In this month's edition of This is WA, read about Islands of Australia filming along the State's extraordinary coastline, a new cheese festival launching in Perth, chefs headlining this year's Truffle Kerfuffle and new hotel spaces to open in Perth. There's also all the latest news on WA tours, accommodation, food, wine and events.

WHAT'S HOT

Islands of Australia explores WA's natural assets
Some of WA's most fascinating and historic islands and coastlines will be showcased to audiences worldwide in a new, three-part television series, Islands of Australia. The series' host Martin Clunes (Men Behaving Badly, Doc Martin) has been busy touring some of the State's most iconic locations, including Rottnest Island, Ningaloo, Abrolhos and Carnac Islands. The series is jointly produced by WA company Prospero Productions and Clunes' company Buffalo Pictures.

WA business named Distiller of the Year
Limeburners Distillery has been named Australia's Distiller of the Year at the Australian Distilled Spirits Awards 2016. The Albany-based, boutique distillery also won the Champion Whisky award and Champion Small Batch Spirit at the national awards ceremony. Kununurra's Hoochery Distillery took home the Champion Rum award for its Ord River Rum Premium. Located in Perth's Swan Valley region, Old Young's Pure No. 1 was named Champion vodka.
http://www.rasv.com.au/Events/ADSA_Home/
http://www.limeburners.com.au/the-distillery.html
http://www.hoochery.com.au/
http://www.oldyoungs.com.au/

Truffle Kerfuffle line-up announced
Chefs Duncan Welgemoed (Africola, Adelaide) and James Viles (Biota Dining, Bowral) will be headlining this year's Truffle Kerfuffle, an event which celebrates the region's food and wine, with a particular focus on the prized black truffle. Also featured in the 2016 line-up is Rebecca Sullivan (Warndu/Granny Skills), Paul Iskov (Fervor), Jesse Blake (Petition Kitchen) Kiren Mainwaring (Co-op Dining), Aaron Carr (Vasse Felix), Kenny McHardy (Manuka Woodfire Kitchen) and Sophie Zalokar (Foragers). From June 24 to 26, festival goers can build their own gourmet weekend like never before. A hands on and adventurous festival, guests can join truffle hunters to search out prized truffles, visit the marketplace for a taste of the region or get their truffle fix at exclusive dining events. They can also indulge in fireside cooking sessions in the Chef's Cabin, catch free demonstrations and entertainment on the festival grounds and discover the farmers, producers, winemakers and community that make up the Southern Forests. More than 70 per cent of premium black truffles produced in Australia come from the Southern Forests. As the largest producer in the southern hemisphere the region has secured its place on the global culinary map.
www.trufflekerfuffle.com.au

LIFESTYLE & CULTURE

Fashion Festival dates announcement
Dates have been announced for Telstra Perth Fashion Festival (TPFF) 2016. WA's premier fashion event will be held from September 20 to 25, 2016. Now in its 18th year, TPFF has cultivated an international reputation for fostering some of Australia's most sought after creative talent and showcasing WA designers on a global stage. The home-grown event has launched the careers of many well-recognised models and designers, including Gemma Ward, Nicole Trunfio, Bridget Malcom, Amy Finlayson, Tiah Eckhardt and Miquela Vos, Wheels and Dollbaby and Aurelio Costarella.
http://telstraperthfashionfestival.com.au

Two temporary public art projects pop-up in the City
An immersive, multi-sensory walking tour and a kinestic sculpture are two of the pop-up public art projects on display in Perth city until June. The creators of the artwork, WA artists Richard Hammer, Matt Aitken and Mei Swan Lim, form part of the City of Perth's TRANSART: TRANSITION 2016 program. Richard Hammer's kinetic sculpture 'MMM Energizer', constructed from aluminium tubes and panels, is currently suspended between trees in Stirling Gardens. Matt Aiken and Mei Swan Lim's 'Swamp Clubb' eco-ghost tour provides visitors an opportunity to reconnect with the wetlands that flourished in the CBD and Northbridge from 1830 to 1880, by way of a variety of multi-sensory experiences. TRANSART: TRANSITION is a temporary public art initiative aimed at emerging artists.
www.perth.wa.gov.au/arts_culture

TropiCOOL Festival returns to Carnarvon
Known as WA's 'food bowl', Carnarvon is a place of natural attractions and unique experiences. From June 9 to 12, it will be host to Carnarvon TropiCOOL Festival, where good food, culture and community come together. As part of this year's event, pop-up dining group Fervor will host an intimate dinner at a mysterious location on June 9. Tickets to the dinner are available from the Carnarvon Visitors Centre, and include a bus from the Civic Centre to a mysterious location. Carnarvon TropiCOOL Festival will also host the Multicultural Eventide on the Fascine, Gascoyne Growers Markets and Courtyard Craft Markets, TropiCOOL Twilight Concert and Family Fun Day. Together with Australia's Coral Coast, Carnarvon TropiCOOL Festival is currently running a competition which includes return flights from Perth to Carnarvon for two, three nights' accommodation at Coral Coast Tourist Park, car hire and a pop-up dining experience with Fervor. Entries can be made here - https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LZ7MMDV.
http://www.gascoyneinmay.com.au/festivals/tropicool-festival.html
http://www.carnarvon.org.au/

FOOD AND WINE

New on Perth's food and drinks scene

• Hole-in-the-wall café opens at library
  A fitting ode to Lawrence, the Patron Saint of Cooks and Librarians, Saint Larry has opened at the new City of Perth library. From the mastermind behind Halford Bar and The Standard, John Parker, Saint Larry is lively, fast and fresh, with reliably good coffee, a simple but punchy menu with a range of vistas on offer. Guests can dine amongst books, or on a deckchair on the grass at Cathedral Square. Open Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm, Saturday 10am to 4pm, and Sunday 12pm to 4pm.
• Kafka
  Serving delicious coffee in dip dyed cups, Kafka is a small coffee shop located in the heart of Northbridge. https://www.facebook.com/kafkacoffeeshop
• Mrs S
  Mrs S has opened in Highgate, following the closure of Solomons. The popular café (with another venue in Maylands) is open for breakfast and lunch, seven days a week. http://www.mrsscafe.com.au/
• D'Avenue
  The latest café to open in the cultural hub of Leederville. D'Avenue is serving breakfast, lunch, coffee and dessert – including Nutella filled French toast! https://www.facebook.com/Davenue-187667561611712/
• Hippocampus
  The West Perth distilling house has opened its doors to the public. This is the perfect place to sit back and enjoy a cocktail made from the venue's finest ingredients. http://hippocampusmd.com.au/

Festival Fromage launches in Perth
Perth is set to host its first ever cheese festival in November. Festival Fromage is a boutique festival for lovers of cheese, artisan cheese makers and WA liquor producers. Scheduled to take place at Perth Town Hall, guests will be taken on their own cheese and wine journey across the three-day event. There will be long table degustation sessions, cheese-making workshops, presentations, networking and industry talks. A total of 2,500 tickets will be made available to Festival Fromage, which will be held from November 11 to 13. Further event details will be available in the coming months and ticket prices will be released in September.

TOURS, ATTRACTIONS & ACCOMMODATION

Jetty to Jetty tour launches in Broome
A new tour has launched in Broome, immersing participants into the beauty, culture and history of the Roebuck Bay foreshore and Broome's pearling past. Yawuru's Jetty to Jetty Trail is a self-guided, audio walking tour which extends from Streeter's Jetty in Chinatown to the site of the Old Jetty at Town Beach. Along the trail, participants will encounter 13 sites illuminating Broome's rich cultural and natural heritage. The Jetty to Jetty app is available for download on smartphones and provides a fascinating soundscape of stories and information about each of the sites along the trail.
www.j2jbroome.com.au

Sage Hotel to open in West Perth
A new, four-star boutique hotel is set to open in West Perth, following a $35 million redevelopment of a landmark heritage-listed building. Sage Hotel will bring modern elements to the heritage site, providing a unique accommodation offering for the inner city market. Working with the building's original features, Sage Hotel will highlight restored original balustrade, jarrah floorboards and heritage fireplaces, dating back to early last century. Complementing the heritage building will be 101 newly constructed guest rooms, ranging in size from 24 to 34 square metres, and multiple meeting spaces. The hotel will offer 24-hour room service with options to dine in-house for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Scheduled to open in mid-May 2016 the hotel is conveniently located a short distance from Perth's CBD and major attractions.
www.snhgroup.com

Holiday twice as long for free at Seashells
Stay two nights or more at any of Seashells Hospitality Group's properties and the length of your stay will be doubled for free. With Seashells' properties located in Broome, Scarborough, Mandurah, Yallingup and soon Fremantle, guests can use their extra days enjoying stunning beaches, vibrant cityscapes, local wineries and mouth-watering food, or stay inside and relax in Seashells' spacious, self-contained apartments. The offer is valid for stays until December 15, 2016 at Seashells Mandurah, Seashells Fremantle, Seashells Scarborough and Seashells Yallingup, and for stays between October 9, 2016 to May 31, 2017 at Seashells Broome. All bookings must be made by May 22, 2016. For further information on the special deal, visit www.seashells.com.au.

New Adina hotel and retail complex to be built in Fremantle
A new Adina Apartment Hotel is set to open in Fremantle, as part of a mixed-use commercial, retail and dining precinct. Expected to open in July 2018, the hotel will be located opposite Fremantle's port and cruise ship terminal in the city's West End. The development will make the most of the location's spectacular views, with the hotel occupying levels 8 to 11 of the 11-storey building. Guests will enter the lobby at the ground floor and can enjoy a pool, gym, meeting space and on-site car park. The new Adina Apartment Hotel will comprise of 141 rooms, consisting of 60 studios, 73 one bedroom apartments and eight two-bedroom apartments. Construction is expected to begin in early 2017.
www.tfehotels.com/adina

New products launch in the Peel region

• Ibis Park Farm Stay
  Ibis Park Farm Stay is situated on a 132-acre property located 20 minutes from Pinjarra. The recently renovated 100 year-old Jarrah cottage houses three bedrooms and one bathroom, and is surrounded by a combination of domestic and native flora and fauna, chickens and alpacas. Bookings for the farm-stay can be made online at http://www.visitpeel.com.au/accommodation/ibis-park-farmstay/80066.
• Mandurah Indoor Rock Climbing Centre
  Mandurah's only rock climbing facility offers not just rock climbing, but circus activities, a kids climbing club, outdoor education, physical education courses and corporate and team building events. The new space has high ropes, lead climbing, bouldering, slack lining and social climbing.
  http://www.mandurahrockclimbing.com/

FEATURE

The magic of the Kimberley

Named by many as a favourite or 'must do' destination, the Kimberley in WA's North West is regarded as one of the world's true wilderness areas – and at more than 20 billion years old, with the oldest living culture on Earth, red rugged ranges, waterfalls, extensive coastline, rivers, rock art and even patches of rainforest, the region leaves a lasting impression for visitors, and holds mystery for those who've yet to visit.

While visitors can expect to see a place of incredible natural beauty, learn about the region's uniqueness, and hear stories from many different characters, it's the feelings that the Kimberley evokes which captures many – it's a place of indescribable spirituality.

Covering an expanse of almost 423,000 square kilometres and with an estimated population of just 30,000, the Kimberley has fewer people per square kilometre than almost any other place on earth.

It's home to recognised hot spots such as the exotic pearling town of Broome, the Bungle Bungle Range in World Heritage listed Purnululu National Park, the world's only Horizontal Waterfalls at Talbot Bay, the Mitchell Falls, Lake Argyle, the iconic Gibb River Road, the Ord River, outback stations such as El Questro Wilderness Park and Home Valley Station and remote luxury lodges such as the Berkeley River Lodge and Faraway Bay.

Exploring the region can be done a few ways – by air; by road; or by ocean – from Broome in the west or Kununurra in the east. And, visitors can experience it in over a long weekend, in a fortnight or in a couple of months. Options are a plenty!

When to visit
The Kimberley has two distinct seasons, the dry and the wet. During the dry season, which runs from May until October, the temperature is warm and comfortable with blue skies and easier access to beautiful gorges, waterfalls and swimming holes. The wet season, which extends from November until April, is characterised by heavy and short downpours in the evening or late afternoon, providing a refreshing change to the heat of the day. The wet is when the landscape is refreshed and transformed into a lush, green environment with overflowing rivers and spectacular waterfalls.

How to get there
Broome is the western gate-way to the Kimberley region and is easily accessible with year-round direct flights from Perth and Melbourne; as well as direct flights from Sydney and Brisbane during the tourist season. There's also daily flights between Broome and Kununurra.

EVENTS

MAY

First National Kimberley Lake Argyle Swim
May 7, 2016
Kununurra, Australia's North West
The Lake Argyle Swim is a 10km and 20km open water swim which offers solo, duo and teams of four categories. The event takes place in the East Kimberley in the fresh water lake. Lake Argyle is Australia's second largest man-made lake, holding a staggering 32 million cubic metres of water – more than 20 times the size of Sydney Harbour. Long since recognised as one of the most spectacular places to visit in Australia, the Lake Argyle Swim provides experienced swimmers with an unsurpassed outback adventure.
http://www.lakeargyleswim.com/

Ningaloo Whale Shark Festival
May 25 to 29
Exmouth, Australia's Coral Coast
The Ningaloo Whaleshark Festival is an annual event held in and around the town of Exmouth. The festival celebrates the annual migration of the whale shark, its conservation and the tourism industry it supports. It also provides an opportunity for Exmouth to showcase its talents and raise awareness of its various organisations and sporting clubs.
http://www.ningaloowhalesharkfestival.com/

Argyle Diamonds Ord Valley Muster
May 13 to 22
East Kimberley, Australia's North West
Set in the ancient landscape of the Kimberley in WA's North West, this year's Argyle Diamonds Ord Valley Muster features an exciting line-up of top Australian culinary, music and entertainment luminaries. Former Powderfinger frontman Bernard Fanning will perform alongside six-time ARIA nominated Fremantle band San Cisco and country music singer-songwriter Troy Casser Daley, while Masterchef Australia judge and decorated chef and restauranteur George Colombaris will be leading the event's culinary creations at the Kimberley Kitchen and Durack Homestead Dinner. A festival highlight, the Kimberley Moon Experience concert will be staged under the stars alongside the banks of the Ord River at the Jim Hughes Amphitheatre.
http://www.ordvalleymuster.com.au/

JUNE

Denmark Festival of Voice
June 3 to 5
Denmark, Australia's South West
Celebrating the human voice, the Denmark Festival of Voice features free community concerts and workshops, bringing together local, national and international artists performing a cappella and accompanies by choirs, ensembles and groups.
http://denmarkfestivalofvoice.com.au/

Jazz by the Bay
June 3 to 5
Dunsborough, Australia's South West
Jazz by the Bay delivers a smorgasbord of talent - from trad and gypsy, to fusion and syncopated rhythm artists. Free and ticketed community events will be held in the heart of Dunsborough in WA's Margaret River region. Visitors are urged to book their accommodation in advance so they don't miss out on this fun and exciting weekend, featuring entertainers fresh from the Perth International Jazz Festival.
http://www.jazzbythebay.com.au/

Truffle Kerfuffle
June 24 to 26
Manjimup, Australia's South West
The Truffle Kerfuffle is an annual event highlighting regional food and wine. It's a celebration of the range of cultures which brought about the ability to produce the foods grown in the Southern Forests, the range of foods themselves, as well as a focus on the black truffle. WA produces more black truffle than the rest of Australia combined.
http://www.trufflekerfuffle.com.au/

JULY

Winter Festival
June 24 to July 17
Fremantle, Experience Perth
Winter Festival is returning to Esplanade Reserve in Fremantle from June 24 to July 17. Visitors to the event can experience 24 days of outdoor ice-skating fun, with skating sessions kicking off from 9am to 10pm Sunday to Thursday, and 9am to 11pm on Friday and Saturdays. Australia's largest pop-up ice-skating rink (sitting at 600 square metres), will be accompanied by a two story wrap around bar, new family rides and winter entertainment.
www.winterfestival.com.au

Wyndham Stars on the Bastion
July 2
Wyndham, Australia's North West
Wyndham Stars on the Bastion is a night of fine dining and entertainment by some of Australia's top country music singers, set on top of the spectacular Bastion Range – one of Australia's best lookouts. Start this amazing experience off by taking in the magnificent sunset on top of the 'Bastion' at the Five Rivers lookout. Enjoy an evening listening to Australia's own talented music artists, both well-known and rising stars.
www.wyndhamstarsonthebastion.org.au

Mowanjum Festival
July 7
Derby, Australia's North West
A public concert featuring more than 200 Aboriginal performers from across the Kimberley region. The festival is a celebration of Indigenous cultural life for the people of the Kimberley, in particular the Worora, Ngarinyin and Wunumbul people involving dance, music, song, story and art. Prior to the performance, free afternoon workshops are held by Aboriginal artists which include Boab Nut carving, Ochre painting and Didgeridoo playing. http://www.mowanjumarts.com/our-festival/