At one of the state's best museums, intelligent multimedia displays relate the area's natural, cultural and Indigenous history. The Shipwreck Gallery documents the tragic story of the Batavia, while video footage reveals the sunken HMAS Sydney II. Enquire about sailing open days held on the longboat moored behind the museum.

Arguably the finest example of the architectural achievements of the multi-skilled Monsignor John Hawes. The cathedral's striking features include imposing twin towers with arched openings, a central dome, Romanesque columns and boldly striped walls.

With an excellent permanent collection, including paintings by Norman Lindsay and Elizabeth Durack, this gallery also presents provocative contemporary work and regular touring exhibitions.

The crafts are secondary to the gloomy cells that housed prisoners from 1858 to 1986, and the historic documents that detail their grim circumstances.

Commanding the hill overlooking Geraldton is this memorial commemorating the 1941 loss of the Sydney and its 645 men after a skirmish with the German raider Kormoran.

With its magnificent river red gums and Tumblagooda sandstone, the rugged Kalbarri National Park contains almost 2000 sq km of wild bushland, stunning river gorges and savagely eroded coastal cliffs. There's abundant wildlife, including 200 species of birds, and spectacular wildflowers between July and November.

A string of lookouts dot the impressive coast south of town and the easy Bigurda Trail (8km one way) follows the cliff tops between Natural Bridge and Eagle Gorge; from July to November you may spot migrating whales. Closer to town are Pot Alley, Rainbow Valley, Mushroom Rock and Red Bluff , the latter accessible via a walking trail from Kalbarri (5.5km one way).

The river gorges are east of Kalbarri, 11km down Ajana Kalbarri Rd to the turn-off, and then 20km unsealed to a T-intersection. Turn left for lookouts over The Loop and the superb Nature's Window (1km return). Bring lots of water for the unshaded Loop Trail (8km return). Turning right at the T leads to Z-Bend with a breathtaking lookout (1.2km return) or you can continue steeply down to the gorge bottom (2.6km return). Head back to Ajana Kalbarri Rd and travel a further 24km before turning off to Hawk's Head, where there are great views and picnic tables, and Ross Graham lookout, where you can access the river. It's possible to hike 38km from Ross Graham to The Loop in a demanding four-day epic, but be warned: there are no marked trails and several river crossings.

Kalbarri's most popular attraction takes place on the waterfront. Look for the compact wooden viewing area and wait for the hungry birds to rock up.

Also runs four-hour breakfast and lunch canoe trips down the Murchison (adult/child $70/50).

Abseil into the sheer gorges of Kalbarri National Park, then float along the bottom on inner tubes. Canyoning includes a fairly strenuous 12km hike.

Muck around on sand dunes, then go for a snorkel on these fun half-day tours.

Combine canoeing, bushwalking and swimming around the national park's Z-Bend/Loop area. Full- and half-day tours available.

Track through the beautiful Murchison River floodplain on horseback. All experience levels are catered for. Camping (per person $15) and rustic bunkhouse rooms (per person $25) available.

Informative and evocative displays of Shark Bay's ecosystems, marine and animal life, Indigenous culture, early explorers, settlers and shipwrecks.

Little Lagoon, 4km from town, has picnic tables and barbecues. Don't be surprised if an emu wanders by.

On a spectacular headland just before town, this family-run aquaculture farm features an artificial lagoon where you can observe feeding sharks, turtles, stingrays and fish on a 60-minute guided tour. Also on offer are full-day 4WD tours to François Peron National Park ($180) and Steep Point ($350) with bushwalks and snorkelling. A new half-day tour focuses on South Peron ($75).

Established jointly with NASA in 1966, the OTC Dish at the edge of town tracked the Gemini and Apollo space missions, as well as Halley's Comet before closing in 1987. The fascinating Carnarvon Space and Technology Museum ( GOOGLE MAP ; www.carnarvonmuseum.org.au; Mahony Ave; adult/child $7/5; h10am-2pm, shorter hours outside tourist season) is nearby, expanded in late 2014 with an interactive mock-up of a Saturn V command module.

Gwoonwardu Mia, built to depict a cyclone, represents the five local Aboriginal language groups and houses a cultural centre and art gallery. Highlights include the poignant oral testimonies from Aboriginal elders in the award-winning Burlganjya Wanggaya (Old People Talking) exhibition.

Bumbak's, a working banana and mango plantation, offers tours of the plantation and sells a variety of fresh and dried fruit, preserves and yummy home-made ice cream.