6 Fairy-Tale Small Towns In Western Australia
Western Australia is the second-largest country subdivision on Earth, covering nearly a third of Australia. Naturally, the larger land area means much of its eclectic terrain spills into wind-polished deserts, wave-battered cliffs, and ancient granite outcrops that seem untouched by time. Within this vast canvas, fairy-tale small towns bloom like secrets, some backed by oceans that extend uninterrupted to Antarctica, others where kangaroos still linger near century-old jetties at dusk.
It’s not uncommon to find a coastal hamlet in Australia's Golden State, where tides retreat like clockwork to reveal mirror-flat sandbanks, or an inland outpost where whimsical buildings temper the austerity of the red earth. In places where the population remains as sparse as the clouds, the sense of wonder becomes quietly enveloping. These Western Australia towns don't demand spectacle; instead, they lean gently into it with outlandish beauty.
Broome
Broome is an eminent resort town that literally sparkles like a gem through its century-old pearling practices that built fortunes from the depths of the Indian Ocean. It continues to produce some of the world's finest South Sea pearls as white sand beaches stretch along the coast of the Kimberley region in fairy-tale perfection. Cable Beach manifests this feature with 22 kilometers of powder-white sand as turquoise waters meet camel trains at sunset. The Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Park provides adventure and a frenzy of eclectic reactions, where hundreds of saltwater crocodiles reside in natural lagoons, and visitors get to walk elevated paths through this prehistoric world.
Another quirky site is Sun Picture Garden, which operates as the world's oldest outdoor cinema (according to Guinness World Records), screening movies under stars since 1916. NeWillie Creek Pearl Farm demonstrates pearl cultivation techniques where oysters grow precious gems in controlled conditions. Travelling north, across Waterbank along Roebuck Bay, the Broome Bird Observatory will have you witness hundreds of bird species migrate along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, making this coastal research station a birdwatcher's paradise. To the east, the peninsular land strip leads toward the locality of Minyrr through red dirt roads and mangrove creeks, where traditional owners have connected ancient culture with contemporary pearl diving adventures over centuries.
Yanchep
Right at the edge of the Indian Ocean, Yanchep Lagoon's mangrove groves form natural barriers against ocean swells. Accessible from Perth, this coastal community transforms Western Australia's coastline into a picture-perfect setting. Crystal clear aqua blue water collides against glistening white sand that reefs separate from rougher ocean waters. The South Yanchep Beach yields no shortage of subtropical vibes, as cliffside panoramas emerge to spotlight both coastal and bushland beauty. Koala encounters are prevalent in the area, while the traditional Whadjuk and Yued people, part of Native Australian communities, contribute to the region's cultural depth. The Wangi Mia Meeting Place offers insights into Indigenous heritage.
Yanchep National Park's Tamala Limestone caves add a surreal element to the landscape. About 570 underground chambers, carved through limestone deposits over centuries, mesmerize tourists in the semblance of fairy-tale imageries. Crystal Cave particularly enchants visitors with its stalactites, stalagmites, and helictites throughout this underground stream system. Each summer, the City of Wanneroo organizes Yanchep Sunset Sounds, bringing live music, food trucks, and family entertainment to celebrate the magical atmosphere of Perth's northern surroundings.
Derby
A town that remains close to its roots, with a broader native population of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, Derby treasures landmarks, including one that is unfathomably ancient. Legend has it that the Boab Prison Tree, a gigantic boab tree said to be approximately 1,500 years old, once served as a prison. This ancient giant stands hollow and weathered, its trunk wide enough to shelter several people, creating an atmosphere where reality blends with folklore. The tree narrates stories centuries old, its gnarled bark and cavernous interior evoking fairy-tale imagery of enchanted forests. Aboriginal Australian traditions flourish throughout Derby. The Boab Festival celebrates its historical roots through a fortnight of cultural events, mud football, and watermelon seed spitting competitions. Indigenous artwork follows suit, appearing at every turn, from Sculptures on the Marsh to Norval Gallery, featuring local artists.
Wharfinger's House Museum takes visitors deeper into the regional past within its setting. It displays historically significant Aboriginal creations, including bark canoes and mangrove rafts, alongside the original Derby Airport Console that once connected the Kimberley region to the rest of Australia. The fairy-tale comparisons cascade beyond cultural quirks and natural foliage to sea adventures reminiscent of the adventurous legend of Sindbad. King Sound, the large gulf connecting the Indian Ocean to Derby, experiences Australia's highest tides, with vessels navigating continuous tidal changes and swirling waters throughout the cycles.
Dongara
Along the Indian Ocean coastline, Dongara magnetizes tourists with architecture as outlandish as the Dongara Steam Roller Flour Mill, where weathered stone walls and silos form a fairy-tale silhouette against coastal skies. The mill's unusual facade gives the waterfront an appearance straight out of a medieval storybook, its Gothic industrial form both imposing and whimsical. Moreton Terrace takes you through the town center toward the famous Big Crayfish Dongara at Brand Highway, an enormous Western Rock Lobster sculpture slathered in bright red paint. This roadside giant has long been Dongara’s most photographed spot, registering itself as more than a simple intersection.
The Irwin Districts Historical Society operates Russ Cottage, where displays show local maritime and farming stories inside walls that are replete with decades of history. From Irwin River Lookout, panoramic views spread across the estuary where the waterway winds between Dongara and the neighboring Port Denison, yielding calm scenes that attract pelicans and black swans. Denison Arts House in the twin town fills an old building where local artists gather, transforming this historic structure into a creative space that celebrates both artistic expression and architectural preservation.
Denmark
No true fairy tale feels complete without green paddies, farming, and agriculture, and Denmark fits precisely that slot for Western Australia with its cool-climate wines, beef cattle, and orchards. The town ranks among the southernmost territories of the state and its subregion, the Great Southern, where rolling farmlands meet ancient forests in scenes that mirror the European countryside. The Heritage Rail Bridge spans the Denmark River as a wooden footbridge where several walking trails converge. These include the Bibbulmun Track, which runs from Perth to Albany, and the Denmark-Nornalup Heritage Trail. Meanwhile, Berridge Park spreads along the Denmark River banks where families picnic under towering karri trees.
The most prominent area of the Great Southern region, Wilson Inlet, forms along the southern shore of Denmark, with its semi-permanent sandbar, creating lagoons that change shape throughout the year. Ocean Beach entices tourists to this side of the inlet, particularly due to its climate, which contrasts sharply with the tropical warmth of the Kimberley region, as seen in Broome and Derby. The weather here can turn sufficiently frigid that, only recently, an emperor penguin found its way to travel all the way from Antarctica to Australia. Gray's beaked whales have also frequented Denmark's Southern Ocean coast in the past, adding fairy-tale chapters that feature animals living in harmony with human communities.
Menzies
In the extreme eastern goldfields, where mining dreams once cascaded through desert hills, Menzies lies isolated from the coastal character of Western Australia’s prominent places. Nevertheless, the remote hamlet continues to entice tourists with its enormous artistic legacy. Mining heritage always remains prevalent throughout the gold rush town, from the historic cemetery to Niagara Dam and the nearby ghost towns of Kookynie and Mulline. The Lady Shenton mine once made fortunes here, and today, extreme heat and endless horizons continue to entice adventurous tourists seeking Oceania's most surreal artistic experience in this remote desert outpost.
Menzies became internationally famous as a gateway to one of the most unusual outdoor galleries. Lake Ballard spans the salt flats, where 51 black steel sculptures stand in eternal silence, created by British artist Antony Gormley for his "Inside Australia" installation. Each figure was cast from laser scans of actual Menzies residents, creating an outlandish scene where art meets desert in ways that seem pulled from the Thousand and One Nights folktales, albeit with a touch of science fiction. The sculptures cascade across vast strips of white salt lake bed, their dark forms casting enormous shadows that shift with the sun.
Western Australia Charms Through Extremes and Quiet Wonders
Western Australia offers more than empty horizons. Up north, where the Kimberley juts into the Indian Ocean, ancient boab trees mark time in centuries, including the remarkable specimen in Derby, thought to be over 1,500 years old. Further inland, Menzies' surreal field of black chromium arts interrupts the salt crust of Lake Ballard, adding a mesmerizing pause to an already spare and uncanny landscape. The Wildflower State doesn’t limit its stories to arid backdrops, either, as cool forest enclaves near Perth bring koalas into view in Yanchep.
Meanwhile, Wilson Inlet, near what is often recognized as the meeting point of the Indian and Southern Oceans, balances its still waters between sandbars and peppermint groves. Western Australia's contrasts sharpen its charm, as sun-bleached coastlines give way to black basalt sculptures, eucalyptus forests hum with native birdsong, and temperatures swing from piercing heat to cool, southerly breezes. Fairy-tale towns here borrow more from the land than from legend, offering quiet encounters and strange beauty in equal measure.
