martharap

We are beginning to plan a 3-4 week family reunion trip (son lives in Sydney, daughter in Spain, us in US) beginning and ending in Perth. This would be late August to late September (WA school vacation begins September 21). We will apply for our visas as soon as we get our new passports. Luckily my husband noticed they expire in September!

We will rent a car. We are outdoorsy (not camping), hiking, birding, etc.

As I get older I find it more and more difficult to plan trips! Where! How long! We definitely don’t want to move around too much, maybe 4 locations, if practical. Any suggestions as to bases to explore from would be great.

Margaret River, Albany, Esperence, Pinnacles, Rottnest Island. Our daughter mentioned Monkey Mia, our son Blackwood River canoeing.

Thanks for suggestions, which will hopefully kickstart me into action!

Bokhara2

My knowledge of WA isn't good enough to give you any relevant advice, but you might find this map of Australia useful for perspective on size & distances. August should be lovely in WA, it's wildflower time!Australia – size map: https://www.virtualoceania.net/austr...ustralia.shtml

VISA FINDER: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visa...sa/visa-finder
You can download the Australian Gov't Visa App if you qualify.

marg

If you are already planning to visit the Pinnacles, then consider travelling a bit further north to Geraldton (excellent maritime museum and some other interesting places to visit), then go to Mullewa (about 100 km inland). You should see some spectacular wildflowers including possibly the wreath flower which only grows in this area. Also possibly visit Coalseam National Park for more wildflowers.

Kings Park in Perth is an absolute must, particularly in wildflower time as their displays are really beautiful.

I'd make sure accommodation is booked in advance - August and September are very popular times for travellers in Western Australia.

Bokhara2

Could I suggest you have a look at the Australian Forum on Trip Advisor? It's a much more active travel forum than Fodors and has some very knowledgeable people with expertise on Western Australia.

martharap

Thanks for the above suggestions!

I have looked for suggestions on TripAdvisor and am taking notes.

Melnq8

martharap - we lived in Perth for seven years and have visited all the areas on your list - there is just so much to see and do in the vast state of WA!

Some things to keep in mind:

Margaret River and Albany are easily accessible from Perth, as is Nannup (home to Blackwood River Canoeing) and of course Rottnest Island, which is an easy day excursion from Perth (but not one I'd personally recommend).

Esperence can also be included with a MR, Nannup and Albany loop, but it's a long drive to Esperence - about eight hours. It's an interesting place and well worth the time, but keep in mind you will need plenty of time.

Distances in WA are vast.

For example, here's an excerpt from one of my Margaret River trip reports:

I see so many unrealistic proposed itineraries for Western Australia that I thought it might help visitors unfamiliar with the Margaret River region to get an idea of what one can realistically fit into a couple of days. The key word here is ‘region’; Margaret River is indeed a region, extending some 100 km north to south and up to 27 km wide. The town of Margaret River lies about halfway between, some nine km inland from the Indian Ocean.

It stands to reason that such a vast area would have plenty to see and do. There are some ~150 wine producers, a handful of boutique breweries, a distillery, a cheese factory, chocolate shops, coffee roasters, bakeries, restaurants and cafes…a wine and food lover’s dream. There are also beaches, bush walks, forests, caves, art galleries, lighthouses, a waterfall or two…the options are seemingly endless. Business hours are generally between 10-5, so it pays to plan somewhat if you want to fit a lot into a day.

That trip report can be found here:

So much to do, so little time. A long weekend in Margaret River

The Pinnacles (Cervantes) and Monkey Mia are the outliers in your itinerary as they're north of Perth - the Pinnacles about two hours, Monkey Mia about nine hours, whereas the other areas on your wish list are south.

If it were me, and I had 3-4 weeks in WA - I'd plan a loop of the SW of WA and leave the north for another time.

To give you an example, here's my trip report from our 17 road trip from Perth to Exmouth and back, it includes Monkey Mia and the Pinnacles - note that we drove 4,059 kilometers in 17 days.

Road Trip: Perth-Exmouth-Perth - It's a Bloody Long Way!

This report includes a bit of the north as well as Esperence to give you an idea:

Doing the Aussie Salute in Country WA. A Trip Report

Likewise there are other areas you could incorporate into a SW loop including Denmark, and my personal favorite Pemberton. Loads to do in both of these areas as well. These trip reports which include distances and drive times, may or may not help:

A Long Weekend Escape to Pemberton, WA

The Wonders of Western Australia: Trip Report & Slideshow

Savoring the Southwest: A Western Australia Road Trip

Hits and Misses - A Long Weekend in Margaret River

Wildflowers, Walk Trails and Wine…A Denmark Getaway

Grazing through the Great Southern, Western Australia

I realize these reports are old (as am I, lol) , but the basic info should be the same and IME things don't change quickly in WA where the motto is Wait Awhile

And we haven't even talked about Perth!

martharap

Thanks so much Mel. Lots to read!

northie

We visit WA at least yearly as we have fanily there. We always just do day trips to Rottnest from Fremantle. If you had a base in Fremantle you could visit that and and also Kings Park for the wild flowers.
For explorong Margaret River we've stayed in Margaret River and also Dunsbrough at different times.
Last time we stayed in Mandurah .and explored that area -Lake Clifton thrombolites, Thomas Dambos sculptures .
My family went to Albany from Fremnatle this March and loved it -lots of nice beaches but it is a long drive.
Monkety mia is fabulous.
Would you consider the Kimberley region for a totally different experience? youd have to fly in that time- only my son drives that far from Fremantle lol

martharap

Thanks Northie.

I would love to explore the Kimberley at some point, but probably not this trip. I’m a bit intimidated by the difficulty of navigating rough roads. The landscape looks stunning.

travellingnomad

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