West Coast Australia Road Trip Time!

Is it time for a west coast Australia road trip now that temperatures are cooling? We’re thinking yessss! Whether you’re wine tasting, riding in a camel safari or plunging into a crystalline pool, your driving holiday awaits.

And with international COVID-19 restrictions constantly in flux, what could be better than a holiday at home? It’s time to let your hair down, pack your trunk and fill your tank. We’ll guide you the rest of the way with these Western Australia road trip tips and destinations ideas.

Drive this way for the full story…

Pack your car for a west coast Australia road trip

The west coast of Australia is arguably one of the most beautiful places on the planet for a road trip. Namely, because you get to drive through scenic extremities all at once, experiencing ocean, desert, and forest on a single coastline. *Sigh*

Here’s a list to get you prepped with knowledge, so you can fast track to that moment where you lock your door and turn the key in the ignition:

• Prep ahead: Read these holiday road trip hacks for a crease-free road trip
• Check COVID-19 restrictions: Stay up to date on regional restrictions with road trip planning
• Know what to do in case of break downs: Find out what to do if you have a car breakdown on a driving holiday
• If you’re bringing pets: Know how to make travelling with pets on a road trip into a breeze
• Know your travelling with pet road rules: Your very own guide to rules of the road for pets in cars

There, now that we’ve got a handle on that, here are some wonderful places to see and places to stay…

Camel rides in WA

Sitting atop the leather saddle of a camel offers you an exceptional view of the landscape. It’s like watching a film with you as the main character as the scenery gently glides by.

And in Western Australia, you can ride a camel either across Cable beach in Broome by sunrise and sunset or through Pilbara’s biodiverse bush to a readymade camp.

You’ll get to connect with and learn about these gentle giants first-hand while getting snapshots of a lifetime. If this is your beat, here are some choice camel rides:

Broome Camel Safaris

• Where: Cable Beach, Kimberley region
• What: Guided camelback sunrise and sunset tours across Cable beach
• Duration: 45 minutes, 60 minutes or 90 minutes
• Website: www.broomecamelsafaris.com.au
• Perks: Your guide is Alison Bird, ‘Broome’s camel lady’ with 30 years of experience with camels. Ladies get a free pair of sterling silver freshwater pearl earrings.
• Getting there: Choose your location and plan your drive (2241 km north of Perth).

Two other stellar options for beach camel rides in Broome are these guys…

Red Sun Camel Camels

• What: Guided camelback sunrise and sunset tours across Cable beach
• Duration: 30 minutes, 40 minutes or 60 minutes
• Where: Cable Beach, Kimberley region
• Website: www.redsuncamels.com.au
• Perks: Broome’s only award-winning camel operator
• Getting there: Choose your location and plan your drive (2241 km north of Perth).

Pilbara Camel Trekking

• What: Guided camelback tours in the bush to readymade campsites in the outback
• Duration: Overnight and up to seven-day tours or tailored tours
• Where: Paraburdoo, in the Pilbara region
• Website: www.pilbaracameltrekking.com.au
• Perks: Swim in natural pools along the way. Camping price includes beds, bedding, shower facilities and meals
• Getting there: Choose your location and plan your drive (1510.5 km northeast of Perth).

West Coast National Parks

Given that we’re the world’s sunny continent, now is an ideal time of the year to visit the country’s west coast national parks. The late autumnal weather is gentler, so you’ll be able to enjoy the sun without scorching. Though you’ll still need a high SPF.

Drive, hike and canoe through tropical semi deserts, gorges, mountains, escarpments, rivers and natural pools. You’ll never forget the revitalising feeling of seeing the edge of the Australian earth at its richest.

So be sure to service your car and get ready for the following national park options:

Karijini National Park

• What: Camping, hiking, driving, swimming, canoeing
• Attractions: Oxer Lookout is a viewpoint for Weano, Red, Hancock and Joffre gorges (there are many more gorges throughout the national park, like Dales Gorge). Waterfalls and pools include the cascades of Fortescue Falls and Handrail Pool
• Where: Hamersley Range of Western Australia. The nearest town is Tom Price
• Website: Karijini National Park
• Getting there: Choose your location and plan your drive (1400km north of Perth)

Mitchell River National Park

• What: Camping, hiking, swimming
• Attractions: Mitchell Falls, Aunauyu (Surveyors Pool), Little Mertens Falls
• Where:  Mitchell Plateau off the Gibb River Road in Western Australia from Darwin to Broome
• Website: Mitchell River National Park
• Getting there: Choose your location and plan your drive (336.5 km from Vic)

Wolfe Creek Crater National Park

• What: Camping (BYO everything, including water), hiking, nature viewing
• Attractions: View the second largest meteor crater on earth
• Where: Great Sandy Desert. Closest town is Halls Creek
• Website: Wolfe Creek Crater National Park
• Getting there: Choose your location and plan your drive (2,140 kilometres northeast of Perth)

Wine tasting in WA

It only takes between 25 minutes and four hours from Perth to reach the nearest and farthest wine region of WA. You can easily travel from one wine region to another on your west coast Australia road trip, sampling the produce at its source. There are eight wine regions in all.

Choose between wine trails or guided tours, and internationally recognised premium wineries or family run artisanal wine makers. Why not try all! A note of caution, take an Uber or taxi to the wine farm and back, hire a driver to tour you around for the day or find accommodation at one well-located winery and travel on foot.

Just don’t drive after a decent go at wine tasting. Each cellar door should be able to provide you with certainty around how many standard drinks are in their wine tasting offerings.

These are the eight famed WA wine regions:

1. Margaret River wine region

• Three hours southwards along the coast from Perth via the Forrest Highway
• Regional specialities – Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc

2. Swan Valley wine region

• 25 minute drive northeast from Perth on Guildford Road
• Regional specialities – Verdelho, Cabernet, Shiraz, Liqueur Shiraz, Liqueur Verdelho

3. Perth Hills wine region

• 25 minute drive from Perth, driving east on Guildford Road or Great Eastern Highway.
• Regional specialities – Shiraz, Mourvedre, Tempranillo, Zinfandel, Durif, Viognier

4. Peel wine region

• 45 minutes south of Perth
• Regional specialities – Chardonnay, Shiraz

5. Great Southern wine region

• Just over four hours south from Perth via the Albany Highway
• Regional specialities – Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Riesling, Chardonnay, Merlot

6. Geographe wine region

• Nearly two hours from Perth
• Regional specialities – Shiraz, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay

7. Southern Forests wine region

• Just over three hours south from Perth via Forrest and South Western highways
• Regional specialities – Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Verdelho, Merlot

8. Blackwood Valley wine region

• Almost three hours south from Perth
• Regional specialities -Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, Semillon

On your West Coast Australia road trip, be sure to…

Be sure to service your car before you head out. It will make a world of difference to your sense of ease as you coast along the continent’s edge. And check whether you have adequate cover with your current car insurance policy for any eventuality.

If you only have third party fire and theft, consider upping your plan to the comprehensive car insurance plan and adding PD Insurance roadside assistance. It’s complete cover for an affordable price.