Western Australia

Bradt''s Western Australia is the first guidebook focused on the long country roads, inspirational national parks and world-class vineyards of Australia''s largest state. Local resident Scott Dareff has visited almost all the state''s 137 administrative areas in the past five years, giving him an extraordinary insight into, and knowledge of, one of the world''s great wildernesses. ''Travellers often associate Western Australia with Perth'' he says. ''But Perth is just the staging ground for travel to this spectacular state. Much of the magic of Western Australia comes when you venture beyond its capital city. Ningaloo Reef is every bit as astounding as the Great Barrier Reef, but more accessible. you can just walk off the beach into the water, and you''re in among its reefs. The Burrup Peninsula has rock art that is 50,000 years old, while Margaret River is one of the world''s finest wine regions and the nearby karri forests contain one of the tallest species of tree in the world.''Bra