Western Australia ? South-West Coast driving holiday.
Great Australian Road Trips
Okay, so road trips in Western Australia might bring to mind punishing distances and dusty towns, and accidentally forgetting to fill up on petrol only to pass your remaining three days under the thin shade of a dead tree wondering if any car is likely to come your way. And no doubt this is readily available in a state the size of many small countries sticky-taped together, with frequent stretches of desert.
For those with different tastes, the classy (and petrol-station dotted) option is the gorgeous coast to the south of Perth, with the south-west pocket of Bunbury, Margaret River and Albany, stretching on east to Esperance and Cape Arid National Park.
Getting started ? from Perth downwards.
So have a bit of a wander around Perth ? check out Fremantle (where the Perth cappuccino elite head en masse on the weekend) and commune with the cute furry side of nature on a day-trip to Rottnest Island. Not the most attractive name for an island, but the quokkas (little kangaroo-rat things with a penchant for your peanut butter sandwiches) and the gorgeous beaches make this a brilliant side trip. Just make sure you bring your bicycle legs for the day, as there's hardly any motorised transportation. After that, it's onwards in a southerly direction.
Need a car for your road trip? Hire one at car rental perth.
Wine, more wine, and then some nibbley things.
Right, so first you'll need to make a stop at Bunbury, if only for a day or so to have a traipse around, stretch the legs, and have a dabble at the water's edge to chance a meeting with a dolphin or two.
Then it's time to get serious and head on in to the Margaret River Region. Winos and gourmands will happily revel in many chance encounters with world-class restaurants (sometimes attached to wineries) which dot the countryside. Surfers may never want to come back in from the swell ? the surfing here is world-renowned.
Further along the coast, before you arrive in Albany for a frolic, you'll want to have some quality time with some very tall plants. This here is Tall Timber Country, and the karri forests will imbue you with a somber respect for all things leafy. Stop off at the Valley of the Giants to take the Treetop walk, or take on the Gloucestor Tree near Pemberton ? steps fixed around its trunk allow you to climb up 60 metres high.
A day-trip out from Albany will thrust you into the heart of another wine-growing region (it seems the one necessity of this road trip would be a designated driver) ? the Mount Barker, Porongurup National Park and Frankland area can get you over the driving limit in the most delightful way.
And finally, a short drive away is the lovely town of Esperance and its ridiculously blue ocean, situated at the western end of the Archipelago of Recherch. The archipelago has 110 coastal islands ? full of crafty old goats and colonies of seals ? which you can tramp about on at your leisure. Or there's always a rewarding trek to be had in surrounding national parks like Cape Le Grand and Cape Arid.
From Esperance you've got the option of returning to Perth via an inland route, maybe heading up to Kalgoorlie before heading back on the Great Eastern Highway, or really change your road trip's tempo, nip up north and turn right onto the Eyre Highway.
In that case you'd better steel yourself for a very long drive to Adelaide on a straight road which goes for thousands of kilometres through an unvarying landscape designed especially to send you insane. Or, perhaps returning to Perth to hop on a plane going that direction might be a more attractive option?
Need a car to get you started?
There's loads of websites that collect the specials of all the car rental companies to save you time looking around. Just do a google search for "car hire deals" or check out a website like car rental perth which often has some good Perth and Western Australia specials.
Take care on those roads and keep your eyes peeled for kangaroos!
Alyssa Betts
Vroom Vroom Vroom / Carhire
car rental perth
The thing with enjoying the great outdoors is seeing aspects... Read More
Ask me which Pacific island has the most to offer... Read More
Picture this. You are stuck at home knee deep in... Read More
If you are on a tight budget and can't afford... Read More
On Lake Michigan, at the end of the Stonington Peninsula,... Read More
The islands of Samoa are emerging as an exciting new... Read More
The Northern Circuit is probably Africa's most dramatic wildlife area.... Read More
There is something about a town tucked between the mountains... Read More
White-water rafting can be one of the most exhilarating experiences... Read More
Going on a gorilla safari must rank as one of... Read More
Summer is for picnics, hikes, outdoor concerts, barbeques ... and... Read More
Boston is a great destination city for a vacation. There's... Read More
The most famous Egyptian pyramids to be built are the... Read More
Holidays in India, awesome in her size and diversity. This... Read More
My favorite outdoor related quote comes from John Muir, the... Read More
When you think of "adventure travel," what crosses your mind?... Read More
When it comes to birding, Acadia National Park is a... Read More
Are you sick and tired of not knowing what to... Read More
If you're a birder, you want to keep a list... Read More
When you search online for a camping gear outlet you... Read More
One morning in mid summer, I headed out for some... Read More
Base camp sits at 12,000 feet - stark, windy, unshaded... Read More
Camping mixed with outdoor activity is a great way to... Read More
Backpacking is a great way to escape the rat race... Read More
Do you think the only thing to do in Las... Read More
reliable maid service Winnetka ..Croatia has quickly become Europe's hottest destination, and for good... Read More
You would think that a cheap safari in Africa for... Read More
New experiences make me nervous, and I assume that holds... Read More
It is the end of the season for the year... Read More
With so many different designs, packing a backpack will vary... Read More
Table Mountain sheltered the original Cape explorers in the 16th... Read More
My river-rafting adventure started on a bicycle. The small daypack... Read More
The thing with enjoying the great outdoors is seeing aspects... Read More
How to get the most out of your trekking poles... Read More
One afternoon during a trip across the country in our... Read More
Okay, it wasn't quite a sleeping bag. However, it was... Read More
Nightlife in Big Sky, Montana is more exciting than you... Read More
How many of you take the time to just relax... Read More
The Cairns Fishing Adventure A Great Australia Road TripYou love... Read More
WHAT TO SEE, TO DO AND WHERE: Mount McKinley is... Read More
I stood at the observation point on the balcony at... Read More
If you've been dreaming of traveling the highways in your... Read More
A wonderful way to invest in your families' treasure trove... Read More
For most people, outdoor cooking is synonymous with barbeque, but... Read More
The sport of river rafting was practically invented in Colorado.... Read More
How to get discount lift tickets for popular ski resorts... Read More
Eaton Canyon Natural Area Nature Center, entrance, 1750 N. Altadena... Read More
Do you think the only thing to do in Las... Read More
We recently planted our saskatoon berry trees. I am sure... Read More
There are two types of used inflatable boats for sale... Read More
Outdoors |