Broome to Perth

Day 1

Welcome to our 13-day Broome to Perth journey! Today is a travel day from Hobart to Melbourne, so relax with a personalised home-pick up and we’ll be on our way to Hobart Airport. Our Qantas flight departs Hobart at approximately 1:35pm and arrives in Melbourne at 2:55 pm. Once we have collected our luggage, we have a short walk from the terminal to the Parkroyal Melbourne Airport Hotel and following check-in we have some free time before we meet again for dinner. Get a good night’s rest, tomorrow our adventures in Broome begin.

Day 2

Following breakfast, we walk across to Melbourne Airport for our flight to Broome. Broome is situated on the coast at the southern tip of the Kimberley region. It is bounded by wide sandy beaches and turquoise water and enjoys a warm climate with plenty of sunshine – a perfect place to start our winter holiday! Upon arrival, we’ll head to Matso’s Broome Brewery for lunch. This afternoon we’ll take a sightseeing tour of Broome. It is time to check into our accommodation, The Oaks Broome, unpack and settle in before we meet up again for dinner.

Day 3

Today we discover the rare and beautiful Australian South Sea Cultured Pearl on the award-winning Willie Creak Pearl Farm Tour. The fascinating tour will give us an insight into the process of pearl farming, from shell to showroom. Set amongst the crystal-clear waters and mangrove lined banks of Willie Creek, we’ll learn how pearl technicians seed and harvest oysters and discover exactly what makes the perfect pearl. Our visit includes a cruise, lunch and time for some retail therapy. Back in Broome we look at Cable Beach, then return to our hotel for some free time this afternoon. Tonight, we enjoy the stunning sunset in Broome and the surrounding coastline onboard our Sunset Dinner Cruise onboard the Spirit of Broome. The 25-metre luxury catamaran departs from the Port of Broome and has a 4 course Ala Carte dinner included. Then it is back to The Oaks Broome to rest up.

Day 4

We have an early start today as we travel through some of the most sparsely populated and remote areas of Australia - we skirt the Great Sandy Desert to the east and Eighty Mile Beach to the west. We’ll stop enroute for our picnic lunch then deviate from the Highway to view Eighty Mile Beach near Wallal Downs Station. From here, we drive to Pardoo Roadhouse for an afternoon stop and then onto Port Hedland, where we will check into our accommodation at The Hospitality Inn Port Hedland for the night.

Day 5

After breakfast we have a look at Port Hedland, with a visit to the Port Hedland Seafarers Centre where we will have a brief presentation before taking a lap around the harbour in one of the Seafarers Launch Service boats. It will be an exciting and unique experience. We have some free time to purchase lunch, then this afternoon we continue our touring down the coast to Karratha. We will be staying at the Ibis Styles Karratha for the night.

Day 6

Passing through the Pilbara, we make our way south west towards the North West Cape. As we travel along the North West Coastal Highway, we have Ningaloo Reef running along the coast to our right. We pass Giralia Station – a large (265,000 hectare) and very isolated farm which runs approximately 25,000 sheep, before arriving into Exmouth. This remote but fascinating area of Western Australia is famous for its annual fishing competition and is also the location of a jointly operated Australian/USA Naval Communication Station. We will end the day at the Potshot Motel Exmouth for dinner and a well earned rest.

Day 7

Following breakfast, we head south towards Coral Bay where we join our coral viewing vessel for a cruise around the Ningaloo Marine Park with its remarkable reef. Although the Ningaloo Reef is not as well-known as the Great Barrier Reef off the Queensland coast, it is just as spectacular. It is also very accessible. In some places it can be viewed literally metres from the shore! After cruising, we leave the North West Cape and travel to Carnarvon for our overnight stop. Before checking in to our accommodation, we take a look around. One Mile Jetty, built in 1897, is located here and if anyone is up for an easy walk. Tonight, we’ll meet up for dinner in the hotel, Hospitality Inn Carnavron.

Day 8

We enjoy a leisurely start to the day as we continue south on the North West Coastal Highway. We’ll stop at Hamelin Pool to see a colony of Stromatolites (fossil micro-organisms) that date back to the beginning of life on earth. We enjoy lunch at the Telegraph Station then make our way through to Denham visiting Shell Beach along the way. The final leg of today’s journey sees us arriving at Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort for the next two nights.

Day 9

Getting up close and personal with the dolphins at Monkey Mia is on many Australia’s bucket lists. With any luck, today we’ll experience Monkey Mia’s well-known wild dolphin encounter. The friendly pod of bottlenose dolphins regularly swim to the shallows and interact with humans for a wonderful wildlife experience. Today is at your leisure to relax and enjoy the resort facilities and surrounds.

Day 10

Our local touring today takes in the Kalbarri National Park and the Kalbarri Skywalk to take in the marvellous views over the Murchison River Gorge. Perched right on the cliff-top, two 100-metre-high lookouts project 25 and 17 metres beyond the rim of the Murchison Gorge. Have your camera ready as we see Nature’s Window, a natural rock arch which frames the river view perfectly! We will be spending tonight in the Ibis Styles Geraldton.

Day 11

Leaving Geraldton we now head to Cervantes and visit the Lobster Shack on a guided tour of the factory, giving us a firsthand look into the regions multi-million-dollar lobster industry. We have lunch here then make our way to the Nambung National Park. Here we see the famous Pinnacles that rise out of the yellow sand dunes. The limestone pillars, standing two meters tall, are one of the state’s foremost natural wonders. We take a tour through the Pinnacles and in the afternoon arrive in Perth. We will check-in to our hotel for the next two nights, The Crowne Plaza Perth.

Day 12

After breakfast we embark on a sightseeing tour of the Western Australian capital and discover the unique charm of the city of Perth, featuring the main city block with its unusual combination of skyscrapers and colonial architecture, including Parliament House, St Mary's Cathedral, Government House, Barrack Arch, London Court and the Perth Mint. Late morning, we join Captain Cook Cruises for a cruise down the Swan River to Fremantle. A full commentary is included as we pass Kings Park, the Swan Brewery, the Royal Perth Yacht Club and Point Walter Spit. On arrival in Fremantle, we have a Fish and Chips lunch at Cicerello's restaurant overlooking the Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour. Next, we visit the Western Australian Maritime Museum, we listen to a staff member regale stories of the sea and explain some of the unique galleries which enhance the tales. The Museum is also the home to the winning America’s Cup yacht, Australia II. Our final visit for the day is to the Fremantle Markets for some shopping then we head back into Perth.

Day 13

Sadly, our holiday has come to an end, but what an interesting and enjoyable time we’ve had! This morning, we transfer to the Perth Airport to connect with our direct Virgin flight to Hobart. We arrive home with many fantastic memories of the West Coast.

B=Breakfast, L =Lunch, D=Dinner