Feature by Julie Hosking
Feel the magic of an ancient land. Welcome to Menang Boodja, where ocean giants come to feed, granite ranges keep floral secrets and towering trees tingle.
Awash with untamed beauty, the spectacular Great Southern casts a spell on all who meander through its majestic forests, wander along its dramatic coastline or nestle into its sheltered coves. Follow the highways, tracks and trails into this corner of the South West for a road trip that will lift your spirits.
Jessica Gomes sits in the shadow of giants, the ancient landscape seeping into her soul. Soft light bathes the back of the imposing Elephant Rocks, as Menang elder Vernice Gillies welcomes the international model and a film crew to her beautiful Boodja (country).
It is here where her ancestors headed when blooming wildflowers signalled time to seek the protection of the rugged terrain and the cool, calm waters of nearby Greens Pool. A place of almost supernatural splendour, where turquoise seas glisten like the finest emeralds and granite domes forged into elephant-shaped sentinels stand watch.
Greens Pool, Denmark
Perth-raised Jessica, who has shot campaigns the world over, is bewitched. “It’s honestly one of the most magical parts of the world that I’ve been to – it’s so special,” she says.
Little wonder Showroom-X chose the Great Southern to showcase its third #WeWearAustralian campaign, a team of creatives capturing the essence of local fashion in quintessentially Australian locations.
From the glittering backdrop of Greens Pool, just outside picturesque Denmark, to the towering tingles in the Valley of Giants, the exhilarating rush of water bursting up through The Gap in Torndirrup National Park to the languid shores of Middleton Beach in Albany (Kinjarling), it was a shoot full of pinch-me moments.
The Gap, Albany
“I really love immersing myself in nature and WA is just so rich in natural beauty. To feel part of the land, to really connect, is amazing,” Jessica says.
The Great Southern truly lives up to its name. Whether you choose to drive the four to five hours down from Perth (Boorloo), or fly to Albany and hire a car to explore the extraordinary South West edge of Western Australia, this is a road trip that will live long in your hearts.
Every season works its own kind of magic. In winter, some of the ocean’s most magnificent creatures –humpback, southern right and blue whales – gather just off Albany. Visit Albany’s Historic Whaling Station after a whale watching cruise and ponder how we could have ever hunted them.
Overlooking Albany’s stunning King George Sound, Western Australia’s first European settlement, is another moving time capsule. The National Anzac Centre pays tribute to the thousands of Australians and New Zealanders who left the port in 1914 to serve in World War I, some never to return.
National ANZAC Centre, Albany
In spring, wildflowers create carpets of colour. The South West is one of 34 global diversity hotspots, boasting more than 8000 species of flora, many not found anywhere else in the world. The annual Bloom Festival celebrates “everything that blooms” with a range of activities across six weeks and nine shires.
Millions of years in the making but only 40 minutes north of Albany, Porongurup is one of the best places to discover our unique flora (and plenty of fauna, too). Twelve peaks of granite rise dramatically from a sea of karri forest, drawing bushwalkers, birdwatchers and botanical boffins year-round. Just 30 minutes further north lies the Stirling Range National Park, where you can climb the 1099-metre Bluff Knoll, breathtaking views their own reward.
Come summer, sheltered, unspoilt beaches invite you to submerge in crystal-clear waters and unwind on shimmering sands. For more adventurous water babies, there’s everything from standup paddleboarding to snorkelling and scuba diving to be found along this extraordinary coast.
Or head inland for a cool change amid the mystical tingle trees in Walpole-Nornalup National Park - the only place you’ll find them on the planet. A short drive from the charming hamlet of Walpole, the Valley of Giants Tree Top Walk takes you 40 metres up in the canopies of 400-year-old trees along 600 metres of boardwalk. For those who prefer to be a little more grounded, the Ancient Empire Walk on the forest floor is just as glorious.
Valley of the Giants, Walpole
In autumn, as the leaves blaze a trail of gold and red, winemakers, chefs and producers roll out a feast for foodies at Taste Great Southern. The month-long food and wine festival is a lip-smacking celebration of the region’s superlative produce, award-winning wineries and restaurants, but you can enjoy them all year round – from tables overlooking the vines or brilliant blue waters to cosy couches in toasty bars.
Jessica Gomes counts lunch at The Lake House, an exquisite winery and restaurant in Denmark, among her memorable dining experiences. “The wineries, the food, the hospitality, it really is world class – that's something I tell all my friends, it really is decadent down there,” she says.
The Lake House, Denmark
In fact, the well-travelled model can’t sing the praises of our Great Southern highly enough. “There is a kind of salt-of-the-earth essence about the people and the place – it has such a beautiful spirit.”
Discover it for yourself.
Published July 2023.