From luxe eco retreats to unforgettable community-led tours, Western Australia provides boundless opportunities for travellers to make a difference.
Pristine marine parks. Unspoilt ancient forests. Mesmerising wildlife encounters. Western Australia’s natural attractions offer a lifetime of memories – and sustainable travel ensures that generations of adventurers can enjoy them for years to come.
Low-impact, small-scale travel means you can connect deeply with the state’s wildlife, landscapes and local communities while actively helping to protect and support them. It’s an approach that provides ample rewards, from unique experiences to the warm glow of ‘doing good’. These are some of the sustainable initiatives and attractions that make it a joy to tread lightly.
Margaret River’s enchanting eco experiences
Western Australia’s first certified ECO Destination, the Margaret River Region offers an ever-growing number of sophisticated sustainable and nature-based travel experiences, from refined restaurants with a minimal-waste philosophy to eco retreats swathed in simple luxury. Glide past the towering white gums of Boranup Forest on a locally designed electric quad bike, learn the value of paddock-to-plate eating at Cowaramup’s One Table Farm cooking school, seek solace on a regenerating wellness and yoga retreat, or bathe beneath twinkling stars at an environmentally friendly lodge.
Ready to give something back? Several tour operators follow the principles of the Leave No Trace Foundation, which seeks to minimise our impact on the world around us. Cape to Cape Explorer Tours is committed to preserving a section of the iconic 135-kilometre coastal track, while Pemberton Discovery Tours offsets its carbon emissions by planting thousands of native trees each year.
Boranup Forest
Where the wild things are
Western Australia’s delicate biodiversity hotspots are home to an astonishing array of wildlife, and a guided tour with an ecological expert provides a fascinating insight into their world.
Delve deep into Mandurah’s serene wetlands on a nature walk with a local zoologist, or spy graceful black swans and shy waterfowl as you paddle the Peel-Harvey Estuary on a kayak eco tour.
Closer to the state capital, unforgettable wildlife encounters await during a 90-minute circuit of Rottnest Island on the Eco Express. New Zealand fur seals are frequently spotted at Cathedral Rocks, and there’s also a chance to witness majestic humpback whales during their annual migration between September and November.
Low-key luxury and unspoilt locales
Immerse yourself in nature at one of Western Australia’s eco retreats, where deep comfort, epic landscapes and an environmentally friendly ethos combine for an unforgettable stay.
Tread lightly and sleep deeply at low-impact glamping sites set amid unspoilt environments, such as El Questro’s Emma Gorge Resort or Bungle Bungle Savannah Lodge in Purnululu National Park. At Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef, 15 luxe safari tents invite guests to slow down, exhale and truly get off the grid, while Karijini Eco Retreat’s eco tents offer endless vistas of the Pilbara’s blazing red earth and deep blue sky.
Karijini Eco Retreat
Sustainable design features at Broome’s Eco Beach Wilderness Retreat and Discovery Rottnest Island, where the tranquil beachfront accommodation draws on renewable materials and seeks to minimise its footprint on the surrounding landscape. At Barn Hives in Yallingup, architecturally designed ‘eco pods’ offer a sleek, sustainable home-away-from-home.
Safeguard Earth’s precious resources – without scrimping on comfort – with renewable energy and waste-reduction initiatives. At Faraway Bay in the Kimberley, an evening shower means bathing in solar-heated, gravity-fed spring water with locally handcrafted biodegradable soaps. Meanwhile, the Ningaloo Lighthouse Project (a redevelopment of the site’s existing caravan park to include a range of accommodation and amenities) will be powered by renewable energy, and use a biodigester, which prevents food waste from going to landfill.
Faraway Bay
Celebrating the land’s traditional owners
A tour or experience led by one of Western Australia’s traditional custodians offers a fascinating insight into Aboriginal culture and history while helping to support local communities.
On the Coral Coast, join Darren ‘Capes’ Capewell of Wula Gura Nyinda Eco Adventures on a tour of spellbinding Francois Peron National Park. Kayak the turquoise waters of Shark Bay World Heritage Area, journey by four-wheel drive over blazing red sands or spend a night under a glistening canopy of stars – all while learning the stories of the Nhanda and Malgana people.
Nestled among the spectacular landscapes of the Kimberley and the Pilbara, the Camping with Custodians sites offer a unique glimpse into Aboriginal life. Pitch a tent in the Aboriginal-owned campgrounds, join a tagalong tour with a knowledgeable local guide, then gather by a crackling camp fire to be regaled with ancient Dreamtime legends.
Mimbi Caves Campground
North of Broome, connect with the land and learn the wisdom of its Aboriginal guardians with a ‘tagalong’ tour by Brian Lee. Sample bush tucker, and experience the jaw-dropping beauty of the coastal landscape on a guided walk. Further down south in Yallingup, Wadandi and Bibbulmun country comes alive on a cultural experience with Koomal Dreaming. Head deep into the ancient Ngilgi Cave, listen to Dreamtime stories and discover bush medicine.
Western Australia’s unspoilt landscapes, diverse wildlife and local communities are truly special – and it’s natural to want to protect them. Make a difference by planning your sustainable adventure today.