We're back for the Northern half of our top spots in Western Australia list. If you've dreamt of vast, open outback skies and unique marine life adventures, you're in for a treat. From spectacular shore snorkels on Western Australia's answer to the Great Barrier Reef to the isolated beauty of the tropical waterfalls and mountain ranges, you will fall in love with Northern WA.

Don't forget about the goannas :D Although they might sneak up and scare the daylights out of you, so be prepared.

Or they could change your life for the better ;) You may be disappointed though, as I'm sure I'm hogging the best one.

Are you trying to compete with this chocolate hazelnut cheesecake? Because you're equal parts sweet and cheesy :P Tiger isn't lying about the region. There's something up there for every nature lover, from the gorge spelunkers to the diving enthusiasts, to the 4WD thrill-seekers who want to get away from it all and forge their own trail.

6. Millstream Chichester

If you've longed for a quiet oasis after driving several hundred kilometres in the outback, Millstream-Chichester is your perfect haven. The Yinjibarndi people are the traditional custodians of the land. The outback drive from Karratha is spectacular and once you arrive, the waterholes are a delight, sourced from the natural aquifers. If you're lucky enough to visit not long after a rain, you'll see plenty of birds ranging from the kookaburra to kingfishers and raptors, as well as pythons, euro, hills kangaroos, goannas and the Pilberra dragon.

Not very aptly named. Much smaller than you'd imagine, and it looks like a lizard.

Did I make you jealous paying attention to other reptiles, Goanna? You know you'll always be my favourite.

I'm just saying if you call something a dragon, it should be like those monkey-eating Komodo ones from Indonesia.

Are you planning another trip for us? I have no objections.

My lips are sealed :)

5. Mount Augustus

Bet you didn't know that the largest rock in Australia is Mount Augustus, not Uluru.

That's not a fair bet, Goanna, because the claims are false. The various layers of different rock indicate that this couldn't be a monolith or even a monocline, so the tourism slogans are incorrect. Mount Augustus can't claim that title.

Either way, you reach Mount Augustus via a beautiful drive through the outback when road conditions are favourable, and since it's on the typical international visitor's list, it hardly feels touristy at all. There are great hikes to the summit, to beautiful secluded rivers to swim in, or the petroglyphs to visit.

If you're fortunate enough, you may come across dingoes the wild Australian dog, (thanks to Goanna we did!), red kangaroos, euros, goanna or bungarra as they're known to the local Wajarri people, emu, kingfishers, ibis, heron, and kookaburra.

Luckily, the mutt didn't eat us. Bring lots of water and a jerry can of fuel since it's a long drive and way from nearby stations and towns. Tiger is always extra careful about these things, enough that we've helped a few people.

4. Monkey Mia and Shark Bay area

This one is a fun family-friendly destination where you can visit adorable bottlenose dolphins. Wild dolphins have been visiting the beach since the 1960s. Park ranges give a talk and offer food to the captivating creatures that you can see up close (if you beat the holiday crowds). Keep in mind this is a wild attraction in a national park, so dolphins may or may not be visiting the bay outside of the feeding times.

What also makes the area significant are the dugongs. They're marine mammals related to manatees and, interestingly, are more closely related to elephants than sharks or dolphins. Shark Bay is a haven for about ten percent (around 10, 000) of the world population of this vulnerable species, so if you fancy a visit with the creatures (from a safe distance for the animals), it's a perfect spot. You can also spot manta rays, turtles, dolphins, and sharks. Shark Bay is a World Heritage Area, and the Malgana people are the traditional custodians of this land.

Photos from: https://flic.kr/p/3H12hJ Stephen Lowe (Dolphins), https://flic.kr/p/sDTbiu Russell Charters (Turtle), https://flic.kr/p/7ZCpH5 Pa Coutarel (Dugong), https://flic.kr/p/bmWqqt Albert Kok (Tiger shark)

3. Kimberly region

If you have time, a 4WD, or some funds stored away, the Kimberly region awaits! This is the northernmost region of Western Australia, full of peace, quiet, and beauty if you have the means or patience to reach them.

And luckily Tiger had his 4WD to give us access since scenic flights weren't in our budget. After Broome, we ventured up to the stunning Mitchell River Park, where we hiked all day to the gorgeous Mitchell Falls. Beware of the crocodiles!

The Kimberley region is home to both estuarine and freshwater crocodiles, affectionately called 'Salties' and 'Freshies'. Estuarine crocodiles have a broad snout and can be dangerous while the freshwater ones have a narrower snout. We were fortunate enough to spot a few 'Freshies' from a distance in Bandilngan National Park.

Yes, the good fortune that killed my desire to swim, but the gorges were spectacular. There are plenty of other neat places to visit, like the Bungle Bungles in Purnululu National Park, the massive man-made Lake Argyle, and Broome's beautiful beaches (if you want to ride a camel or see dinosaur prints). Those boab trees are so majestic and have a special place in my heart.

You were determined to hug as many as you could. Also, if you fancy seeing a meteor crater, Wolfe Creek Crater is the second largest in the world. The Kimberley is a vast region, so allow yourself plenty of travel time and make sure you have enough fuel and water with you at all times.

The Kimberly region is the traditional land of many Aboriginal groups. It's important to recognize that colonizers enslaved and mistreated many Aboriginal people in the pearling and pastoral industries. Colonizers forced Aboriginal people onto pearling ships to act as divers to retrieve pearls without wages. They often kidnapped Aboriginal people and even those who couldn't swim or who were from the bush were forced to work, some as young as ten-years-old. On pastoral lands, enslaved Aboriginal people would be jailed for absconding.

Today, about half of the region's population is Aboriginal. Many sites throughout the Kimberley can be explored with Aboriginal-owned and operated tour companies to learn more about their history which spans far longer than European colonization. For over 50,000 years, Aboriginal people have taken care of the land. You can see early rock paintings; learn about bush tucker, the country and its plants and animals, and pre-colonial pearl trading with the Macassan fishermen of Indonesia from the 1700s; and even see ancient human footprints through various tours. Also consider visiting Aboriginal art galleries such as Waringarri Aboriginal Arts in Kununurra.

Photos credited to Neil's Photography and were accessed here: https://flic.kr/s/aHsiUs8XTf

Information sourced from: https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2017/jul/12/the-kimberley-we-want-people-to-appreciate-how-long-aboriginal-people-have-been-here

https://www.waringarriarts.com.au/

https://nit.com.au/wa-kimberley-history-shows-plain-evidence-of-aboriginal-exploitation-and-slavery/

2. Ningaloo Reef

Just go and thank us later. Freaking amazing!

They might need a bit more than that, Goanna :P

Think of the Great Barrier Reef, but if you could wade out to it straight off the beach with a snorkel set and explore it as much as you please. And there are epic whale sharks!

As long as the tide times cooperate for snorkelling and the whale sharks require more depth and a boat. I would recommend a wetsuit, especially in the winter.

It wasn't that bad...

Says the woman who has swum in partially frozen lakes back home :P 

Open water is open water. Sometimes a girl's gotta swim, and it was almost summer. I didn't catch hypothermia, ergo, warm enough to swim.

That's a dangerous measuring stick, Goanna. Nonetheless, Ningaloo Reef is a spectacular place to encounter whale sharks that congregate in the area. You also have the chance to spot manta rays, loggerhead, green or hawksbill turtles, humpback whales, tuna, mackerel, and trevally. The park is also a feeding area for pygmy blue whales, while other species sighted have included blue, sperm, dwarf minke and Bryde's whales and orcas.

There are lionfish too! If you've ever just watched one swim, it's mesmerizing!

Absolutely. If the marine life isn't enough, Ningaloo backs onto Cape Range National Park with stunning gorges carved by rivers winding back into the ocean. There you'll find kangaroos, emus, echidnas, birds and black-flanked rock wallabies. The wallabies are a treat to watch hop rock to rock along the cliffs' edges.

Charles Knife Canyon is also a stunner you don't want to miss on your way in and out of Exmouth. This place is pretty magic which could be why the Baiyungu, Thalanyji and Yinikurtura Traditional Owners have found the area significant for over 30,000 years.     

Photo credits for the bottom board: https://flic.kr/p/8EVqyn Jurriaan Persyn (Turtle, Manta Ray, Coral, Fish bottom)  https://flic.kr/s/aHsjuNdb2Q (Top fish, whale shark) Michael Sale, Dylan Shaw from Unsplash (Aerial reef)

1. Karijini (and the Pilbara region)

If you know our story, it's no surprise Karijini topped our list. It's hard not to feel eternally grateful for the outback and its wildlife that made us more than two passing strangers. I can confidently say I would not be as happy or self-accepting if it weren't for Goanna.

Nor would I without you, Tiger. You're the best travel and life partner a cold-blooded reptile could ask for :P You always keep me safe and make me feel loved.

:D If you're looking for reasons to visit, the gorges are spectacular and offer options from gentler walks (albeit with several stairs to descend), to rock hopping, to full-on canyoning tours. Hamersley Gorge also offers a great section that shows fracturing and compression lines where the rock was under great pressure.

And it has an amazing waterfall cave!

You can also summit Mount Bruce if you grow sick of the gorges (but that seems impossible - and we saw most of them), swim at some gorges or sites, and gaze at the amazing Southern constellations. There's camping available at two different spots. The Banjima, Innawongka, and Eastern Guruma are the traditional custodians of this land.

There you have it! We hope you adore the state as much as we have and continue to :) Here's to hoping we see you on the trails this year!

Comments:

Fiona: Yes! Can't wait to visit!! Neil's promised me a trip to Karijini where you stole his heart, Sadie :D

Sadie: Yay! I can't wait to meet you all in person. Not that you aren't awesome via video calls.

Neil: Don't forget your hiking gear, sunscreen, and sports sandals :)

Fiona: All right, Dad :P And yes, we are all dying to meet you as well, Sadie. We didn't think Neil would find a topic he could talk about more than animals, but it's certainly you.

Neil: Technically, humans are animals, so the topic hasn't actually changed.

Fiona: And we're ever grateful Sadie finds you charming and enjoys listening to your stories XD

Sadie: I always do :)

Neil's messages

Neil: Fee, did you get a chance to ask grandpa about... you know.

Fiona: Oh you mean these? :O I'll keep them safe until Karijini.

(Photo: Tyler Nix from Unsplash)

Neil: Do you think it's too soon? It took us four months to even date. Maybe I should reconsider my boldness.

Fiona: You'd both been healing from your breakups, but that's ancient history. She asks about Ireland a fair bit and is always excited to hear about it. It could be a hint about your future.

Neil: Oh god, I should have asked her already, shouldn't I have?

Fiona: Deep breaths, Neil. Asking her in the place you met is wonderfully romantic. She will love it.

Neil: Even if I make her climb a mountain to ask her at the summit?

Fiona: Bugger, I said I'd take photos for you, didn't I? You couldn't have picked a beach?

Neil: It's where Sadie offered to join my trip, and where I'd like to ask her to share her life with me.

Fiona: Bloody hell. Now I can't refuse. Yes to asking her and absolutely to the location. She's going to adore it.

Neil: Thanks, Fee. You're the best :)