Weekend Breaks in Western Australia’s Best Locations
If you live in Perth but want to get away for the weekend, you’re in luck because you have a lot of choices… We have 5 excellent weekend getaway options in Western Australia that will provide you with a memorable experience. Best of all, these locations are only a short drive from Perth.
#1 – Perth to Margaret River
Location:
From renowned surf spots and cliff-top treks to wineries, orchards, caverns, cheeseries, and other gourmet treats, WA’s most famous southwest coastal destination has it all.
The actual township, located approximately 280 kilometres (4.5 hours) south of Perth, is overshadowed by others nearby in terms of beauty and unique curiosity. In the surrounding deep woods, bike trails, campgrounds, farm stays, B&Bs, and luxury boutique outfits abound. As a result, be prepared to travel extensively.
Where to go:
A relaxing trip around the Murray Estuary is great for observing bottlenose dolphins, which may often be seen against a backdrop of million-dollar boats and beachfront houses. The Dolphin Discovery Centre in Bunbury, on lovely Koombana Bay, is fantastic, with close to 100 playful dolphins visiting the local shallows at dawn and sunset.
Busselton’s 1.8-kilometer timber jetty is the world’s longest in the Southern Hemisphere. The trip beyond Eagle Bay to Cape Naturaliste and its lonely lighthouse is also worth visiting.
Having said that, you should definitely visit the Dunsborough Bakery. We’re sure songs have been written about it.
Trivia:
In 1900, the world’s first Granny Smith apple was grown in Donnybrook, southeast of Bunbury. Try to visit in October, when the apple trees are in full bloom.
#2 – Perth to Northam
Location:
Northam, Western Australia’s largest inland town, is located 98 kilometres northeast of Perth and provides a great starting place for exploring the Avon Valley region’s attractive historic villages.
Early morning glides over mist-covered rolling green pastures provide a bird’s eye view from Northam. Back on the ground, you’ll be relieved to learn that your flight will be followed by a complimentary champagne brunch.
Where to go:
Spend your first day in Perth visiting the gastronomic nirvana of Swan Valley, which is only 30 minutes away.
The valley is famed for its fresh produce booths along the highway, mouth-watering restaurants and cafes, boutique brewers, galleries, historic houses, and, of course, wines.
To see it all, take the 32-kilometer Swan Valley Food and Wine Trail. Then go to one of the many boutique guesthouses or self-contained chalets for the night.
A 48-kilometer trip northeast of Northam will transport you to Goomalling. A fantastic heritage stroll will transport you to the town’s past. In the late 1800s, the original Slater Homestead, three kilometres out of town, provided refreshments to explorers and surveyors.
York is known as WA’s earliest inland settlement and is located to the southeast. With museums, galleries, and arts and crafts, this location is a sensory overload. Make sure to look for exquisite handcrafted furniture made from a variety of recycled materials.
Toodyay, located to the northwest, is home to some of the outstanding specimens of nineteenth-century architecture. The local alpaca and emu farms will delight those who appreciate the outdoors.
Trivia:
Northam is home to the Avon Descent, a well-known white-water rafting event. This race has been held for more than 35 years and is considered one of the most difficult river races in the world.
#3 – Perth to New Norcia
Location:
New Norcia, Australia’s only monastic village, is a spiritual and relaxing retreat 132 kilometres north of Perth.
A group of 14 Benedictine monks in black robes employs more than 50 citizens to administer and maintain a community dedicated to God. The monks tend to their olive gardens and orchards, bake bread, nut cakes, and almond biscotti, and brew wine and beer when they are not praying. Needless to say, you are encouraged to participate.
Stay at the town’s magnificent hotel or a monastery guesthouse. It was built for Spanish royalty, but they never arrived. Take a stroll down dusty alleyways dotted with old-world Spanish architecture or attend mass with the monks in one of the town’s many churches.
Where to go:
Get on the Great Northern Highway and head north as quickly as possible.
If you enjoy golf, head to The Vines Resort and Country Club, just outside Perth, for a round of 18 on WA’s premier course. After you’ve satisfied your inner Tiger, head north to Chittering Valley, which is surrounded by the Darling Ranges.
When in season, wildflowers bloom, wineries beckon, and citrus groves abound. Visit the Bindoon Arts & Crafts Inc or a vineyard for a taste of the local wares, then stop for lunch at one of the many excellent local eateries.
You could spend the afternoon and evening at a farm stay, such as Bindoon Windmill Farm. After supper, you can ride a horse, take a tractor tour of the farm, visit a fruit orchard, or witness a wool spinning demonstration.
Trivia:
Two men entered the New Norcia Museum and Art Gallery on January 23, 1986. They bound and gagged the attendant and stole a booty of paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries. These were gifts from Spain’s Queen. Fortunately, the men were quickly apprehended, and the paintings were returned.
#4 – Perth to Lancelin
Location:
Lancelin is known as Western Australia’s outdoor playground. It is 130 kilometres up the coast from Perth, surrounded by massive mounds of shimmering white dunes. This location is ideal for a dune buggy, dirt bike, and sandboard shenanigans.
Some of the best sailboarding and kitesurfing conditions in the world can be found in these beautiful waters. There are several world-renowned colleges that can teach you how to do it.
Where to go:
Travel north from Perth, across lovely orchards and strawberry farms, to Yanchep National Park, where you can stretch your legs. This lovely slice of native woodland is home to koala colonies, wild kangaroos, unique Aboriginal lifestyle and cultural programs, and up to 400 limestone caves.
The stunning Yanchep Lagoon Beach, which is closer to the coastal drive, is ideal for a swim. If possible, make a quick stop before continuing north to Guilderton on the banks of the Moore River. Take a canoe out on the river, go fishing, or simply relax at one of the many charming cafes after settling into some pleasant beach or riverside accommodation.
The following morning, swim or play a short nine holes on the local golf course before going north to Lancelin for some fun.
Trivia:
Western Australia’s rock lobsters are highly profitable crustaceans. And by that, we mean it’s a $6.5 million business! Each season, a considerable portion of the crops cultivated at Lancelin are exported, making them one of WA’s most profitable industries.
#5 – Perth to Jurien Bay
Location:
Jurien Bay National Marine Park is 380 kilometres north of Perth. This is WA’s most accessible water paradise, with daily boat trips to sea lion colonies just off the coast.
Dolphins and migratory whales are common sights on such excursions. Furthermore, the area is rich in offshore limestone reefs with caves, overhanging formations, and tropical fish.
turquoise waters make for soothing onlookers. Foodies can enjoy a range of culinary experiences in their spare time in Jurien Bay’s many eateries, ranging from a la carte dining to basic pleasant café meals.
Where to go:
From Perth, take the Great Northern Hwy north for 80 kilometres (1.5 hours) to Gingin. From Perth, take the Great Northern Hwy north for 80 kilometres (1.5 hours) to Gingin. Here are some amazing relics from the early days.
Take a 45-minute stroll along the Jim Gordon VC Trail, which combines historic structures with a taste of the local fauna. After that, take a short drive inland to the fantastic Gravity Discovery Centre for a comprehensive and multi-sensory education on all things celestial.
Prepare to be blown away by virtual galactic tours, laser shows, a Foucault Pendulum, and an innovation exhibition. If you get star-struck, stay until dark and scan the skies with the 25-inch Obsession, Australia’s largest public access telescope.
Allow the earlier science to become a little fiction as you drive northwest to Nambung National Marine Park. The Pinnacles Desert awaits you, a surreal landscape of thousands of limestone pillars rising from sinuous shifting sand.
Trivia:
The 40-meter Leaning Tower of Gingin is housed in the wonderful non-profit Gravity Discovery Centre northeast of Yanchep. Visitors can try their hand at replicating Galileo’s 17th-century gravity experiments by tossing weights over the edge.
Have A Safe, Enjoyable Trip!
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