Experience the best of Geraldton

Geraldton lies about 374 km north of Perth and is the main city of the Mid West region. Steady sea breezes and long beaches have made it a favourite for windsurfing and kitesurfing. St Francis Xavier Cathedral, designed by the priest and architect Monsignor John Hawes, is a landmark of the centre, and on Mount Scott a memorial to HMAS Sydney, lost with all 645 crew in 1941, has a dome of stainless steel gulls.

Some 60 km offshore, the coral Houtman Abrolhos Islands shelter seabird colonies, rich reefs and the wrecks of Dutch ships, among them the Batavia, lost in 1629. They are an important fishing ground for western rock lobster, which locals call crayfish. To the north, Kalbarri National Park has red river gorges, and from August to October the wildflower country of the Mid West comes into bloom.

Crayfish, snapper, whiting and other fresh seafood anchor the local menus, and the fishing fleet lands its catch at the harbour. Summers are hot and dry, tempered by the afternoon sea breeze, while winters are mild with occasional rain. Spring, with wildflowers out and mild days, is the most comfortable season.