10 Days in Perth & Western Australia
Quokka selfies on car-free Rottnest Island, the world-famous Busselton Jetty Underwater Observatory, Margaret River's caves and family-friendly wineries, and Perth's Kings Park and Cottesloe Beach. Ten nights across the South West — the cheapest way to give Australian kids a week of swim-bike-snorkel days on Rottnest paired with the Margaret River coast that adults actually want to drink their way through.
Plan to save
Your weekly savings target
A$306 / week
to save before you go · A$8,252 total · 27 weeks until you leave
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Your stop-by-stop itinerary
4 stops across 10 nights. Each one chosen so you experience a different side of Perth & Western Australia.
Stop
01
Perth
3 nightsFly direct to Perth (PER) from Sydney (4h 30m), Melbourne (4h), or Brisbane (5h). Note the 3-hour time difference — east-coast families should consider the overnight redeye to land Perth-time at breakfast. Pick up the hire car at PER on the morning of day 4 (you don't need it for these first 3 nights — Perth's CBD has trams + buses + walkable Elizabeth Quay).
Highlights
- Kings Park + Lotterywest Federation Treetop Walkway (free, panoramic city view)
- Cottesloe Beach for sunset and the iconic Indiana Tea House
- Fremantle Markets (Friday-Sunday) + Cappuccino Strip + Little Creatures Brewery
- AQWA aquarium at Hillarys Boat Harbour — sharks, sea turtles, kid-friendly
- Swan Valley day trip — Margaret River Chocolate Company, House of Honey, Mash Brewing
- Elizabeth Quay carousel + water playground (free, on the river foreshore)
Local tips
- Perth has a free CAT (Central Area Transit) bus loop — Red, Yellow, Blue, Green CATs cover every CBD attraction. Don't hire the car until day 4 — saves $80+/day in unused rental.
- Cottesloe Beach is best at sunset (the western coastline faces the Indian Ocean — the only Australian state where the sun sets over the sea). Pack a picnic and walk south to the Indiana for ice cream.
- Fremantle Markets are open Friday-Sunday only — plan your Perth days around at least one market morning. Combine with the WA Museum and the Round House for a half-day.
Suggested stay2-bedroom apartment near Elizabeth Quay or Kings Park
Stop
02
Rottnest Island
2 nightsRottnest Express or SeaLink ferry from Fremantle (30 min, ~AU$310 family return including Island Admission). Park at Fremantle (~AU$30/day) and leave the hire car there for 2 days. NO CARS on Rottnest — bikes only.
Highlights
- Quokka selfies — the world's happiest marsupial, ~10,000 of them, found everywhere on the island
- Cycle the full island loop — 22 km of mostly flat sealed road, hire bikes from Pedal Power or Rotto Bike Hire
- The Basin, Pinky Beach, Little Salmon Bay — three of Australia's best snorkel beaches
- Wadjemup Lighthouse climb + panoramic island view
- Henrietta Rocks snorkel — calm shallow lagoon, perfect for first-time snorkellers
- Bathurst Lighthouse + Pinky Beach swim at sunrise (no crowds before the day-trippers arrive)
Local tips
- Two nights is the magic number — day-trippers cram everything into 6 hours and miss half the island. Two nights lets you cycle the full west-end loop AND swim 4+ bays without rush.
- Bike-and-snorkel package from Pedal Power or Rotto Bike Hire saves 15% over hiring separately. Reserve bikes online 2+ weeks ahead in peak — they sell out.
- Pack groceries from Perth before the ferry. The single Rottnest IGA is fine but expensive ($8 for a loaf of bread). Discovery Rottnest tents have basic kitchenettes; Karma rooms have bar fridges only.
Suggested stayDiscovery Rottnest Island eco-glamping tent or Karma Rottnest family room
Stop
03
Margaret River
3 nightsPick up the hire car at Fremantle (or Perth) on the ferry-return day. Drive to Margaret River — 3 hrs straight via the Forrest Highway and Bussell Highway (~270 km). Stop at Mandurah dolphin cruise or Bunbury for lunch.
Highlights
- Mammoth Cave or Lake Cave self-guided tour — easy, kid-friendly, well-lit
- Margaret River Chocolate Company + Margaret River Providore — free tastings
- Cape to Cape coastal walk segments (try Yallingup to Sugarloaf for an easy 2 hr return)
- Surfers Point + Prevelly Beach — calm bay swims for kids while parents watch the surfers
- Eagles Heritage raptor centre — wedge-tailed eagle flying displays daily
- Family-friendly wineries with grounds and food: Voyager Estate, Howard Park, Watershed Wines
Local tips
- Caves Road runs parallel to the highway and links every cave + winery + beach in the region — drive Caves Road one direction and the highway back.
- Margaret River township has a Saturday morning farmers' market — best stop for picnic supplies for the beach days.
- Whale watching season is Jun-Sep at Augusta (45 min south) — humpbacks and southern rights migrate close to shore. Optional add-on if travelling in winter.
Suggested stayFamily villa near the township or 2-bedroom apartment on Caves Road
Stop
04
Busselton
2 nightsDrive from Margaret River (45 min north on the Bussell Highway). Return the hire car at Perth Airport on the morning of departure (2.5 hr drive — leave 4 hrs before flight).
Highlights
- Busselton Jetty — 1.84 km long, the longest timber-piled jetty in the southern hemisphere, walk it or take the train
- Busselton Underwater Observatory — the world's deepest natural underwater observatory at the end of the jetty (8m below sea level)
- Busselton foreshore + free playground + Geographe Bay calm-water swim (no waves, ideal for young kids)
- Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse + Sugarloaf Rock (30 min west, dramatic coastal views)
- Yallingup Beach + Canal Rocks for the older kids
- Bunker Bay + Meelup Beach for sheltered family swimming
Local tips
- Busselton Jetty Underwater Observatory tickets are timed entry — book online 1+ week ahead. The combo train + observatory ticket is the family sweet spot at AU$160.
- Geographe Bay is the calmest swim on the WA coast — protected from the Southern Ocean swell by the Cape. Better for young kids than Margaret River's surf beaches.
- Drive back to Perth Airport via the Forrest Highway, not the coast — save 45 min on the return drive when you've got a flight to catch.
Suggested stay2-bedroom apartment on the Busselton foreshore
Real cost estimates · calibrated 2026, not glossy estimates
What it costs
All-in for a family of 4.
Here’s what Perth & Western Australia costs across the four components SaveToRoam tracks. Flights are shoulder-season ex-Australia; travel insurance and personal extras vary.
| Component | Family of 4 |
|---|---|
Flights Return domestic flights ex-east coast (mid-shoulder estimate) A$550 per person | A$2,200 |
Accommodation 4 stops | A$2,880 |
Activities & local transport Activities & local transport (estimated) A$393 per person | A$1,572 |
Daily food & local transit 10 nights × family of 4 | A$1,600 |
Trip total Insurance & personal extras separate | A$8,252 |
What it covers
The ~A$8,252 estimate is all-in for a family of 4 — accommodation across 4 stops, shoulder-season flights from Australia, activities and local transport, and daily food. Travel insurance and personal extras vary, so we keep them separate.
What you get
When you use this template, SaveToRoam creates your trip with all 4 stops, every cost component pre-loaded, and a personalised savings plan with a weekly target. You choose your dates — we handle the maths.
Fully customisable
This itinerary is a starting point. Once it's your trip, add stops, swap hotels, adjust nights — your savings target updates automatically.
Read up on Perth & Western Australia
Cost guides and saving how-tos for this destination — written from the same research that calibrates this itinerary.
Cost GuidesHow Much Does a Family Trip to Perth & Western Australia Cost in 2026?
Rottnest Island quokkas, Margaret River wine tasting, Busselton jetty walks. 10 nights in Western Australia's corner — undiscovered and genuinely different from the east coast.
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