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Quirky festivals, whale wonders, and lunar escapades: Discover this wondrous, dreamlike place in 2024
From foodie festivals and unique cultural experiences to diverse wildlife and natural spectacles you have to see to believe, Western Australia’s seasonal calendar means there’s something for everyone to savour throughout the year
(Clockwise from top left) From walking through fire gardens at EverNow to spotting whales off The Kimberley coast, or heading to Broome to see a staircase to the moon in Roebuck Bay and ride camels along Cable Beach, Western Australia has activities for every type of traveller. PHOTO: TOURISM WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Coming from the tropics, where the temperature stays largely the same, and the only thing that varies is the rainfall, it’s no wonder Singaporeans find the change of seasons fascinating. And what seasonal variations mean for visitors to Western Australia (WA) is a wide variety of wondrous attractions across this vast land.
Some festivals and events, like the Mandurah Crab Fest, take advantage of the crisp autumnal weather, while others celebrate the natural changes in flora, like the bloom of spring flowers at Kings Park and the Botanic Garden in Perth (Boorloo)*.
There are so many reasons for travellers to time their vacations, especially when it comes to catching the splendour of autumn foliage in Balingup or the dreamlike carpets of native wildflowers in Ravensthorpe. Animal lovers might want to plan their cruises around The Kimberley coast with the migratory patterns of humpback whales in mind, while gourmands might prefer to schedule a Manjimup holiday around the truffle season in wintertime.
With diverse activities and experiences for every season and region, Western Australia gives the traveller many reasons to visit again and again. To help you plan your vacation for the rest of the year and into 2024, look through the state’s seasonal calendar divided by regions and pick out your adventure of choice.
Artistic delights and more await in Perth
If you’re near the capital city, that means festivals galore, especially in the summer months. The season starts with Fringe World in January, a multi-arts fringe festival offering everything from circus acts to comedy, cabaret, and dance. This is followed quickly by the February marquee event – the Perth Festival. This international art festival runs until March with theatre, music, dance, opera, film, visual arts, and literature events.
Head to Cottesloe for Sculpture by the Sea to wrap up the summer season, celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2024. This annual exhibition brings together works by over 70 artists across 15 countries and is free to the public. March is also the month to drive up the coast for the Mandurah Crab Fest. The coastal city’s most significant food event offers the freshest seafood, live music, children’s entertainment, competitions, cooking demonstrations, fireworks, and more.
The second half of the year will delight birdwatchers as the Swan River (Derbarl Yerrigan)* welcomes an array of migratory birds each year between August and November. The birds move between the intertidal flats of Alfred Cove, Pelican Point and Milyu for feeding and roosting.
Flower lovers should make a note in their calendar for the Springtime Tulip Festival in August. Every year, Araluen Botanic Park transforms with a display of up to 100,000 tulips. You’ll also see daffodils, azaleas, camellias, rhododendrons, magnolias and many other spring flowering plants.
And October 2023 will see the exciting launch of a new festival, EverNow. This extraordinary celebration of Aboriginal culture – staged in the heart of the city – invites audiences into a rich dreamscape of stunning installations and live performances.
Head South West for a culinary adventure
Winter is wild and wonderful, especially for gourmands and wine connoisseurs. Truffle Kerfuffle occurs in late June and is worth planning your holiday around. Based around Manjimup, this festival runs for several days, with events spreading out from the Festival Village to surrounding truffle farms, restaurants and wineries. Join specially trained dogs as they seek out black truffles among the trees, meet farmers and growers, buy your own “black gold”, and, of course, sample as much of this delicacy as you want in local restaurants, bars and pubs.
In July, Cabin Fever (which runs between Busselton and Margaret River) gives foodies another reason to visit. This winter festival keeps everyone warm with its combination of comfort food, and fireside brews at gourmet events, workshops, bonfires and more. The highlights are, of course, the wine dinners, since it’s the Margaret River Region. But when it comes to wine festivals in Western Australia, oenophiles are spoilt for choice — apart from Cabin Fever in July, there is also Unwined Subiaco in October, City Wine in March and Taste Great Southern in May, so just pick your month of travel and say sip, sip, hooray!
Similarly, it’s not hard to plan if fruit picking is your holiday focus, as Western Australia is one of the rare places where harvesting occurs all year round. Concentrated in the beautiful southern forests region and around Perth, you’ll find orchards heavy with apples and persimmons in autumn, citrus fruit ripe for harvest in winter, a springtime bounty of strawberries and a rich summer haul of peaches, plums and cherries.
Experience the Coral Coast, where nature beckons
Wildlife lovers can head up north to observe turtle nesting. The breeding season occurs between December and March as green and loggerhead turtles make their way up the beaches to lay their eggs. The nearby Jurabi Turtle Centre on Yardie Creek Road offers 24-hour information on the turtle species on Ningaloo Reef (Nyinggulu)* and is also the staging point for turtle-watching tours. The best beaches to view sea turtles laying and hatching are from Hunters Access down to Wobiri Access, roughly 18km from Exmouth (Warnangoora)*.
Have a good rest in the North West
Between March and November, you can observe the unique natural phenomenon of a full moon rising over the exposed tidal flats of Roebuck Bay (Yawuru Nagulagun)* in Broome (Rubibi)*, the western gateway to the ancient Kimberley region. Known as the "Staircase to the Moon", this optical illusion causes a hush among onlookers as a set of stairs seemingly soars from the horizon into a star-filled night sky. While you’re in Broome, take the opportunity to hop on a cruise to see playful snubfin dolphins or ride a camel along Cable Beach (Walmanyjun)* at sunset.
Few things are more wondrous than watching whales in their natural environment. The Kimberley region marks one end of the Humpback Highway, an ancient system of ocean paths that circle the planet, used by around 35,000 whales as they move between Western Australia and Antarctica for breeding and feeding. From May to December, these majestic mammals swim close to Western Australia’s coastline on this epic journey, so make sure you book yourself on to a whale-watching cruise so that you don’t miss out on this thrilling experience.
Another good reason to linger in this region is the Shinju Matsuri Festival – Japanese for “festival of the pearl”. Held every August and September, this celebrates Broome’s multicultural history, when people across Asia flocked here to work because the town was the foremost producer of South Sea pearls. Today, the festival continues to preserve this unique heritage and unfolds across a series of events showcasing the fusion of flavours, sounds and colours in this intriguing outback town.
See the Golden Outback in full bloom
The wildflower season comes into full bloom in the Golden Outback of Western Australia from August through to November. The region is home to the largest wildflower collection on earth, with at least 12,000 species, 60 per cent of which are found nowhere else on the planet.
Every September, you can experience the full glory of this springtime splendour at flower festivals in Ravensthorpe and Esperance (Kepa Kurl)*. The Ravensthorpe event is arguably one of the best wildflower shows in the country, as experts guide visitors through the magnificent landscape of the Fitzgerald River National Park, one of the world’s most biodiverse regions.
All Season Splendours
Beyond the influence of seasons, Western Australia boasts an array of timeless experiences that will captivate travellers' hearts throughout the year. There's no need to worry about seasonal encounters with these suggestions – it's a year-round party for foodies and shoppers alike.
Discover a gourmand’s paradise
Checking out new and exciting restaurants must be one of the best things about travelling and Western Australia is not short of gastronomic pleasures. If you’re in Perth, you must not miss The Beaufort, a new hospitality precinct with no fewer than three venues to discover. There’s Lotus, a Southeast Asian restaurant; Cypher, a hidden speakeasy; and the rest of the Beaufort, encompassing a relaxed beer garden, rooftop terrace and dance floor.
Over in Swan Valley is Limeburners and Giniversity, a distillery-cum-restaurant that offers excellent meals and gin and whisky tastings, as well as blending and pairing classes. If you prefer beer, then Gage Roads Brew Co in Fremantle will be up your alley. This first venue opened by the independent brewery serves up a coastal-inspired menu as well as rotating and exclusive guest taps. Further afield in Margaret River, you will find Frui Momento. This sophisticated lakeside, vineside restaurant serving contemporary cuisine was declared New Restaurant of the Year 2023 by the West Australian Good Food Guide.
Delight in a spot of retail therapy
Although Perth is not strictly associated with shopping, the capital city of WA is a surprisingly good place for retail therapy. Westfield Carousel Cannington and Karrinyup Shopping Centre are convenient one-stop suburban malls that carry anything you could possibly want, including clothes, food, homewares, recreation and entertainment.
In the city's heart, King Street, Queen Street and Murray Street are the places to head if you’re looking for designer labels. Buying branded goods here is a good proposition for Singaporean travellers – prices are up to 30 per cent less because of the exchange rate and the tourist refund scheme, which lets you claim back the 10 per cent Australian goods and services tax (GST) from your purchases.
And, of course, there are things you can only get in this part of the world. Shop from local designers like Kirrikin and Jonte for outfits you know no one else at home will have. And then there are all those artisan specialities that will make perfect gifts for your friends and family back home – luscious honeycakes with smooth caramel and crunchy walnuts, and Corica apple strudels featuring flaky puff pastry layered with Italian custard, stewed apples and fresh cream.
No matter what you’re after – wildlife, wilderness or world-class events – start building your wish list for an unforgettable stay in Western Australia, or click here to uncover more regional delights. Looking for something specific? Wine lovers, Muslim travellers and road trippers all have something to look forward to on their next holiday in WA.
*This is an Aboriginal place name, as used by the traditional custodians of Western Australia.
