Dating back two billion years and stretching over 400,000 square kilometres, the Pilbara region in Western Australia has some of the world's most ancient natural landscapes.

It's also got some pretty ancient resources buried beneath its parched skin, the likes of which have been powering Australia's incredible mining boom. The Pilbara region is a true powerhouse to the Australian economy, and after a visit to a few of BHP Billiton's mining and loading sites you'll see why.

But the Pilbara has more to offer than minerals. Visit the Karijini National Park and you'll wander down deep rocky canyons leading to peaceful plunge pools. And then there's the magical Ningaloo Marine Park - a sanctuary where the Ningaloo Reef sits just metres from the pristine sands of the west coast.

Further south you can witness an extraordinary display of nature - the explosion of colour and variety that is the Wildflower Season. Set against stunning natural scenery the wildflowers form a carpet of colour that has to be seen to be believed. Working its way gradually south, this astounding display begins mid-year. The area is renowned as one of the world's most bio-diverse floral regions, with many species occurring nowhere else in the world.

But the wildflowers aren't the only thing the South West has to brag about. It's home to some of the tallest forests in the world, unique regional delicacies, not to mention many of Australia's exceptional wines.