South West Australia Road Trip
The coastline of South West Australia has so much to offer, from dazzling beaches to maritime history to towering giants of trees. Starting from Perth, the largest city in Western Australia, a road trip to Esperance could take anything from a few days to two weeks. Then probably back to Perth again, if you have a rental car to return. That’s what my parents did: they stayed in Esperance with old friends for a couple of weeks, then travelled inland via the mining town of Kalgoolie. I travelled back earlier, on a flight instead, so I missed that part. Anyway, our South West Australia road trip took us from Perth to Esperance over five days, with two nights each in Margaret River and Albany. Then I had a few days in Esperance with them before I departed. Get comfy, this is a long one!
Day One – Perth to Margaret River
Busselton
Driving distances in Australia are vast across the country, so our South West road trip only allowed for 1-2 stops on most travel days. Departing from Perth, it was about two and a half hours south to our first stop, the seaside town of Busselton. It’s famous for its jetty, which protrudes almost 2km out to sea. It was first built over 150 years ago, although it’s been updated since then. We stopped for lunch on the foreshore first, on the outdoor terrace at The Goose, before heading onto the jetty.
There’s a wealth of attractions on the Busselton Jetty, including its iconic train and the underwater observatory. You have to pay to access the jetty, even to walk along it, which was a bit surprising. However, we paid regardless, choosing to walk only (you can take the train both ways or walk up and train back). The train passed us during our walk, which was great for snapping photos. I had fun with the quiz, consisting of signs along the jetty, each with the previous answer and the next question. At the far end is the underwater observatory, which also requires additional entry, so we’d opted against it. It was cool to just read about the jetty’s history along the way and enjoy the surrounding dazzling blue ocean. And it’s pretty mad just how far out to sea you are once you reach the end!
Back on the foreshore, we also had time for a drink in the sun on the local brewery’s terrace, Shelter Brewing. Then we hit the road again to our destination, Margaret River. We arrived pretty late, so we didn’t see anything else today. Our accommodation was outside the town, in a lovely forest cabin. We even saw kangaroos in the neighbouring field one day!
Day Two – Margaret River
Two-night stays meant days with slightly less driving on our South West Australia road trip, and time to explore areas in more depth. Margaret River is most famous as a wine region, with dozens of wineries in the surrounding countryside. That was for later in the day, though! We didn’t spend much time in the town itself, really, aside from dinner each evening. Our focus was the coast and caves, as we set off south again to explore Leeuwin and the Caves Road along the West coast.
Cape Leeuwin
Travelling south down the highway, we went as far as we could go. Literally, since Cape Leeuwin is the southwesternmost point of Australia. The Cape Leeuwin lighthouse is the main attraction down here, and the entry fee includes access to the surrounding buildings. You have to pay extra to tour inside the working lighthouse itself, which we skipped. However, the buildings house exhibits about the history and geography of the Cape and the lighthouse, so we learned a lot that way. Around the lighthouse, we enjoyed stunning sea views, dazzling in the summer sunshine.
Descending a pathway to a lookout point closer to the ocean, a sign greeted us declaring this is where oceans meet. The Indian Ocean, alongside Australia’s west coast, gives way to the Southern Ocean. Though this could be a point of contention, as online research I’ve done since shows that some organisations deem the Great Australian Bight, which meets most of the southern coastline, as either the Indian or Southern Ocean, depending on whose delineation you use! Certainly, compared to other places where I’ve seen oceans meet – Cape Reinga in New Zealand and Cape Agulhas in South Africa – there wasn’t a clear line of waves crashing towards each other in opposite directions. But it was still a scenic spot and cool to be at the far corner of such a huge country!
Jewel Cave
Next, we travelled north again on the smaller Caves Road, which runs between the highway and the coast. It mainly takes you through the Boranup forest with thick woodland surrounding the road, so it feels quite wild and remote. As the name of the road suggests, there are several underground caves in this area. We decided to visit just one, choosing Jewel Cave based on the online pictures, as it looked the most impressive. The experience is a guided tour with a larger group, taking you through a series of interconnected caves while the guide explains the features and formations, and history of the cave’s discovery.
The first chamber is the largest, with massive stalactites and stalagmites all around. A series of stairs and walkways leads you through, avoiding physical contact with these delicate rock formations. We continued through a few chambers, which were smaller but no less impressive. From frozen waterfalls and organ pipes to long, skinny stalactites that resemble fragile dangling threads, it was incredible how many shapes the rock could take. And how fragile and delicate some of it seemed! There aren’t any glowworms, like in some of New Zealand’s caves. But someone even discovered a fossilised Tasmanian tiger down here, a species that went extinct over 3,000 years ago now. I think the cave exceeded our expectations overall, and I was amazed at the sheer size of the caves and the beauty of the rock formations!
Redgate Beach
Our journey continued north on Caves Road, through the densest stretch of the Boranup Forest, looking stunning with the light filtering through the leaves. We made a short detour to the Boranup Forest Cafe for lunch – there aren’t many other options in this area! Then we decided to check out one of the beaches, turning off for Redgate Beach. As you’d expect from an Australian beach, we were met with clean, white sand and bright, turquoise water. And a sign about all the dangers, from riptides to sharks!
The swell was pretty big that day, with massive waves crashing onto the rocks around the shore, so swimming was out. However, there were a few calmer pools sheltered by the rock that I paddled in, wading along the shoreline to explore. Further out to sea, some large black rocks jutting out of the water served as an excellent barrier for the waves, with massive sprays of white foam shooting up as they landed. We picked a sunny spot to hang out in for a while, enjoying the sun and watching the tide.
Wineries
You can’t come to Margaret River and not check out the wineries! There are dozens of them in the area, mainly scattered in the countryside around the town, surrounded by their vineyards. We weren’t doing any tours or meals; instead, just popping into their tasting rooms to see what was available. Since we were there late in the day, they were pretty quiet by then, too. First, we stopped at Leeuwin Estate, whose tasting room is a modern building tucked in amongst the trees. We got to taste a few wines at the bar, Mum and I choosing different ones so we could swap and compare (Dad was the driver). She wanted to take some bottles to her friends in Esperance, so we came away with three different ones.
Next up was Voyager Estate, which has a sweeping drive through the vineyards, leading to a chateau-like building that houses the tasting room. It all felt very elegant and traditional! They had some information boards about the estate’s history inside as well, which was nice for getting context on the local area. They offered a tasting package, where you could choose five from a list, so Mum and I both did this and again, she got some bottles to take away. We also went for a wander around their rose garden and the kitchen garden, which is laden with vegetables and spices they use in the restaurant. You could easily spend your whole time visiting wineries around the region, so I’m glad we got to try a couple.
Day Three – Margaret River to Albany
Our South West Australia road trip continued with another driving day, taking us 4.5 hours around the coast to our next overnight stop, Albany. There are a few different roads you could take along this section, and we stuck as close to the coast as possible. Though it’s still mainly inland, not driving by the ocean! Our first stop was the small town of Pemberton for a morning coffee and a break from driving. The route travels through several national parks – seriously, Australia must have hundreds of national parks? – which are mainly native forests. So our drive was full of towering trees and dappled light coming through them.
Valley of the Giants
The main reason we chose this route was to visit the Valley of the Giants, for a treetop walk amongst the native tingle trees. I’m famously scared of heights, so I was a bit nervous. But I’m usually better when I’m standing on something, like a walkway or bridge, compared to ‘dangling’ on ziplines or cable cars. The walkway is cleverly designed so you only walk up a gentle incline, but combined with the sloping valley below, you quickly find yourself 40m above the ground. The walkway is a series of bridges connecting towers dotted between the trees. My technique was to cross the bridges quickly, then enjoy the view from the towers. And don’t look down, of course! The towers were swaying a bit in the breeze, though, which wasn’t my favourite! But the trees are beautiful, tall and skinny, with gnarled, swirling trunks and lush, verdant leaves.
You can walk around as many times as you want, but once was enough for me! My parents went for a second round, though, while I headed to the Ancient Empire, a ground-level walk, where they caught up to me later. You’re obviously at the base of the trees this time rather than in the tree tops, staring up at their towering height. Some of the oldest trees can be found here, including ‘Grandma Tingle’ with her wrinkled face in the bark. There are also a couple of partially hollowed-out trees (I think from fire, but I can’t remember for sure) that you can walk through and stand inside. And I enjoyed spotting the little fairy doors installed throughout the walk! I really took my time with this part, soaking in the sounds and sights of this ancient forest.
Elephant Rocks
The Valley of the Giants aren’t too far from Albany (you could visit on a day trip), but we still had time for one more stop before arriving in town. Shortly before the town of Denmark, we turned off the main road and headed to the coast to see the Elephant Rocks. Walking down towards the ocean from the car park, we found a viewpoint above the beach. Brilliant, turquoise water meets soft, white sand and just offshore, lies a herd of elephants. The undulating humps of rock mimic the backs, heads and trunks of elephants, as if they’re bathing in the shallows. You have to find the right angle to really see it – a second viewpoint closer to the rocks was a bit better!
Another trail nearby leads to Greens Pool, a small cove named for its clear, green water. Due to the time of day, the view was backlit as the sun sank low, so we didn’t really see the colour. But it’s still a pretty spot and another nice way to stretch our legs on a driving day. Many people were swimming or sunbathing on both beaches, but we had the rest of the drive to finish.
Day Four – Albany
Albany is one of the larger towns in South West Australia, so it’s a convenient stop on a road trip with plenty of amenities. We checked out the shops along the main street, as well as some of the historic buildings like the church. And we had dinner in town one night, and by the harbour the other. There are plenty of fishing boats in the area, so fresh seafood is a popular choice!
Torndirrup National Park
On our full day here, we took a drive south out of town onto the peninsula that curves around Frenchman’s Bay. Most of this consists of Torndirrup National Park, with various scenic points and natural features to check out. We started with ‘The Gap’, a large cleft in the shore with steep cliffs on each side. You stand on a viewing platform, looking directly down to the ocean below, huge waves crashing into the rocks. It’s definitely an impressive force of nature! Nearby, there’s also the Natural Bridge, which is self-explanatory in the name, an arch of rocks over the water. It doesn’t take too long to see both, but they’re pretty cool and worth stopping for!
We then went to see the blowholes, which involve a fairly long walk down the hill from the car park. Unfortunately, the blowholes are a bit difficult to see. It felt like we were getting too close to a steep edge, and none of us wanted to venture too far down for safety! We could hear the noise they make, though, water spouting up through the rocks. I’d seen blowholes in Samoa before, so these ones must have been smaller since they weren’t very visible.
Then we stopped at one more lookout point before continuing to Frenchman Bay. It’s famous for the historic whaling station, now a museum. I don’t really like the thought of the whaling industry – I’m glad this station is now defunct, so I didn’t feel the need to see the brutal history. We had lunch in the cafe and a quick browse of the shop, though.
Brig Amity
Heading back towards Albany, we stopped at the Great Southern Distillery, which produces whisky and gin, and got to taste a few of their products. Then we headed to the Museum of the Great Southern, which includes a visit to the Brig Amity, a replica ship moored nearby. The museum encompasses a few historic buildings, each with a different theme. There was a big focus on natural history and wildlife, and the local Aboriginal culture of the Noongar people. Then it continued through more recent history, with the arrival of Europeans and their settlements. They have temporary exhibits as well, and there was an art display on upstairs during our visit.
The Brig Amity was a convict ship that brought the first convicts from Sydney to establish a permanent settlement in Western Australia. You can follow a mobile audio guide for a more in-depth understanding of what the journey aboard the ship was like, both above and below deck. The ship you see here is a replica, but it still felt pretty authentic! And it’s staffed by enthusiastic volunteers who are happy to answer any questions. I thought the whole site, the museum and ship, was a great little regional attraction, and I certainly learned more about WA.
Day Five – Albany to Esperance
To be totally blunt, the last part of our South West Australia road trip was the least exciting. Albany to Esperance is a 5-hour drive, longer with breaks, of course. And there’s not a whole lot to see. It’s mainly straight roads through the bush, the tingle forests giving way to flat, somewhat barren land. However, there are farms scattered throughout. We made a couple of bathroom stops – each one is about an hour apart, so I’d researched and planned accordingly! Then had a picnic lunch in the park in sleepy Jerramungup.
We rolled into Esperance by mid-afternoon, immediately jumping into socialising with Mum’s friends! I had four full days here with them, one of which was entirely taken up by an extended family barbecue. It was nice to meet people I’ve only heard about before, or haven’t seen since I was very young! But with Mum & Dad staying longer than I was, they were generous enough to focus on sightseeing for my time in town. Mum has also been here a few times before, but it was the first visit for Dad too.
Cape Le Grand National Park
The very next day after we arrived, we set out with Mum’s friends, heading further east into Cape Le Grand National Park. This is an area they all raved about, and was top of the list for places Dad and I had to see! The main focus here is the coastline and the beaches. WA has some of the best beaches in Australia, some of which have even been voted best in the world.
Frenchman Peak
But before we hit the coast, Dad and I set out on a hike up Frenchman Peak, while everyone else waited at the base. The mountain’s name comes from its resemblance to a French tricorn hat. It’s not particularly high, so it doesn’t take too long, but it is technically challenging. Much of the trail is up the smooth rock face, with a fairly steep incline, so you have to watch your footing carefully. I actually found the downhill worse, needing to crouch and use my hands a lot for fear of slipping. Around the top, the incline levels out, but it’s still very rocky and difficult to navigate underfoot, so we didn’t climb onto the top rock. It was also incredibly windy up there, very exposed above the surrounding flat land!
All that said, we did get some excellent views from the top, looking out across the bush inland and the coast in the other direction. There are a few smaller hills nearby, smooth, rounded rocky mounds, which we got good views of as well. We picked our way around the top for a while to see the views in all directions before retracing our route back down again.
Lucky Bay
Our main destination for the day was Lucky Bay, generally considered the best beach in the area. Unfortunately, it was similarly windy there today, resulting in choppy waves within the bay, stirring up far more white foam compared to the serene, still, blue water you normally see pictured. Mum and her friends agreed it perhaps wasn’t looking its best that day, but I could still appreciate its potential.
We had a coffee break in a sheltered spot amongst the foliage. Then took a walk along the sand, heading for the rocks on the far side of the bay. This is a more elevated spot, so we could take in a view of the whole bay. It was certainly very pretty from up there, with the bright blue of the water more evident! Back down on the sand, a few of us braved the waves and went for a dip. The water was fairly cold – it is the Southern Ocean after all! – but I got used to it reasonably quickly. It was the wind on my wet skin that was the killer!
Once we’d dried off again, we decided to head to one of the other beaches for our picnic lunch. Hellfire Bay was packed full of cars, so we ended up at Cape Le Grand Beach, grabbing a picnic bench. Then we soaked in the views for a while, the sea just as dazzling here as well. Mum’s friend explained that this beach stretches all the way along the coast, almost back to Esperance, so it’s a popular one to drive if you have a 4×4 vehicle. Had it been a less windy day, we might have stuck around longer on either beach, but I’m still glad I got to see such a famous, scenic area.
Stonehenge
On the way back into Esperance, we made one more stop at a rather unusual attraction. Esperance has its own version of Stonehenge! I’ve never actually been to the one in England, so I can’t compare. This one is, of course, much newer, constructed in 2011 as a full-size replica of the original. It was quarried from local pink granite, and the whole thing was a sort of passion project. The ticket office provides leaflets about the site which explain more of its history and construction.
Out on the site itself, we could wander through the stone circle, admiring the vast standing rocks. It aligns with the Summer and Winter Solstices, like the original Stonehenge, and though we weren’t there on either date, we could still appreciate this attention to detail. It certainly wasn’t a sight I expected to encounter anywhere in Australia, but it was a fun addition to my time in Esperance!
Exploring Esperance
The rest of my time in the area was largely spent in Esperance itself, a decently large coastal town. We were there in the height of summer, so we often found ourselves retreating indoors during the hottest parts of the day. Dad and I took a walk all the way along the waterfront one day, starting from near the house and finishing up all the way down near the harbour. The first stretch was the beach, which then gave way to the waterfront park that runs alongside the town centre. It’s a scenic, grassy park, dotted with kiosks where we grabbed a morning coffee, and plenty of flower beds and sculptures. I was a big fan of the whale tail! We walked along the jetty out to sea as well, spotting bird life along the way.
My days in town also overlapped with the market, which takes place around the museum village. This is a collection of older heritage buildings, which were originally things like the post office, church and doctor’s office. Now they’ve been converted into shops and restaurants, which is a nice way to preserve the area and keep it active in the community.
We didn’t eat in any of these, but we did head out to Lucky Bay Brewing, just outside the town, for dinner one evening. It’s a lovely venue, with heaps of seating in the garden outside its industrial-style building. Dad and I got some tasting paddles to sample a few local brews – you could pick and choose what you wanted to taste – before settling on full pints of our favourites. And there was a good menu of food options, including veggie options for me.
Esperance Clock Tower
One of my highlights of Esperance was definitely visiting the Clock Tower. Especially because it was one of Mum’s friends who built it! They are Scottish by birth, which is where Mum met them, and they emigrated to Australia decades ago. He has an incredible mechanical mind and builds all sorts of clocks, mainly inside all of their houses. He created the clock tower with a couple of friends, and it was a passion project started in 2005 that came about because they wanted to put something back into the local community. Most people will only see it from the outside, down near the harbour, which is impressive enough on its own! It has four clock faces, stained glass windows and a statue on each corner. And, of course, you can hear the bells chime every quarter hour.
But we were lucky enough to get to visit the inside as well, escorted by one of the friends who helped to build it. We climbed narrow stairs and ladders all the way up to the top. We got to see the little automatons that parade outside sometimes. Then the bronze bells, which are each cast with the names of people who donated to the project. And finally, the actual mechanisms at the top that make the clock work. Getting to tour it with one of the creators definitely gave me an extra appreciation of the time, planning, work, and dedication that went into it. From sourcing the materials to casting the statues and all the cogs, gears and mechanisms, it’s incredibly detailed and crafted!
Esperance Museum
Not far from the museum village, Esperance has its own local museum. And I’ll start by saying, it’s huge! The building is like an old warehouse, and the museum actually starts outside with various pieces of machinery and an army tank. Inside, it’s like a collection of every piece of memorabilia from the town over the last century. Split into sections, you experience the area’s home life from clothing to kitchen equipment, to its industries, mainly fishing and farming. There are old vehicles, musical instruments, children’s toys, and a steam train running down the length of the building. Most unusual is the display about the satellite that crashed nearby! It was staggering just how much stuff was in here and what a range of topics it covered. We certainly spent far longer in here than anticipated and left feeling like we’d experienced the last century of Esperance!
Woody Lake Nature Reserve
For another day of exploring around Esperance, Dad and I went for a walk in Woody Lake Nature Reserve, a collection of lakes surrounded by bush just north of the town. Our walk was a flat route around the lake, past ghostly-looking bare, white trees. But it’s a fantastic location for birdlife, with several hides dotted around the lake where we could stop to watch them quietly. The walk itself may not have been the most exciting, but the wildlife made it more interesting, certainly!
Great Ocean Drive
Not to be confused with the Great Ocean Road near Melbourne, Esperance’s Great Ocean Drive was referred to as ‘the loop’ by Mum’s friends. It’s a circular route just west of the town, taking in various beaches and lookout points along the way. A mini South West Australia road trip of sorts, taking just a few hours!
We selected a handful of viewpoints, starting with the Rotary Lookout, on a hilltop just outside the town. It has a helpful raised platform to climb on, allowing you to see above the tree line. From here, we got our first taste of what was to come, with white sand and blue ocean visible up the coast. There are also a few islands off the mainland we could see from here, and there are boat trips available to visit them. We also stopped at Observatory Point, which has a wooden staircase leading up to its viewpoint on the promontory.
And finally, we stopped at the car park above Ten Mile Lagoon. We didn’t climb down to the beach, but enjoyed the coastal view from above. However, at this point, we noticed a large plume of smoke on the horizon – from a nearby bush fire. It was far enough away that there was no need to panic, but neither did we want to linger too long.
As the loop curves inland and back towards the town, it also passes the Pink Lake. Which is a misnomer now, as it lost its pink colour several years ago. Although we stopped to see it anyway, with a helpful information sign explaining why it’s no longer pink!
Twilight Beach
Our longest stop on the loop by far was at Twilight Beach. The Great Ocean Drive has several stunning beaches and coves, but Mum recommended this one from her past visits. Compared to Lucky Bay, we had a much calmer day in terms of the weather. So we could appreciate the tranquil, clear, turquoise water much better here!
The cove is sheltered by the large rocks just off the shore, which many people will swim out to and then climb up on. You can actually make it pretty far out without needing to swim, as the water is shallow enough to wade through for ages! We went for a swim, then basked in the sun on the soft, white sand. But of course, this is Australia, and it’s not all peace and tranquillity… There are shark alarms all around this part of the coast! None came to say hello while we were here, but the signs around every beach mean they’re never far from mind.
South West Australia Road Trip
If you’ve made it this far in this post, well done and thank you! I know it was a lengthy one. I kind of forgot just how much we squeezed into our South West Australia road trip and my days in Esperance. I’m glad that I was able to fit this trip into my larger travel plans, though, as it’s a really beautiful part of the country. You always hear about Australia’s legendary beaches, and I certainly think this stretch of coastline lives up to that reputation. It was nice to travel it slowly as well, taking in these smaller towns and lesser-known sights, compared to the ‘big-ticket’ Australia items like Uluru and Sydney. Which were also amazing, of course, but in a country as vast as this, I appreciated getting to see many sides to it.
As mentioned, my parents stayed longer in Esperance, while I caught a flight. It’s a small, domestic airport, so I had to stop in Perth again. Then, after my long connection there, I finally said goodbye to Australia, and indeed all of Oceania. It was time to start journeying west again, slowly heading home. But not before a few weeks spent back in Asia, starting with Singapore.
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