Perth to Esperance

Depart Perth and travel through the coastal towns of Mandurah, Bunbury and Busselton. Be sure to take the 1.8 kilometre walk or train ride over the Indian Ocean on the longest timber-piled jetty in the southern hemisphere. Visit the 8 metre deep Underwater Observatory and discover awe inspiring vividly coloured tropical and sub-tropical corals, sponges, fish and invertebrates. Then drive on to the world renowned Margaret River wine region.

Visit the Margaret River mouth and kayak on the scenic Margaret River. Sample award winning wines, browse art galleries, tour a spectacular underground cave or see some of the world’s largest wave surfing beaches. Many tours options available in Margaret River.

Travel south through the Karri Forrest country around Pemberton and Manjimup, boasting some of the world’s tallest trees. Head further south and be sure to visit the Tree Top Walk in the Valley of the Giants in Walpole and travel through scenic Denmark before arriving in Albany.

Visit Albany’s Whale World, see The Gap and Natural Bridge and enjoy the view of Princess Royal Harbour from Mount Melville. Drive east to the historic settlement of Ravensthorpe, where you’ll find untouched bushland, historic mining relics and beautiful wildflowers in season. Then head towards Hopetoun, gateway to the unspoilt wilderness of the Fitzgerald River National Park. Enjoy the quaint beachside town for unspoilt country hospitality.

In the morning, head to pristine Fitzgerald River National Park, covering 330,000 hectares. See rock formations, pristine beaches, sand dunes, wildflowers and vast bushlands. It is one of the largest most botanically significant National parks in Australia. The park covers 0.2% of Western Australia’s land surface but has more than 20% of WA’s plant species. 65 plants grow here and nowhere else in the world. In the afternoon, head east towards Esperance and Jerdacuttup Rd. Then enter the town along the scenic beaches on the Great Ocean Drive.

See kangaroos on Australia’s Whitest beaches just out of Esperance. Full day to discover this picturesque coastal town surrounded by national parks. On the way to Cape Le Grand, call in to Esperance Stonehenge, a complete replica of the UK’s famous attraction. Another alternative is to undertake a 4WD tour along the beaches to the national park. Check out the only fish leather factory in Australia, Mermaid Leather, or visit local artist Cindy Poole’s glass studio, Section Glass before oceanside dinner in a restaurant by Taylor Street Jetty.

Head north and travel through majestic, untouched Outback Woodlands, seeing the region’s famous Pink Salmon Gums. Be sure to stop at Norseman with its Tin Camel sculptures and scenic lookout. Drive through historic Coolgardie before arriving at Kalgoorlie – Boulder, the origin of WA’s wealth. Take in the view from Mount Charlotte reservoir, the location where Paddy Hannan first discovered his gold! Explore the unique culturally rich streetscape and wonder why the road is so wide! It was designed to allow camel trains in the 1800s to make a successful “U” turn.

In the morning, take a 2 hour through to Menzies and along the short 51km section of gravel road to the world famous Gormley Sculptures art site, “Inside Australia” at Lake Ballard. Walk the salt lake and marvel at the idea of statues connected to each other via the footprints on the lake. Make sure you climb Snake Hill for a wonderful of the entire art scape. On the return to Kalgoorlie, stop in Menzies and have a coffee at the “Achievable Outback Café”. In Kalgoorlie, visit the famous Super Pit, the largest open cut gold mine in southern hemisphere – 3km long & 350m deep. Other attractions to visit include the Goldfields Museum, Town Hall, Hammond Park, Boulder, Hannan’s North Tourist Mine, world class Kalgoorlie Golf Course, an oasis in the desert, the beginning of the World’s Longest Golf Course – The Nullarbor Links.

From Kalgoorlie, head west and travel the Great Eastern Highway along the “Golden Pipeline” on, the world’s longest freshwater pipeline built in 1903. Stop at Southern Cross where gold was first discovered in the late 1800s. Continue on to the Wheatbelt town of Merredin, the largest regional centre in Eastern Wheatbelt. Enjoy a delicious lunch from one of the cafes or pub on the main street, then travel south to Hyden with its famous Wave Rock.

Wave Rock became internationally famous through a Kodak New York World Fair Colour Photograph Competition in 1964. It is a 15 metre high, 110 metre long granite cliff. Scientists believe it has taken more than 2.7 billion years of weather, water and chemical erosion to create. Besides the rock, there is also a salt water pool only 2km away where you can float as you would in the dead sea! Pop into the Wildflower Shoppe at the rock, then call into The Lace Place, Toy Soldiers Exhibit and Wildlife Park. After lunch, drive the short distance to Mulka’s Cave with its ancient Aboriginal hand stencil art. Head to Perth as you drive through quaint Wheatbelt towns. Slight detour along the Tin Horse Highway, then stop-over in Corrigin and historic York, first inland town of WA, before concluding your journey in Perth.