A first-timer’s guide to the Golden Outback, WA

Carla Grossetti Carla Grossetti
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See firsthand how the diversity of the Golden Outback is unmatched.

The Golden Outback makes up a whopping 54 per cent of the state, stretching from the rugged red earth of Burringurrah/Mt Augustus to the powder-white sands of Esperance and the South Coast, and to the modern mining hub of Kalgoorlie in the historic Goldfields. With a landscape comprising rugged river valleys and ancient gorges that swallow the light, the Golden Outback offers rich pickings. And keep the region’s Traditional Owners in mind as you walk in their ancestor’s footsteps on an Indigenous-led tour of rock art believed to be up to 40,000 years old. It’s a landscape that is as dazzling as it is diverse. Here, discover the best of the Golden Outback.

The Golden Outback, Western Australia
The Golden Outback offers rich pickings. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Unique stays

Nallan Station

There is a range of accommodation choices at Nallan Station, from caravan sites to self-contained cottages, renovated shearers’ quarters and eco-friendly tents. Located 12 kilometres north-east of Cue along the Miners’ Pathway, the working farm is an ideal base for history buffs interested in the area’s gold-mining history. nallanstation.com

Merredin Treasury

Stay in the heart of the Wheatbelt in a faithfully restored Art Deco building that was Merredin’s bank in a former life. Built in 1928 and located on one of the town’s main streets, the Merredin Treasury has seven suites, as well as self-contained facilities designed for short-term and long- term stays. merredintreasury.com.au

The Jetty Resort

As the name suggests, this resort is located just a stone’s throw from the heritage-listed Tanker Jetty, which stretches out from the coast of Esperance. The resort has a range of different rooms to suit everyone from business travellers to families and is a one-minute walk to the beautifully frayed shoreline of Esperance.

The Golden Outback, Western Australia
The Golden Outback makes up a whopping 54 per cent of the state. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Five top spots

Burringurrah/Mt Augustus

Burringurrah/Mt Augustus is more than twice the size of Uluru. Laid out like a slumbering giant over the red earth, this soaring inselberg is about 715 metres high and visible in the shimmering distance for more than 160 kilometres.

Mt Augustus, The Golden Outback, Western Australia
Mt Augustus looms large over a landscape stubbled with spinifex. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

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The Fitzgerald Biosphere

The Fitzgerald Biosphere is an internationally recognised reserve with more than 2500 varieties of stunning wildflower species. Hunker down in Hopetoun near Fitzgerald River National Park, located at its centre.

Cape Le Grand National Park

This glorious national park is a real headliner, with coastal scenery, imposing granite outcrops, inviting freshwater pools and a kaleidoscope of wildflower colour each year, all within just 45 minutes’ drive from Esperance. And then there’s the kangaroos, which roam freely along the oh-so-white sands of Lucky Bay looking all cute.

Kangaroo at Lucky Bay, Cape Le Grand National Park, The Golden Outback, Western Australia
Kangaroo at Lucky Bay, Cape Le Grand National Park. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Lake Ballard

British sculptor Antony Gormley scanned the bodies of residents from Menzies to inform the shape of his 51 steel sculptures, which stand like sentinels guarding the salt plains of Lake Ballard. Follow the Golden Quest Discovery Trail to get to the Inside Australia exhibit.

Mundatharrda/Kennedy Range

The Indigenous Inggarda name for the Kennedy Range is Mundatharrda and it’s one of the most ancient landforms in Australia. Set up camp at the base of the stark sandstone cliffs so you can rise in the cool of the morning for a wilderness walk and see wildflowers in full bloom.

Where to eat

Taylor St Quarters

There’s nothing like a sundowner on the west coast of Australia and Esperance is all about just that. Sunset here catches the crowds as much for the views as the food. Try the tempura Shark Bay prawns, or fish tacos at Taylor St Quarters, which was the original Esperance Hospital and Nurses Quarters in another life.

Taylor St Quarters, The Golden Outback, Western Australia
Taylor St Quarters has been given a new lease on life. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Walkers Hill Vineyard

The grass seems greener and the skies bluer at this award-winning winery located in the eastern Wheatbelt on the way to Wave Rock (Katter Kich), where you will want to take a selfie in the rolling sandstone barrel. Enjoy a few glasses of wine paired with a cheese platter or go for something more substantial such as smokey BBQ beef ribs or a chicken parmy.

Walkers Hill Vineyard, The Golden Outback, Western Australia
Walkers Hill Vineyard is embroidered onto the Earth in the Wheatbelt.

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Lot 39 Store + Cafe

This cute little space is your go-to for a bit of retail therapy in Goomalling. After vibing on quality homewares, you can pick up home-cooked meals and ar tisan condiments to take with you. Order coffee and a bowl of seasonal granola or a leek and chicken pie to go.

Grand Hotel, Kookynie

What could be more Golden Outback than a bevvie with Willie the Horse at the Grand Hotel in the town of Kookynie – population 13? This colourful, quirky establishment is the quintessential Goldfields’ pub, located on the Golden Quest Discovery Trail, and is a top spot for a cold beer and a hot meal.

The Grand Hotel, The Golden Outback, Western Australia
Willie the Horse makes cameos at the Grand Hotel. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Top things to do

The Collie to Darkan Rail Trail

The Collie to Darkan Rail Trail has been redeveloped into a multi-purpose walking, biking and horse-riding trail. Regardless of your mode of transport, the 15-kilometre stretch east from Darkan to Dardadine will steer you in a straight line past rolling green farmland and carpets of wildflowers in spring.

Explore goldrush towns

The town of Norseman was founded in 1894 when prospector Laurie Sinclair and his trusty steed Hardy Norseman literally stumbled across a nugget of gold. This led to Sinclair trying his luck at scouring the earth for more gold, which led to another gold rush town. Follow the Dundas Coach Road Heritage Trail between Norseman and Dundas where you will discover more treasures in the Great Western Woodlands.

The Golden Outback’s festivals

Time your visit to coincide with a major event such as the Gascoyne River Music Festival or the Mt Magnet Astro Rocks Fest so you can really fall into rhythm with the state’s vast red heart.

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Carla Grossetti
Carla Grossetti avoided accruing a HECS debt by accepting a cadetship with News Corp. at the age of 18. After completing her cadetship at The Cairns Post Carla moved south to accept a position at The Canberra Times before heading off on a jaunt around Canada, the US, Mexico and Central America. During her career as a journalist, Carla has successfully combined her two loves – of writing and travel – and has more than two decades experience switch-footing between digital and print media. Carla’s CV also includes stints at delicious., The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Australian, where she specialises in food and travel. Carla also based herself in the UK where she worked at Conde Nast Traveller, and The Sunday Times’ Travel section before accepting a fulltime role as part of the pioneering digital team at The Guardian UK. Carla and has been freelancing for Australian Traveller for more than a decade, where she works as both a writer and a sub editor.
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8 secret places in Western Australia you need to know about

    Kate Bettes Kate Bettes
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    WA might be enormous, but the right insider knowledge brings its mysteries a whole lot closer.

    “Western Australia is a land of record-breakers,” says Carolyn Tipper, a Travel Director working on AAT Kings Western Australia tours. “It has the second-longest fault line, the second-largest meteorite crater, the second-fastest flowing river—it just keeps surprising you. And every area has its charm.”

    From tropics to deserts, Australia’s largest state is a land of extremes. You can’t see all of Western Australia in a lifetime, but with the right guide, you can discover its hidden pockets of magic.

    Carolyn wishes to reach her guests’ hearts. “I want them to enjoy and be in awe,” she says. “I want them to have the holiday of a lifetime.”

    1. Mimbi Caves

    You wouldn’t expect a Great Barrier Reef in the outback – but that’s what you’ll find at Mimbi Caves. Once part of a 350-million-year-old reef, these caves hold marine fossils, ancient Indigenous rock art, and Dreamtime stories shared by a Gooniyandi guide.

    “That’s when the real connection happens,” says Carolyn, who has taken guests through on the AAT Kings Wonders of the West Coast and Kimberley tour. “When guests connect, not just with the land, but with the people who have called it home for tens of thousands of years.”

    Eye-level view of traveller exploring Mimbi Caves.
    Walk through ancient limestone passages. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

    2. Kalbarri National Park

    Nothing prepares you for the Kalbarri Skywalk: a 25-metre platform jutting over Murchison Gorge, 100 metres above the red cliffs and river below. From July to October, join the AAT Kings Untamed Pilbara and West Coast tour to see over 1000 wildflower species paint the park, and listen as an Indigenous guide shares their uses, bush foods and medicine plants.

    “I want our guests to have an emotional experience,” says Carolyn. “It’s not just about seeing the land, it’s about stepping into the stories.”

    An aerial view of the Kalbarri Skywalk, one of the secret places in Western Australia, with visitors on the edge.
    Stand on the Kalbarri Skywalk in Western Australia. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

    3. Hamelin Bay Wines

    Margaret River isn’t just a top wine region – it’s a winner in every category. Where the Indian and Southern Oceans collide, granite cliffs rise, limestone caves sprawl and Karri forests tower. It almost distracts from the world-class Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

    Almost.

    Out of over 100 cellar doors, AAT Kings pick Hamelin Bay Wines as a favourite. Hosted tastings of small-batch wines on the Western Wonderland tour end with a group meal. The menu shifting with the seasons.

    “Get off the beaten track to one of WA’s most relaxed venues for some amazing red and white signature wines,” explains Carolyn, “accompanied with upmarket pub food.”

    Spectacular views.

    A person raising a glass of Chardonnay against a glowing Western Australia sunset.
    Sip world-class wines at Hamelin Bay in Western Australia. (Image: Getty)

    4. Wildflower Guided Walk, Kings Park

    Western Australia is home to 12,000 native plant species – 3000 bloom in Kings Park’s Botanic Garden. Stroll past Kangaroo Paw, Banksia and blooms from the Goldfields, Stirling Ranges and Kimberley. “The diversity of Western Australia is immense,” says Carolyn, who leads guests through on the South Western Escape tour.

    Couple enjoying the view from the Lotterywest Federation walkway at Kings Park and Botanical Garden.
    Wander among thousands of native plant species. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

    5. Hoochery Distillery

    Did you know that between Kununurra and Emma Gorge lies the state’s oldest continuously operating distillery? Well, the oldest legal one. Set on a family farm, Hoochery Distillery was hand-built using materials found on the property, conjuring up award-winning rum from local sugarcane, wet season rainwater and yeast.

    Today, visitors can sample a hearty nip of rum, along with whiskies and gins – all crafted using traditional, labour-intensive methods. It’s the ideal way to soak up the ‘spirit’ of the Kimberley on the AAT Kings’ Untamed Kimberley tour.

    People enjoying a rum tasting at one of the secret places in Western Australia.
    Sample award-winning rum. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

    6. Geraldton

    The wildflowers of the Midwest will make your heart blossom. In Geraldton, the Helen Ansell Art Gallery brings the region’s botanicals to life in vivid colour and intricate detail. In nearby Mullewa, wander bushland trails lined with everlastings and native blooms. Further afield, Coalseam Conservation Park bursts into carpets of pink, white, and yellow each spring. Do it all on the Wildflower Wanderer tour with AAT Kings.

    woman walking through Wildflowers, Coalseam Conservation Park
    Chase vibrant wildflower trails. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

    7. El Questro

    Wake up after a night under the stars at Emma Gorge Resort, ready to explore the mighty beauty of the El Questro Wilderness Park. With deep gorges, thermal springs, and cascading waterfalls, time slows here.

    Join the AAT Kings’ Wonders of the West Coast and Kimberley tour to drift through Chamberlain Gorge, where sheer sandstone walls glow burnt orange in the sun, archer fish flick at the surface, and rock wallabies peer down from ledges above. Then, step into Zebedee Springs, a secret oasis of warm, crystal-clear pools among prehistoric Livistona palms – a moment of pure, wild stillness.

    Emma Gorge Resort at El Questro.
    Wake to adventure at Emma Gorge Resort. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

    8. Lake Argyle

    Once vast cattle country, Lake Argyle now sprawls like an inland sea – Western Australia’s largest freshwater lake, created by the damming of the Ord River. Scattered with over 70 islands, its glassy waters teem with life, like freshwater crocodiles, barramundi, bony bream, sleepy cod and over 240 bird species. That’s nearly a third of Australia’s avian population.

    Glide across the lake’s surface on a cruise as part of AAT Kings’ Untamed Kimberley tour, where the silence is only broken by the splash of fish and the call of birds. For Carolyn, this place is a perfect example of how WA’s landscapes surprise visitors. “Lake Argyle is a big puddle of water that became a game-changer,” she says. “Seeing it from a boat, coach, and plane is mind-blowing. It puts time, isolation and the sheer scale into perspective.”

    Aerial View of Triple J Tours on the Ord River, near Kununurra.
    Glide past islands on Western Australia’s largest freshwater lake. (Image: Western Australia)

    Discover more of Western Australia’s hidden gems and book your tour at aatkings.com.