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Saturday, September 6, 2008

Western Australia in Wanderlust

Western Australia is this wonderful vast place in Australia that boasts the country's best beaches, best weather, most breathtaking landscapes, and the most enviable laidback lifestyle of all of Australia's states. It takes up around a third of the country yet has only a tenth of the nation's population so there are lots of wide open spaces. But what I love about it is that even when you're in the middle of nowhere you'll come across the most extraordinary things, like this fridge stencilled with a camel which we came across on a dusty backroad in the outback near the rabbit proof fence. Western Oz was the first state I ever travelled to - aged four years old - in Australia, from my home town of Sydney. It's also the state we return to the most often when we go back to Australia these days, whether it's for writing assignments or to visit family. And it's the state I'm most fond of now. For a whole variety of reasons, but mainly because of its natural beauty, its spectacular outback, its quirky spirit, its fascinating characters, and its fabulous food and wine! You can read more about Western Australia in my piece for UK travel magazine Wanderlust, which is this month's cover story. If you live outside of the UK, you can download a copy of the story from my Media Bistro page.

11 comments:

AngelaCorrias said...

Hi Lara, I wanted to read your article but couldn't find it in your mediabistro profile. Have you already uploaded it?

Lara Dunston said...

Hi Angela, thanks for checking! I thought I'd uploaded it but just checked and it wasn't there. Media Bistro seems to be having problems accepting PDFs at the moment. I'll try again tomorrow. Thinking of heading to Western Australia?

AngelaCorrias said...

Mmmm... I would love to. At the moment sorting out my new post-degree life, I've just submitted my dissertation and planning the next trips. Your article "Walk softly into aboriginal culture" is fascinating!

Fly Girl said...

Hi Lara, Western Australia sounds fascinating! I'll be downloading the media bistro pdf as well. I really love your site! I'm a travel writer too but have only been focusing on travel over the last 5 years, the rest of my work as a journalist is on culture and lifestyle. Travel writing as you mentioned, can be frustrating. You offer some great insights on this blog. I'm glad I found it.

Nomadic Matt said...

I agree!!!!!!! I love WA!!! It is by far the best kept secret in Australia and I'm so glad not many people go there. It's the best part of OZ. I went there first on my trip and when I got to the east coast all I could think of was "get me back to WA!"

Anonymous said...

Big fan of WA myself - I'm dying to get up to the Kimberley at some point. It's one of the few blackspots on my personal Aussie map, alas.

Still, heading over in October to do pieces on Perth, Fremantle and New Norcia before crossing the Nullarbor by train. Very excited and calendar-watching already...

Lara Dunston said...

Hi Fly Girl - thanks for the feedback! Much appreciated. I'll drop by and visit you.

Hi Matt - I'm glad you love WA. I've become so fond of it myself. I was a Sydney girl and I haven't been to the East Coast in a few years but I'm about to return soon to update the Rough Guide to Australia so it will be interesting to see how it feels after the West.

Hello David - the Kimberley is awesome - my most favorite part. Spent more time there again last year. I think I could happily escape to Broome for a couple of years at some stage.

David, you must make sure you use our LP Perth and Western Australia guide, although Terry and I coordinated the thing, we didn't write Perth and Freo - we wrote everything north of Perth, immediately east and just south - did 17,500 kms in 7 weeks (I think the blurb in the book has it at less than that, but that's an editor's typo!). New Norcia has a certain charm but in denial over its role in the Stolen Generation. I'd love to see indigenous guides running the tour there and telling their stories.

We did rent a place in Freo for a couple of months during the write-up period, and I visit my sister and Mum often in Perth, so do get back to me if you need any tips.

We'll be driving across the Nullabor late November and then returning by train to the east in December. Really looking forward to it! Get in touch while you're here - perhaps our paths will cross at some stage.

Anonymous said...

I've already got your book actually, although I've not had much chance to read through it yet. Too busy trying to tee up everything for the whole trip.

I'm in Oz until early Dec - got Perth and Freo, Adelaide, Broken Hill, Sydney, Hunter Valley, Launceston, Noosa and Fraser Island to cram into seven weeks of research/ excessive drinking with the old crowd in Sydney. Should be fun, although I'll probably collapse with exhaustion at the end of it.

Anonymous said...

I would love to go to Australia sometime

Debrich said...

Hi - I'm looking forward to my first trip to WA in January - Rockingham will be home base. I can't find a lot of information on what I can do about laptop and internet access, as well as iphone and 3g. Any tips to share for the geek traveler that likes to stay connected?

Anonymous said...

Western Australia is truly a nice alternative for Sydney when you wish to travel.