Planning roadtrip Perth to Esperance - any tips?

[johnsmith]

Hi guys,

Coming from NSW, and have never been to WA. Planning a little family road trip - Will start at Perth for a few days, then drive up to the Pinnacles, Margaret River, and then will be heading the 750km over to Esperance (via Wave Rock) for a few days of exploring and coastal scenery. (In a Falcon XR6 off course!)

Anyone have any tips? Are there any great driving roads, or scenery I shouldn't miss?

Also, how are the cops in WA (outside of the city particularly)? As bad as NSW or VIC with unmarked speed cameras and radars?

Thanks

[chevypower]

Go up to Leeman, take the coastal road through Dongara and Geraldton. Pity you are not taking a 4x4, one of my fav coastal spots in the world is down a hidden trail that starts right next to Leeman caravan park (heading south). You can mostly do it in 2wd, but it's a bit rough and sandy, not a fun place to get stuck. There's no signs, so obviously the locals don't want others to know about their hidden treasure. In Kalbari NP, there is Natures Window and Z-Bend Gorge. Be sure to go through Pemberton, Albany, and Augusta when going south of Perth. Always wanted to do the Gloucester Tree climb, but never got to. The mobile speed cameras there get you coming toward it, unlike Victoria, where they get you as you're driving away from it. But there's fewer of them.

[Rastas]

Kalbarri NP is a must see also I highly recommend the tree top walk in Denmark.

Enjoy your trip.

[OffRoadFalcon]

Lots to see over here mate!
Sounds like a decent plan!

My best tip is always, just explore the surroundings, if you see a cool looking road or a sign to somewhere, go and explore! I've found some of my favourite spots doing just that.

Cops outside of Perth are fairly few really, less than over east I reckon. Cameras and stuff are always sneakily hidden though... I noticed in NSW at least they're quite often well obvious.
Certain roads get them regularly, others occasionally, and some almost never.

Come through Busselton, Dunsborough, Margaret River etc and go to the beaches, drive Caves rd, go to wineries or choc factory etc, down Cave tours, loads to see and do!
Definitely as mentioned, Pemberton, Walpole, Denmark, Albany region is well worth a look.

[EB#]

We did a little roadtrip a few years back.....

Perth, down the coast to Margaret River/Augusta, then across to Albany and then back to Perth.
Thoroughly enjoyed it! There are many great spots to visit but a few of the highlights were:

Valley of the Giants
http://www.valleyofthegiants.com.au/

Lake Cave
http://www.margaretriver.com/operators/7706

Prevelly and Gnarabup
http://www.margaretriver.com/regions/3

[mcnews]

Pinnacles are most over rated thing to drive that far for mate. I actually rate the Perth-Geraldton drive as possibly the more boring in the universe.

If you head north you need to go a lot further up to Coral Bay. Swim with the Manta Rays and sharks etc. Amazing place.

Esperance is pretty nice but also a fair way out. And has nothing on Coral Bay

Best National Park is Karijini by far.

[In Focus]

There is an awesome driving road starting in Denmark, if you go that way. 30km of winding roads. I enjoyed it at the posted speed limit of 80kph in the pocket rocket.

[mcnews]

Best drive in south-west is Balingup-Nannup-Bridgetown triangle loop. I used to call it The Golden Triangle. Balingup-Nannup Rd is challenging, just how I like it.

[bungarra]

If your in Hyden at sunset, Wave Rock is the place to be. You get great changes in colour of the rock.

[mcnews]

Makes a great berm if you are on a bike too :-)

[tlub]

mate this time of year heading anywhere north is not worth it . pretty hot grain trucks everywhere and not that much to see. however s/w wa is nice wineries are top notch , fishing from beaches and busso jetty for family is good. dunsborough bakery for a pie and cream dognut, tree top walk in Walpole is something to see. perth ,Busselton, Margaret river, pemberton, Walpole, Albany, ravensthorpe, esperance, noresman then east to border. not to sound bias but wa is truly the best state in Australia . (my opinion lol). whatever you do enjoy.

[ozrunner]

Unless you have a great desire to see what are just basically some rocks sticking out of the ground I'd give the Pinnacles a miss, although its an easy day trip. The rest are so far out of the way and in the wrong direction.

Confine your trip to the South West. From Margaret River head to Pemberton if you have no fear of heights and climb the highest fire lookout tree in the Southern hemisphere.

Then head towards Albany via Walpole and check out the tree top walk and the many other ocean detours on the way etc all in the giant Karri forests.

Wave Rock is a big detour if you planned to do this on the way to Esperance so I'd do that on the return journey assuming you are returning to Perth.

But again, if you're on a time limit IMHO much better time can be spent in other coastal areas than looking at a rock that looks like a wave and there's SFA to see in between.

[mcnews]

Ozrunner is on the money on most things. But there is plenty to see north, just that the good stuff doesn't start until around 1000km up!

[responsef6]

My favourite driving roads are to Cervantes(near pinnacles), but via a series of inland roads(not highways) that just have no cars, let alone chance of police. It's like driving in an apocalypse, not the best for scenery, but awesome for unrestricted driving.

Down south has more attractions in a concentrated space, but for that reason it is heavily enforced with hidden mobile cameras and patrols, you really need to keep to the limit unless you want a big fine spoiling your holiday.

From my personal experience, I love touring other states in an xr6. There isn't a rental car that can touch them for performance, handling, space for family and luggage.... and they can go quite hard if you have the opportunity.

Enjoy.

[LyleXR8]

if going to Esperance head east to Cape Le Grand, hellfire bay right out to Duke of Orleans bay,

[Falco GT51]

Hey bud, just done that exact trip in October, road are really good. One tip go to the information centres in each town they are really helpful for things to do.
The standout for us was how good the food and the service was!

[ozrunner]

Actually, here ya go.

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=w...2&ved=0CEYQsAQ

Now you've seen it and saved a heap of time and looking at harvested wheat fields

[mcnews]

Originally Posted by responsef6

My favourite driving roads are to Cervantes(near pinnacles), but via a series of inland roads(not highways) that just have no cars, let alone chance of police. It's like driving in an apocalypse, not the best for scenery, but awesome for unrestricted driving..

Yeah they are okay roads out that way, Leeman and Greenhead etc. too. But still a bit too open thus you need to be doing HUGE speeds to turn the bends into corners.