The 9 Can't-Miss Towns In Western Australia

Western Australia’s beauty lies in turquoise coral reefs and vast stretches of coastline where the Indian and Southern oceans shape some of the country’s most unforgettable scenery. In Exmouth, travelers can drift snorkel over coral gardens at Turquoise Bay and join seasonal whale shark swims on Ningaloo Reef before exploring the canyons of Cape Range National Park. Meanwhile, Esperance draws visitors with Lucky Bay in Cape Le Grand National Park, famous for its brilliantly white sand and kangaroos that regularly lounge along the shoreline.

Exmouth

Set between red desert ranges and a reef that begins metres from the sand, Exmouth is one of the few places in the country where the outback and the coral coast meet so sharply. The draw is immediate at Turquoise Bay, where the “drift snorkel” lets you enter at the southern end and float north with the current over coral bommies and reef sharks. Just inland, Cape Range National Park cuts through limestone ranges and deep canyons. At Yardie Creek Gorge, you can walk the 1.2-km Yardie Nature Walk for views across the creek mouth and spot black-footed rock wallabies on the cliffs.

Marine encounters define this town. Licensed tours (such as Exmouth Dive & Whalesharks Ningaloo and Three Islands Whale Shark Dive) on Ningaloo Reef run seasonal whale shark swims from March to July and humpback whale swims later in the year, all under strict caps that keep numbers low. Back on Murat Road, the Ningaloo Centre houses the Ningaloo Aquarium and Discovery Centre. The tanks focus on species you’re likely to see offshore: clownfish in anemones, blue-spotted lagoon rays, lionfish, coral trout, and reef sharks.

Jurien Bay

Two hours north of Perth, Jurien Bay sits on a stretch of the Coral Coast where clear water, offshore islands, and wildflower country meet without the crowds of larger resort towns. The town’s local favourite is the Jurien Bay Jetty, a straight 162-metre pier where afternoon light softens over the water. People fish for squid and herring here, or stroll out for open-ocean views with the islands on the horizon. You can also swim and snorkel right off the beach slopes, spotting reef fish and rays in the turquoise shallows. Meanwhile, Jurien Bay Marine Park is a large marine conservation area. Jurien Bay Oceanic Experience runs small-group tours to swim with Australian sea lions, with encounters that are controlled but often playful once you’re in the water.

Ten minutes inland, Lesueur National Park flips the scene altogether. Between July and October, more than 900 plant species bloom here, including bright yellow banksias, pink featherflowers, donkey orchids, smokebush, and white everlastings that carpet sections of heath. An 18.5-kilometre scenic drive loops through the park with marked lookouts and short walking trails.

Bremer Bay

Orca encounters in open Southern Ocean waters are what put Bremer Bay on the map. From January through April, boats head 70 kilometres out to the Bremer Canyon, a deep-water system where killer whales hunt in nutrient-rich currents. Naturaliste Charters is among the top operators for full-day expeditions from the Bremer Bay Boat Harbour, and sightings are frequent enough that this has become one of Australia’s most reliable orca viewing locations.

On land, Little Boat Harbour Beach is a sheltered cove with white sand and clear, calm water, protected from the Southern Ocean swells that hit the outer coastline. It is the town’s reliable swimming spot. Nearby, Bremer Bay is also directly beside the south-western edge of Fitzgerald River National Park, giving the town immediate access to more than 330,000 hectares of protected coastline and heathland. The Point Ann section includes clifftop platforms overlooking a recognised southern right whale nursery between June and October, as well as coastal walks through dense banksia and hakea scrub.

Bridgetown

Bridgetown was granted Historic Town Status by the National Trust and leans fully into its cooler climate, calling itself Western Australia’s winter capital. From June to August, Fridgetown Fest reshapes the town for three months. There are art shows, small-ticket “secret picnics,” and the Banquet on the Bridge, where a long table is set across Evans Bridge, and seats sell out well in advance. That winter atmosphere extends to Sunnyhurst Wines, where Marie-Pierre Dussault runs tastings at a 1906 homestead from Thursday to Sunday. The cellar door focuses on estate-grown Shiraz Viognier, Durif, and ruby port. Outside, more than 600 heritage roses frame the gardens, and a 120-year-old Moreton Bay fig anchors the property.

Puzzletown6255, inside the Visitor Centre, spans everything from the world’s smallest wooden puzzle to a 40,320-piece finished build. The six-kilometre Blackwood River Walk follows Western Australia’s longest continually flowing river, and it’s a reliable place to spot blue fairy wrens, long-necked tortoises, and kangaroos along the banks.

Kununurra

“Big Water” is what Kununurra means in the Miriwoong language, and the name fits. Established in the early 1960s to support the Ord River Irrigation Scheme, Kununurra turned dry savannah into irrigated farmland, now known for mangoes, melons, and sandalwood. The scheme also feeds Lake Argyle, one of Australia’s largest freshwater lakes, often described as several times the size of Sydney Harbour. Sunset cruises cross open water where freshwater crocodiles rest along the edges, and flocks of waterbirds lift off the wetlands. In designated areas, visitors can swim in croc-managed zones.

Two kilometres from the centre, Mirima National Park rises in over 300-million-year-old sandstone formations. Four marked trails wind through layered domes, with the longest about 2.2 kilometres, and the rock shifts from orange to deep red as the light fades. Closer to the main street, Waringarri Aboriginal Arts remains Western Australia’s first Indigenous-owned art centre. Guided visits include conversations with artists and insight into local Miriwoong culture.

York

As Western Australia’s first inland European settlement in 1831, York still looks and feels like the 19th century never fully left. Avon Terrace carries that history in plain sight. Victorian and Federation-era buildings line the main street, not as replicas but as working shops and cafés. Inside one of them sits the York Motor Museum, the community-owned motor museum. Around 60 cars and more than a dozen motorcycles fill the space, from a 1898 Benz on loan from the Western Australian Museum to 1950s Cadillacs and Australian race cars. The signed Crocodile Dundee ute draws its own crowd.

From town, the 7.2-kilometre Mount Brown Walk Trail begins by crossing the Avon River Suspension Bridge, which has spanned the river since 1888. The track winds past the old cemetery and through open bush before climbing to Mount Brown, 342 metres above sea level. From the lookout, the Wheatbelt stretches out in a grid of farmland and low hills. Back along Avon Terrace, York Town Hall anchors the streetscape. Built in 1911, it now houses the Visitor Centre and small heritage displays that fill in the town’s convict, farming, and railway past.

Esperance

White sand and wild Southern Ocean scenery set Esperance apart from most coastal towns in WA. Inside Cape Le Grand National Park, Lucky Bay has been scientifically tested for its sand whiteness and is often cited as having some of the whitest sand in Australia. In 2023, it was ranked among the world’s best beaches by international travel experts. Kangaroos regularly wander down from the bush behind the beach and rest on the sand, especially in the mornings, which explains the postcard reputation. About 15 kilometres offshore, Woody Island sits within the Recherche Archipelago and is reached by an Eco Express boat cruise of roughly 60-80 minutes. Guided walks point out tammar wallabies and birdlife, while snorkelling at Shearwater Bay reveals sponges, small reef fish, and blue starfish in clear water.

Back on the mainland, the 40-kilometre Great Ocean Drive links more than 20 coastal stops. Twilight Beach is known for the large granite rock just offshore that swimmers climb and jump from. Observatory Point features a staircase to high-cliff views across the coastline. Nearby, Pink Lake is a salt lake best viewed from the designated lookout, where its white salt crust meets the ocean backdrop.

Green Head

A small fishing town on WA’s Coral Coast, Green Head is surrounded by sheltered bays and offshore islands that give it far more character than its size suggests. The centrepiece is Dynamite Bay, ranked #19 in Australia’s Top 101 Beaches in 2017. Rocky peninsulas curve around the sand, blocking strong winds and keeping the water calm and clear. Families swim close to shore, and snorkellers drift over a limestone reef where reef fish move through pockets of coral and sponge. It feels sheltered and relaxed, not exposed. Just offshore, Fisherman’s Island supports the second-largest Australian sea lion breeding colony on WA’s Mid West Coast, with numbers typically ranging between 40 and 80 animals. Licensed tours depart from nearby Jurien Bay, taking small groups out to swim under strict guidelines. Dolphins often appear during the crossing.

On land, the 2.8-kilometre Three Bays Walkway links South Bay, Dynamite Bay, and Anchorage Bay, with limestone cliffs framing white sand and turquoise water. At Point Louise, surfers gather when conditions line up, while the warm Leeuwin Current brings a mix of tropical and temperate marine life that keeps diving here interesting year-round.

Broome

Pearls made Broome what it is. The industry brought workers from Japan, China, Malaysia, and Indonesia in the late 1800s, and that mix of cultures still defines the town more than any brochure ever could. Most visitors experience the ocean first at Cable Beach. Twenty-two kilometres of open sand run along the Indian Ocean, flat enough for camel trains to move steadily at sunset. Rides leave near the surf club and last about an hour.

Head into Chinatown, and the pearling years feel closer. Old commercial buildings still stand along Dampier Terrace, now housing pearl showrooms, cafés, and small galleries. Sun Pictures has screened films outdoors since 1916. Planes still fly low overhead before the movie starts. Six kilometres south, the red rock at Gantheaume Point tells a much older story. At very low tide, 130-million-year-old dinosaur tracks appear across the reef platform. Then, a few nights each month between March and October, people gather at Town Beach to watch the Staircase to the Moon rise over Roebuck Bay.

These towns in Western Australia show the state in specific, unforced moments, whale sharks in clear water off Exmouth, dinosaur tracks exposed at low tide in Broome, or orcas cutting through deep ocean beyond Bremer Bay. Some are built around quiet heritage streets. Others centre on salt lakes, sea lions, and red rock ranges at sunset. The drives between towns are long, but the pay-off is real: reef swims, winter festivals in misty valleys, and landscapes that change hour by hour.