Coral Coast Tourist Information
Coral Coast Tourist Information
Outback Coast... Gascoyne Region
The Outback Coast is the Gascoyne Region of Western Australia, a rare and beautiful world of scenery, experiences, adventure and enjoyment. It is a unique and colourful location where the desert meets the sea to create an amazing wealth of natural wonders. This is a place where you can come to explore and build up your knowledge of natural heritage, to look for adventures both underwater and on land or simply to relax and enjoy your superb surroundings.
The Outback Coast is a microscosm of all that is special and beautiful in Australia. The contrasts are endless. From the magnificent displays of coral and tropical fish on the Ningaloo Reef, a 260km marine paradise just metres from the beach, to the harsh and rugged terrain of the world's largest monocline, Mt Augustus.
From gazing on the magnificent scenery of Australia's most westerly point in the Shark Bay World Heritage Area to relaxing over afternoon tea on a banana plantation in Carnarvon, the Outback Coast clearly has something for everyone! Whether it's fishing, snorkelling, four wheel driving, horse riding or shopping, the opportunities are endless. What's more, extremes of temperature are rare on the Outback Coast so any time becomes a good time to visit.
Historically, the Outback Coast is very important to Australia. Evidence can still be found of artifacts and rock etchings which provide a reminder of the original inhabitants of the country. Also, it was on this coast, in 1616, that Dirk Hartog became the first white man to set foot on Australian soil. Australia's greatest wartime disaster, the sinking of the HMAS Sydney, occurred off this coast and it was from here that Australia received it's first satellite television programme and participated in the Space Race.
The Gascoyne Region is situated centrally on the Western Australian coast in the Tropic of Capricorn and is within easy access of Perth. There are a range of package tours available from Perth and details of these can be obtained from travel agents or the Western Australian Travel Centre. Regular packaged air and coach tours depart Perth for Shark Bay and you may combine Monkey Mia and Exmouth on low cost pre-packed air tours. Alternatively, the region is within a pleasant day's drive from Perth on a good sealed highway system.
