We pick up some fresh juices from a local caf and wander for a bit before settling on the beach for some people watching. 6 hours of driving. This | 11 comments on LinkedIn Built back in the 1890s to pump fresh water to the lighthouse keepers cottages, the wheel has become encrusted in limestone over the years. Unsurprisingly, there are also lots of cafs here but the name also reflects Freos Italian heritage, which is still very much alive. . From the National Anzac Centre, were heading to the dramatic coastal reserve of Torndirrup National Park. We will be there for 6 nights and use it as a base, before coming back to Perth for 4 nights. He insists the panoramic views and sense of achievement were worth it, even as his leg muscles went into meltdown and had him limping for days. Garys family history in this area goes back generations, and his passion for the nature and wildlife of the delicate Walpole and Nornalup Inlets Marine Park is absolutely contagious. Pemberton is especially spectacular in the spring, but the tall Karri trees are gorgeous all year round. This is one of the regions famed fire trees epic old-growth karri trees once used as above-the-forest-canopy fire lookouts. Add world class wineries, a burgeoning craft brewery scene and excellent foodie options and you have what is, quite possibly, one of the best road trips in Australia. In the Margaret River region also check out accommodation in Dunsborough. To give you a picture; Pemberton is surrounded by national parks and located in the order of 3.75 hours south of Perth, 3 hours from Albany and half way between Margaret River and the Tree top Walk near Walpole. So once youre settled in, head up to the famous Castle Rock Granite Skywalk in Porongurup National Park, where youll enjoy sprawling views over the ranges. The 1.8 km (1.1 mile) Busselton Jetty is (said to be) the longest timber-piled jetty in the world, and its the focus of our visit. If youre here on a weekend, start your day here with something tasty and some souvenir shopping. Bus, fly. The Porongurups are renowned for producing exceptional cool-climate wines, notably riesling and pinot noir, with excellent ones being produced at Castle Rock Estate and Dukes Vineyard. For specific information on travelling to the state of Western Australia (WA), where this road trip itinerary takes place, head here. Save. We take the opportunity to head to the Kojonup Bakery while were here to sample one of the locally made pies the town has become famous for. While its effectively an outer suburb of Perth, it feels a world away from the big city. John, for his tree-climbing pains, gets to do a full tasting session, after which we retreat to the outdoor patio to enjoy some snacks and a glass of pinot noir overlooking the beautiful rolling hills of the estate. What you choose will depend on how much time you have and if you have previously visited the South West region. Pls help me decide! While our route from Busselton follows a loose trail around the Cape Naturaliste peninsula, theres a bit of criss-crossing and back-tracking as we follow the sun. With hindsight, and if youre keen to see the stingrays of Hamelin Bay, then we suggest making straight for Hamelin Bay Beach first thing in the morning, then heading to Cape Leeuwin and visiting the other sites as you make your way back north to Margaret River. There are two routes to get to Albany from Perth; direct along Albany Highway or the longer, more scenic route via Margaret River or Pemberton. From here, the Coastal Survivors Walk and the Pupalong Loop Walk wind away, serving up some spectacular cliff-edge panoramas and views over the Southern Ocean. Dont leave without stopping by the Pinnacles Desert Discovery Centre for excellent insights into the geology, nature and culture of this extraordinary place. from $254. Weve opted to stay a short walk from Fremantles historic and port area, so after checking in, we make for the towns most popular gathering joint the vast Little Creatures Brewery for a sunset beer followed by dinner and an early night. Pemberton may not be as established a wine region as its world-famous neighbour, Margaret River, but its working on it. 2 hours (with lots of stops)Overnight: Pemberton. Electric cars available in Australia in 2022, Pre-purchase building inspection benefits, WAs best road trips and long distance drives, Endless things to see and do in Perth and WA, WAs top destinations and places worth visiting, An epic road trip through the best of the South West. Having said that, well fess up and note that even this looping two week Perth to Albany road trip itinerary is ambitious given the distances and the sheer number of highlights involved. Or the other way round. Albany to Hopetoun (3.5 hours) The longest drive along the route from Perth to Albany and Albany to Esperance follows the outskirts of Fitzgerald River National Park into Ravensthorpe before you arrive at Hopetoun. The shoulder periods between March May (Aussie Autumn) and September November (Aussie Spring) are said by many to be the nicest times of year, though chilling out by a fire with a Margaret River cab sav in winter has definite appeal for us. Re: Bridgetown to Pemberton OR Albany to Perth via Bridgetown. Back on the South Coast Highway, we set the GPS for the National Anzac Centre in Albany. There are a couple of spots to stop en route, like the lookout over sweeping Lancelin Sand Dunes, and Two Rocks beach. Then make it your civic duty as Western Australian to have lunch at the Truffle and Wine Co with Manjimup being responsible for almost 70 per cent of Australias truffles, its an absolute must-do for any self-respecting WA foodie. There are lots of other options for dinner around here too. Sun, 31 Dec ALH - PER with Regional Express. After the tour, we hitch a ride back to shore aboard the little red train that runs on tracks the length of the jetty. We also stop for a cooling arvo beer at Pinks Beach Club, before rolling back into town in time for our return ferry. The upper lookout is not for the faint of heart. A beautiful spot to end the day. Theres a museum and tearooms here, and guided tours including a climb up the 59 steps of the lighthouse to its balcony. The drive from Margaret River to Nannup is around 45-50 minutes. Once youre back down, round out the day with a visit to one of the award-winning wineries in the region. Its impressive in its own right but the real head spin comes with a read of the signage onsite turns out these rocks are the remnant foundations of a once vast mountain range where Australia joined Antarctica. view full itinerary. Sure, in peak periods crowd numbers swell. Upon arriving, squeeze in some exploring before settling in for the night the Gloucester Tree and Diamond Tree are worth a visit, as is a stroll through town and sampling some of the local produce. Answer 11 of 31: We are visiting Perth in May to June for 14 days holiday. Option: Stop off at Kojonup and visit The Kodja Place a fascinating 200 km (124 miles)Total driving time appx. Albany Regional Airport (11 kms/7 mi from the city); domestic flights only Its a big drive, so were starting the day with a hike to a unique platform on high. Overlooking an expansive panorama of fields and forest, this huge brewery, restaurant and beer garden is a brilliant spot to break up the touring. Youll pass through Nannupon the way, a good place to stop for fuel, a toilet break and to stretch the legs. A suck-your-gut-in-narrow wooden walkway takes you out into the heart of the rocky scene, to where the sea churns through gaps and you can feel the spray on your face. Jump back onto South Coast Highway and head west to your next destination - Denmark. The Porongurup Ranges Castle Rock Granite Skywalk Albanys Middleton Beach Denmarks food and wine scene Elephant Rocks Greens Pool driving through lush forests Valley of the Giants Treetop Walk - Pembertons Diamond Tree Truffle tasting in Manjimup Margaret River region Donnybrooks famous apples. The Hawaiian Ride for Youth has raised more than $30million for mental health support services in WA. Make sure you check road conditions to double check the weather. The Margaret River and Leeuwin-Naturaliste coast packs a huge punch in the nature stakes, and there are a ton of places to visit in Margaret River besides its world renowned wineries (though wine tasting is most definitely on our agenda). While the demographic of the tour was decidedly older than us, the 2.5 hour slow boat tour out of Walpole is easily one of the most memorable and educational tours weve been on, all thanks to Garys charisma and encyclopaedic knowledge. Another alternative is to fly to Albany, then hire a car once there, but most visitors will drive from Perth. Getting to Albany from Perth Heading to your destination (Albany) will mean taking on a 415-kilometre road trip. Our next destination on the Karri Forest Explorer Drive is Warren National Park and the Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree. After the hair-raising experience of the fire tree, we need some time to reflect. Withso many things to do in Albany, it's well worth scheduling a day to stay put and explore everything this city has to offer. Back at the forest floor, a separate boardwalk meanders through a fantastical, Game of Thrones-esque grove of tingle trees called The Ancient Empire. Once you arrive at your destination, spend your evening enjoying a Margaret Riversunset and dinner at one of the many spots along the Bussell Highway main drag in town. Pemberton is an inland town situated in the Southern Forests area of Australia's South West tourist region. Dramatic nature is a theme of this journey, so in keeping with that, for the second last day of our road trip in Western Australia we head around 2.5 hours north of Perth for a visit to one of the states most famous natural attractions the Pinnacles Desert of Nambung National Park. Other popular stops include Rockingham Beach, Denmark Animal Farm & Pentland Alpaca Stud, and Bluff Knoll. Our Perth to Albany road trip in Western Australia is one of the entries on our Bucket List of 100 Ultimate Road Trips Around The World check out what else is on the list. After checking into our hotel in Pemberton, we get back in the car and make for Point DEntrecastenaux for sunset. . Theres a path through the scrubby coastal heath overlooking the farm, and were so close to the nearest turbine that we can practically feel the slow whummp of the enormous rotor blades as they turn. Leave Manjimup for Walpole. What we get instead is an angry sky with roiling dark clouds, but if anything, it adds to the drama of this beautiful coastline. Theres also an Island Explorer hop on hop off bus if youd prefer to explore without taxing your legs (and lets be honest, by mid-afternoon, sweaty and sunburnt, were definitely having second thoughts about the bikes). Our plan is just to be in Albany. If youd rather self-tour though, your options are many check out this site for some tips and suggested wine trails. As the other must-see on our Torndirrup list, we make a beeline for The Blowholes as the sun is dropping. With hindsight though, unless youve got more days in Albany, this is probably a spot worth leaving for another time. This sweeping vineyard has a lovely, friendly cellar door and we leave with a couple of bottles for the nights to come. It covers 1,621 km and 17 hours of driving time. Answer 1 of 31: We are visiting Perth in May to June for 14 days holiday. What companies run services between Pemberton, WA, Australia and Albany, WA, Australia? Total driving distance appx. Then were chased off the rocks and all the way back to Denmark by a solid wall of rain. Answer 1 of 22: Friends, Family and I will be in WA in late Nov into Dec this year, 2012. Bus route GE4 . Our next stop, Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk, gives us a chance to get up close with these amazing trees in their upper reaches. Margaret River is one of Australias top wine regions (and world-renowned for its chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon), so it goes without saying a trip here really isnt a fait accompli without a visit to a winery or two. Its perched right on the cusp of West Cape Howe National Park, which is also worth popping in to if you have time on your side Shelley Beach and its synonymous lookout are stunning places to stop. Single room: extra AUD $690. But its the location of the lighthouse, on a dramatic rocky point at the confluence of the Indian and Southern Oceans, which is truly breathtaking (and by all accounts an excellent spot for whale watching between May and November each year). Getting to Albany is a breeze via the Williams Supercharger, plus Synergy should have some Kempower DC chargers operating in Albany by June. Theyre practically exclusive to this corner of the world, live for hundreds of years, can survive the ravages of fire, and reach heights of 50 metres (164 feet) and more. For the many, many Aussies who never made it back, this is where they last stood on home soil. Perth to Albany road trip itinerary via the Albany Highway. Albany Albany is 419 km south of Perth and will take around 4 hours and 40 minutes to drive non-stop. 6330.3. Our first stop is Mammoth Cave, where a self-guided audio tour takes us on a boardwalk journey through the stunning, stalactite-filled chambers of this ancient place. Our goal today is to be in the pretty bayside town of Busselton by early afternoon, so we can max our time exploring the famous Busselton Jetty and surrounds. It is 420 km and 5 hours from Albany to Perth. Freos markets have been running since 1897 so its a slick affair of yummy food and produce, local crafts, clothes and entertainment. Break your fast in Busselton, or make the half-hour trip west to the resort town of Dunsborough for brekkie. You can either spend the morning exploring more of Perth city before driving straight to Busselton, or get on the road earlier and make a pit stop en route in the quirky town of Bunbury. At just over 415km, from Perth to Albany, it takes just four and a half hours, and . Now all that's left to do is hit the road. This unpaved (but 2WD-suitable) route loops off Caves Road around 3 km (1.8 miles) south of Lake Cave and rejoins Caves Road just south of Boranup Forest Maze. Once youre done exploring, jump back in the car for the home stretch to Perth, with (hopefully) full bellies, full hearts and full bags of amazing WA produce. A short drive west of Walpole, and around 4.3 km (2.7 miles) along Hilltop Road (off the South Coast Highway), is the Giant Tingle Tree. Many places have cellar doors where you can pop in and sample the wares, or settle in for a gorgeous lunch surrounded by vineyards. Its farewell to Margaret River today as we turn our attention inland and make for the historic town of Pemberton. Take the inland route on your Perth to Albany road trip to discover historical sights, a boutique hotel and classic country towns. The artist Gaudi said there are no straight lines in nature, making this strikingly linear sea-sculpted channel a real eye-catcher, surrounded as it is by an otherwise rugged and wild coast. Its renowned as a spectacular spot for sunset and weve worked todays itinerary so that well be here for that. Or the other way round. Day one: Perth to Collie via Jarrahdale, Serpentine and Dwellingup (198 kilometres) Travelling via the South Western Highway, make your way to the heritage-listed town of Jarrahdale, where you can stretch your legs on one of the towns beautiful bushwalks. This isnt the world famous, camel-trekking Cable Beach of Broome (a mere 2,400 km away in the north of WA), but its pretty damn speccy in its own right, and theres not a soul on it when we stop at the lookout (its a serious hike down to the beach itself). We did, however, enjoy an incredible golden hour over the ambient jetty ruins, and the silhouette of a lone dolphin cruising the shoreline. DAY 4 Set off on a leisurely drive home via Albany Highway. Its an immersive, moving and eye-opening journey through this tragic chapter of history. We spend a bit of time climbing around the rocks, taking in the view as the clouds roll in and the crashing waves continue their constant sculpting. The 100 metre high falls themselves are said to be at their best in the wetter months of winter and spring. Perth to Albany via Pemberton. The straight-line route to Albany is one that I've taken many times over the years, eager to get to the Southern Ocean coast. Day 5: West Cape Howe to Two Peoples Bay (Albany) Day 6: Two Peoples Bay to Fitzgerald River National Park. Make sure you check road conditions to double check the weather. Direct. Its about an hour and a half and well make a stop here to stretch legs and use the amenities. Make sure you check road conditions to double check the weather. Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from Albany to Perth. The Giant Tingle Tree is an introduction to the world of the south west Australia hardwoods huge, ancient trees with a talent for survival in the harshest of conditions. A few kilometres before you hit the town, youll pass Boston Brewing, a great place to stop for lunch. Day 4: Denmark to West Cape Howe. 20 Unmissable Things To Do in South West WA, Day 3 Busselton to Margaret River via Cape Naturaliste, Day 5 Margaret River south to Cape Leeuwin, Day 12 Fremantle to The Pinnacles (or choose your own adventure). If youre driving around Australia anyway, you should definitely include this corner of the country in your road trip itinerary. We will be there for 6 nights and use it as a base, before coming back to Perth for 4 nights. However, there are still some controls and requirements in place, both for entering the country and for each state and territory, so its critical to get the latest information for your destination before you travel. 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