensive cities put you off. In many ways Perth more than makes up for its expensive price tag.

Time for a few more facts about Perth and Western Australia:

  • Perth is the sunniest capital city in the world and has on average 8 hours of sunshine per day 365 days per year, of which around 118 are clear days. That’s almost 3,000 hours of sunshine!
  • It has the largest inner city park in the world. Yes at 4.06 square kilometres Kings Park is bigger than Central Park in New York.
  • Western Australia is the largest of all the Australian States. With an area of more than 2 500 000 sq km, it has a huge 12, 500 km coastline.
  • The weather is superb. On average maximum temperatures range from 17ºC in July to 30ºC in February. Minimum temperatures rarely fall below 5ºC on average during the winter.
  • Western Australia is famous for its mineral and energy resources including diamonds, iron ore and mineral sands.
  • According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics there are approximately 1.74 million people living in the Perth metropolitan area. The city has a lot of British-born residents too; 142,424 in fact, as of the 2006 Census.
  • WA is divided into five regions: the Kimberley, the North West, the South West, the Interior and the Wheat Belt.
  • In 2011 The Economist listed Perth as the joint eighth most livable city in the world.
  • Some pretty famous people were born in Perth, including model Megan Gale, INXS drummer Jon Farris and actor Heath Ledger.
  • West Australians are known colloquially as sandgropers. Yes, really!

The iconic Boat House, Perth
The iconic Boat House, Perth

So, what’s to love about Perth you may still wonder. I guess to summarise, Perth is kind of unique. Call it a vibe. Call it an atmosphere. There’s something rare, something truly special about Perth. A cosmopolitan city with an abundance of restaurants, bars and cultural activities, Perth might not be the bustling city that Sydney (or even Melbourne) is. But in truth that’s part of its charm. It also has some of the most beautiful beaches and crystal clear blue waters you’re ever likely to feast your eyes upon. And a near perfect all year round climate that compliments its laid back lifestyle perfectly.

Yes as Australian cities go Perth is a rare blend indeed. Not perfection personified by any means. But it comes pretty close.

Filed Under: Blog, Travel Tagged With: Australia, Perth, travel, Western Australia

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About me

I work with small businesses, helping them to address their marketing needs by providing copywriting and communication services for digital and print. This could be blog content, optimised website content, copy for emails or newsletteres. I also provide social media management services, taking care of social channels for small businesses.

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If you’re looking for someone to write blog posts, require content writing for your website, want to commission me to write an article or need help with your social media, please feel free to drop me a line.

Email: kate@kateeanderson.com

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