West Australians are being encouraged to support the WA tourism industry by giving the gift of a WA adventure to loved ones this festive season.
The ‘Give the Gift of Travel’ campaign encourages locals to book or buy vouchers for WA tourism experiences direct with local operators or travel agents through www.gift.westernaustralia.com – and highlights the incredible range of travel experiences that can easily be given as gifts.
Choose from an array of unforgettable experiences on offer from accommodation, tours and attractions that cater to a range of interests including food and drink, nature and wildlife and Aboriginal culture. A range of tailored gift bundles of WA tourism experiences are also available through Sightseeing Pass Australia.
Below is some inspiration to help find the perfect WA travel gift this festive season – something that will create lasting memories while also supporting local tourism businesses.
Give the gift of adventure. Get them soaring to new heights on one of the many scenic flights available across the State. Witness the incredible colours and other-worldly landscapes of Broome and the Kimberley region with KAS Helicopters or HeliSpirit, explore the WA’s incredible coastlines with Coral Coast Helicopter Services and Geraldton Air Charters, or fly over a bubble gum pink lake in Esperance with Fly Esperance or Geraldton Air Charters. For the real adventure seekers, get them jumping out of the plane with a Skydiving Australia, Skydive Jurien Bay or Skydive Geronimo experience. Prefer to stay on land? Get them to discover a different side of the Margaret River region with a Margaret River Adventure Co or Margaret River Discovery Co tour, or send them underground on a cave tour. In Perth city, why not treat sports fans to a rooftop experience at Optus Stadium’s The Ozone, or a climb to the top of the Matagarup Bridge with Matagarup Zip+Climb.
Give the gift of a wildlife encounter. WA is home to some of the most incredible wildlife, and gifting the experience of an up-close encounter will be sure to make memories that last a lifetime. There is swimming with wild dolphins in Rockingham with Perth Wildlife Encounters, or face to fin encounters with the world’s biggest fish – the majestic whale shark – at Ningaloo with Ocean Eco Adventures, Ningaloo Adventures, or Exmouth Dive & Whalesharks. Rather stay above the water? Then a whale watching tour with Naturaliste Charters, Whale Watch WA, All Sea Charters or Broome Whale Watch will be sure to please. There are also sea lion interaction tours with Sea Lion Charters and Turquoise Safaris, and for the bird lovers, Kimberley Naturally offer ‘breakfast with the birds’ experiences from Kununurra.
Give the gift of a mini-escape. There are so many stunning and unique accommodation options to choose from across WA. From the historic Warders Hotel in Fremantle, The Colony at Mandoon Estate in the Swan Valley, and Samphire on Rottnest Island; to an outback station stay at Wooleen Station, a luxury rural experience amongst the trees at Tree Chalets in Busselton, or Premier Mill Hotel – a beautifully restored iconic flour mill in the country town of Katanning. For those that love a bit of adventure, why not gift them a glamping experience at Karijini Eco Retreat, in the breathtaking and rugged Karijini National Park.
Give the gift of cultural immersion. For those that enjoy discovering WA culture, give the gift of a WA museum membership, which is valid for the WA Maritime Museum and WA Shipwrecks Museum in Fremantle, and the spectacular new WA Museum Boola Bardip in the Perth Cultural Centre. For the history lover, the National ANZAC Centre in Albany is Australia’s foremost museum honouring the Anzac legend, and a truly moving experience.
Give the gift of an authentic an authentic Aboriginal experience. WA is rich in Aboriginal history, heritage and culture, dating back more than 50,000 years. There are Aboriginal tourism operators across the State who want to share their family traditions and stories, so why not gift your loved one the privilege of being on country with a traditional owner. In Perth you’ll find Go Cultural Aboriginal Tours and Experiences, Nyungar Tours and Dale Tilbrook Experiences, in the South West there’s Koomal Dreaming in Margaret River and Kurrah Mia in Albany, and in the gold rush city of Kalgoorlie there’s Bush Ghoondhu Wongutha Tours and the unique Goldfields Honey Ant Tours. In Broome, experience the region’s rich Aboriginal culture with Narlijia Experiences, Mabu Buru Tours or Borrgoron Coast to Creek Tours, and in the Shark Bay World Heritage Area, join Wula Gura Nyinda Eco Culutral Adventures.
Gift the gift of a city experience. Think your loved one knows Perth city, and Northbridge? They should think again! Gift them a guided walking tour that gets them discovering the city’s past, present and future. Explore laneways, architecture, street art, bars, cafes, and restaurants – as well as tours themed around cheese, beer, wine, whisky and gin. Choose from Two Feet and a Heartbeat, Oh Hey WA, Eat The Street Walking Tours and Hidden De Tours, or hop on a rickshaw with Peddle Perth. Want them to experience the city from a different perspective? Get them on the Swan River with a GoGo Active Tours kayak tour or Perth Waterbike Co experience, or for something really fun and unique, get them segwaying through the city or Kings Park with Segway Tours WA.
Give the gift of a culinary indulgence. WA’s exceptional food and drink experiences can be found across the State from top to bottom. For the wine aficionados, gift them an immersive wine experience at one of the Margaret River regions top wineries such as Voyager Estate, Leeuwin Estate, Vasse Felix or Aravina Estate, or a long winery lunch at Wills Domain. For the beer lovers, why not gift them an experience at one of WA’s regional breweries such as Luck Bay Brewing down in Esperance, or the famous Matsos Brewery in tropical Broome. For the ultimate foodie experience, gift them a luxury seven-course seafood cruise with Rottnest Cruises on Rottnest Island or South West Cruises in Dunsborough. The Lobster Shack in Cervantes is a Coral Coast institution, or treat them to the award-winning Core Cider House in the Perth Hills, or a coastal dining experience at Odyssea City Beach.
Give the gift of the great outdoors. For those that love to get out and experience the great outdoors there are a great range of experiences to choose from. Walk amongst the tree tops with a Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk, hike a section of the famous Cape to Cape track with Cape to Cape Explorers, explore the wonders of nature with Salt and Bush Eco Tours in Mandurah, or hike the trails of Perth on a guided tour with The Hike Collective.
Give the gift of luxury. Treat your loved one to a night away at one of WA’s top luxury stays. For the ultimate staycation experience, you can’t go wrong with a night at one of Australia’s best luxury hotels – COMO The Treasury, or a weekend away at Smiths Beach or Pullman Bunker Bay in the Margaret River region is sure to please. For the pearl lovers, why not treat them to a Cygnet Bay or Willie Creek pearl farm experience in Australia’s pearling capital, Broome.