Nature & Wildlife

ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS AND PINCH-ME MOMENTS IN UNTOUCHED NATURE

Killer whales leaping from inky blue depths. Chasing a catch. Riding the bow. Dolphins joining you for a paddle or a swim, flashing you a cheeky smile. Dive through colourful coral towers stretching out to sea beneath one epic timber jetty. Giant stingrays gliding by your feet. Leviathans breaching and spy-hopping, playing peek-a-boo all along the Humpback Highway. Echoes of megafauna and millennia leading you deep into karri and marri forest and bushland trails. Into the powerful stillness of ancient limestone caves. Towering tingle trees sharing their age-old stories with a whisper as you ascend into the treetops. Emus, kangaroos and the rarest, delicate orchids popping up from the undergrowth. Shape-shifting rocks. Look, they are elephants bathing in a crystal pool. Climb atop. Ride them into the Southern Ocean. Next stop, Antarctica.

With 24 national parks and over 1000km of coastline, Australia’s South West is the perfect place to embrace nature. A diverse range of plants, wildflowers, forests and animals contribute to the rare and unique nature of this forest-meets-ocean location, which is ripe and ready for exploring.

With over 1500 species of plants and a plethora of native animals in the South West, it’s easy to see why this West Australian region is one of just 36 biodiversity hotspots in the world.

Biodiversity hotspots are areas that support natural ecosystems that are largely intact, with a high diversity of plant and wildlife species that are not found or are rarely found outside of their nature hubs. They also have 30% or less of their original natural vegetation. The South West certainly fits the bill, with its flora and fauna having evolved in isolation for millions of years.

PLANTS

Almost 80 percent of the plant species in the South West are found nowhere else on earth. More than 8000 species of wildflowers and 300 species of delicate orchids bloom across the region every spring (August through to November), making it a popular time to visit. Discover these unique flowers by heading on a bushwalk, or book a tour with a South West wildlife guide who can teach you everything you need to know about Native Wisteria, South Coast Spider Orchids and more. Or check out some of the beautifully landscaped country gardens of the South West.

WILDLIFE

Did you know Australia’s South West is a mecca for animal encounters, big and small? Spot South West wildlife – from woylies, kangaroos and brushtail possums; to blue tongue lizards, kookaburras and red-tailed black cockatoos – on walk trails, in national parks, in waterways and along the coast, or join an eco or wildlife tour for an up-close experience.

Searching for whales and marine life in the South West? We have one of the longest whale watching seasons in the world, spanning from January to December. Catch humpback, southern right, blue and killer whales along the coast, as well as dolphins, rays and other ocean-dwelling animals. And if you’re after the best vantage points to see marine life in Australia, you can’t go wrong along the South West coast!