Untouched and unspoilt, the natural beauty of Western Australia offers travellers an opportunity to connect with the land and themselves. And the state’s diverse events calendar provides great reasons to visit all year round. From cultural to culinary, whatever your taste or interest, there’s something for every traveller.
These events don’t just celebrate local and international talent. They’re also celebrations of the destinations themselves. From festivals in otherworldly Instagram-ready locations to profound experiences with traditional custodians, these events offer visitors a chance to experience and enjoy the real Western Australia.
Here are four reasons to start planning your next Western Australian getaway.
The Ord Valley Muster
Mirima Dancers. Photograph: Sarah Duguid.
Welcome to the Kimberley, one of Earth’s last true wilderness areas, an unspoiled region of striking contrasts stretching across more than 400,000 sq km of terrain. The top end of Western Australia is an adventure seeker’s happy place and there’s certainly an intrepid streak running through the 2024 program of the Ord Valley Muster.
The nine-day festival in Kununurra (Goonoonoorrang) in May leans hard into everything the Kimberley represents, and its program of music, food and cultural events is anchored in the region’s Aboriginal culture. A program highlight is the Corroboree Under the Stars, a celebration of the stories and history of the Miriwoong Gajerrong people.
The pinnacle event of the Ord Valley Muster, the Kimberley Moon Experience, returns in 2024 with live performances under the stars from the Rogue Traders and Bob Evans. While you’re in the Kimberley, make the time to see some of the region’s other attractions, including the spectacular Horizontal Falls (Garaanngaddim) and Purnululu National Park, home to the 350m-year-old world heritage listed Bungle Bungle Range.
Shore Leave Festival
There are beach barbecues and then there’s the Abrolhos Long Table Lunch: a barefoot dining event on the pristine white sands of East Wallabi Island, in the Abrolhos Islands. Guests arrive in style with a scenic flight, before sinking their bare feet into the sand and enjoying a spectacular seafood feast curated by acclaimed Western Australian chefs. The menu is paired with Western Australian wines, local craft beer, and gin distilled using botanicals found on the islands.
This exclusive event is part of the Shore Leave Festival (24-28 April), a gastronomic extravaganza held in the Coral Coast region’s vibrant city of Geraldton (Jambinu). Lobster lovers should check out the Back of Boat Western Rock Lobster BBQ on the foreshore, while cooking and seafood enthusiasts can enjoy cooking demonstrations at the festival hub, the Helm.
EverNow
Photograph: Jarrad Seng
Held during the Noongar season of Kambarang (October-November), EverNow is one of Perth’s (Boorloo’s) major cultural events, celebrating the unique sense of place, land and culture that is Western Australia. It’s a fitting time of year to stage this weekend festival, which helps people connect with Country and rediscover nature via free public performances.
During the festival’s inaugural weekend in 2023, Perth’s Supreme Court Gardens hosted Song Circle, a celebration of Noongar song, dance and language, while Government House was transformed into Fire Gardens, a mesmerising wonderland of firelight, kinetic sculptures and live music masterminded by French artistic collective Compagnie Carabosse. Kings Park and Botanic Garden (Kaarta Koomba) was illuminated by Boorna Waanginy: The Trees Speak, a 3D projection show of sounds and images telling stories of the six seasons that make up the Noongar calendar. Stay tuned for the magic that awaits at EverNow 2024.
CBK WA PGA Championship
In golf circles, people talk a lot about greens. For those who have had the privilege of playing in Kalgoorlie (Karlkurla), at the Kalgoorlie Golf Course, the conversation usually turns to another colour: red. That’s because of the pockets of striking Goldfields rugged red earth that are peppered in and around this one-of-a-kind layout.
This stunning 18-hole golf course isn’t just a showcase for the Goldfields region; it’s a showcase for Western Australia, which makes it the perfect candidate to host the $250,000 CKB WA PGA Championship in October. Visitors to the town will come to watch Australia’s best golfers, as well as take in regional attractions including one of the world’s largest outdoor art galleries at Lake Ballard.
Learn more about the wondrous events on offer in the dream state.
