The Great Southern region is one of Western Australia's best-kept secrets. Only an hour by plane from Perth, it is an area graced with dozens of wineries, spectacular wildflowers, impressive national parks and peaceful bays where whales give birth to their young year after year. Up close to nature Denmark features the Tree Top Walk in the Valley of the Giants. Walk amongst some of the largest trees in the state and enjoy the panoramic view and bird song. Drink and be merry The Mount Barker area combines great wines with colourful wildflowers and ancient granite ranges. Meander through vineyards and sample quality riesling, shiraz and chardonnay, or trek through the Porongurup Range with its flowering plants, prolific bird life, and unique and dramatic natural formations. There she blows Bremer Bay on the southern coast, 180 kilometres north-east of Albany, offers spectacular beaches just perfect for fishing, swimming, and surfing. Between July and November dozens of southern right whales and humpback whales breed in sheltered bays. They come so close you can almost get a whiff of their amorous breath. more info ... A rare find Fitzgerald River National Park is renowned for its spectacular scenery and flora, which supports a number of threatened animals. More than 1,800 beautiful and bizarre species of flowering plants, as well as lichens, mosses and fungi, have been recorded - including 62 species found nowhere else. more info ... Home on the range Historic Kojonup features one of the oldest surviving military buildings in Western Australia. Relax in beautiful countryside lush with wildflowers and alive with wildlife. Keen gardeners will find much to inspire them, with many homes opening up their grounds to visitors. Scenic wonderland At Torndirrup National Park, the ocean has sculpted a natural bridge in the coastal granite and formed The Gap, where waves rush in and out with tremendous ferocity. Blowholes noisily spurt air and spray, and windswept coastal heaths give way to massive outcrops, sheer cliffs and steep sandy slopes and dunes. A twitcher's delight Birdwatchers shouldn't miss bushwalking in the Mount Frankland National Park. Look out for three species of rare black cockatoo, as well as 28 varieties of parrot. There are also birds of prey, night-feeders, kingfishers, song birds, insect eaters, treecreepers, and honeyeaters.