Julia Zemiro hits the wild west, discovering how Rottnest Island/Wadjemup transformed from a prison to a playground, and how Fremantle went from a footnote in history to an international headline.

Gina Chick strides down Bathers Way in Newcastle on a stunning coastal walk that reflects how this harbour city – home to coal and steel, shipwrecks and Silverchair – has reinvented itself. Established in 1801, Newcastle – or ‘Newy' as the locals refer to it – is Australia's second-oldest city, having long played bridesmaid to Sydney.