Avon Valley

This valley wears its history on its main streets, and York proves it best, holding the title of Western Australia's oldest inland town. Toodyay carries its own colourful past, once home to bushranger Moondyne Joe, whose escapes became local legend. Each year, the Avon River hosts the Avon Descent, one of the largest white-water events anywhere in the world, kayaks and power boats crashing through rapids that barely exist the rest of the year. Float above it all in a hot air balloon at sunrise, the whole valley laid out gold beneath you.