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Itineraries/Oceania/Perth & Western Australia

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.

10 nights
Family of 4
~A$8,500
4 stops
Perth3n
Rottnest Island2n
Margaret River3n
Busselton2n
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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.

1

Perth

3 nights
Fly 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 stay: 2-bedroom apartment near Elizabeth Quay or Kings Park
2

Rottnest Island

2 nights
Rottnest 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 stay: Discovery Rottnest Island eco-glamping tent or Karma Rottnest family room
3

Margaret River

3 nights
Pick 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 stay: Family villa near the township or 2-bedroom apartment on Caves Road
4

Busselton

2 nights
Drive 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 stay: 2-bedroom apartment on the Busselton foreshore

Good to know

Estimated cost

The ~A$8,500 estimate covers accommodation across all 4 stops. Flights, daily spending, activities, and transport are additional — use SaveToRoam’s savings planner to track it all.

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