The best of the west – in pictures

It's not every day that you can swim with the world's largest fish, otherwise known as the whale shark. One of the only places in the world to do so is Western Australia's Ningaloo Reef, also home to more than 220 types of coral and 500 species of tropical fish Photograph: Tourism Western Australia

Stretching for more than 260km, the Ningaloo is one of the world's largest fringing reefs and, while it offers an unbeatable experience for divers and snorkellers, the best way to appreciate its vast beauty is from the air Photograph: Alamy

Australia is home to one of the oldest living cultures in the world. The ancestors of today's Indigenous Australians were living on the remote coastline of north Western Australia up to 60,000 years ago. These Gwion Gwion figures are among the oldest examples of figurative art in the world Photograph: Tourism Western Australia

If camping out under a spectacular celestial show and hiking through a landscape 350 million years in the making sounds like your kind of thing, then the world heritage-listed Bungle Bungle range in Western Australia's Kimberley region, should go straight to the top of your must-visit list Photograph: Mark Gamba/Gallerystock

Cable Beach acquired its name in 1889, when the cable ship, Seine, landed on its shores, providing a telegraph link between Broome and Java. While technology has moved on since then, the 22km of unspoiled white sand and crystal-blue waters of this stretch of coastline remain just as stunning today Photograph: Guido Cozzi/4Corners

The Kimberley rightly has the reputation as Australia's last frontier, full of vast horizons, cattle stations the size of European countries, rugged terrain and thundering waterfalls. Among the Cockburn ranges, in the East Kimberley, you can experience the stillness and beauty of the real outback Photograph: Tourism Western Australia

Those familiar with the desert planets of science fiction may be in for a surprise here. The bizarre landscapes brought to life in the works of George Lucas or Frank Herbert are not as far away as you'd think – and it will only take a visit to the Pinnacles, in Nambung National Park, to prove it Photograph: Anna Tatti/Flickr/Getty Images

Built on the widest stretch of the Swan River, Perth, the vibrant capital of Western Australia boasts bustling markets, a thriving nightlife, museums, galleries and one of the biggest inner-city parks in the world. Explore the park’s amazing range of flora on free guided tours or simply bring a picnic and take in the fantastic views
Photograph: Andrew Watson/Axiom Photographic Agency/Getty Images

With some of the country's best beaches and more hours of sunshine than any other Australian capital, it's no wonder Perth was recently voted one of the world's most liveable cities. Less of a secret is the love of the outdoors shared by the natives Photograph: Guido Cozzi/4Corners

Perth's love affair with the outdoors knows few bounds and extends to exhibiting art on its glorious beaches. Sculpture by the Sea is held annually on Cottesloe Beach and, last year, featured more than 70 innovative works. For those who enjoy their art just as much indoors, the Art Gallery of Western Australia and Perth Institute of Contemporary Art are two of Western Australia's top cultural attractions Photograph: Paul Kane/Getty Images

The Margaret River is one of Australia's most acclaimed wine regions, home to the world-beating chardonnay and bold cabernet sauvignon of Leeuwin Estate, Cullen, Vasse Felix and Voyager Photograph: Sladja Kisic/4Corners

The pale-barked Karri trees of the Boranup forest, in Western Australia's Margaret River region, can grow up to 60m tall. Allow yourself to be dwarfed by nature with a walk through this majestic forest Photograph: Tourism Western Australia