Grab the keys of the nearest caravan, camper van, or rental you can find and open your navigation system, because it’s time to explore Western Australia, beyond Perth. On this particular journey, we’re talking a Perth to Esperance road trip through southwest Australia, home to breathtaking, clear-blue beaches that feel seemingly private. Along the way are sprawling kilometers of wineries and countless options of cheese, chocolate, or honey shops. If you’re Esperance-bound (or further), you’re in for a real treat, and not just for the taste buds – for all five senses.
Below I will outline a Perth to Esperance road trip itinerary for your impending Southwest Australia adventure:
Know before you go:
Key tips to read before your trip!
- Download WikiCamps. It costs about $5 USD/$7 AUD but unlocks a wealth of community-sourced information on road tripping and camping throughout Australia. Download FuelMap so you know where to expect fuel along your route and plan accordingly.
- Allow extra time for spontaneous stops. There were countless businesses and viewpoints I wanted to stop at, but didn’t have time for – from parks, to wineries, leather shops, breweries and galleries.
- There are speed cameras along the way, but there should be a sign that indicates it (camera sign). It’s a little confusing though whether it means it’s a lookout point for cameras, or even if it says it’s otherwise, it says “road safety camera” which sounds like they’re just measuring speed. Nope, be careful around those!
- If you’re a solo female camper or trekker, this is more common than you’d think! I would never consider camping alone at home, but in Australia it does seem safer. I have additional tips here.
Stop 1: Perth to Busselton/Dunsborough
Approximate driving time: 3 hours
Points of Interest: Busselton jetty, the longest timber jetty in southern hemisphere. There’s also an underwater sea walk that looks like a really unique experience.
Where I stayed: Camp Grace (hot showers, clean restrooms, beachfront, property owners on site, plugs. $18 for a powered caravan site).
Note: this is the last Kmart stop on the way if you need last minute gear. There are Target country stores in Margaret River and Esperance, but they don’t have camping gear.
Stop 2: Eagle Bay to Margaret River
Approximate driving time: 1 hour
Points of Interest: Head to Curtis Bay (boat ramp for directions), recommended to me by a Dunsborough native. Then head to Meelup Regional park for Castle Rock Beach and Meelup Beach. Exiting the park, take a detour onto Sheen Road where you may catch Lot 80 restaurant, or stop at either Wise Wine or Eagle Bay Brewing.
Take Caves Road down through Margaret River for a picturesque cruise through vineyards and hovering trees, with turnoffs for wine, chocolate, mazes, and animals.
BEACHES
Yallingup Beach: One of the favorites listed, which was nice but not a fan favorite of mine.
Photo credit: IG, mackenzie.percival
Injidup Natural Spa: Rockpools in the area. I personally didn’t make it, but they look incredible to go to as a group.
Redgate Beach: an insane surf beach with numerous warning signs about the rip current. Watching the surfers, you have to be an extremely proficient swimmer to be confident in the water here, but it’s beautiful to watch. The beach is huge too, and this is one of the beaches I finally wasn’t bothered much by flies or mosquitoes.
Surfers Point: A well put together area with wooden decks, sweeping walkways, and ocean overviews. Stop at Sea Garden Cafe before or after for a beer and some fish & chips.
Hamelin Bay: Famously known for the “friendly” sting rays that swim close to shore (I can attest to this), but water can be more or less clear on certain days. On my way here, there was a stand selling abalone shells on the side of Caves Road for $5 AUD. Beware there are mosquitoes inland, so wear bug spray.
WINERIES
As I was driving, I didn’t get a chance to stop at these for tastings. Don’t worry about the wines on the map, just drive down the roads and there will be wineries back-to-back!
Stop 3: Margaret River through Pemberton to Denmark
Approximate driving time: 3.5-4 hours
Nature lovers, check out Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk. The cost is approximately $25, but you’ll blend in within the trees and feel stimulated by all the greenery around you.
While stopping for a snack, a local recommended Conspicuous Beach for whale watching and insane waves. In a relatively uninhabited area, I pulled off and drove through some red dirt roads before coming across the lot. The wind was insane, and I could see the beauty from where I parked even.
If you love honey as much as I do, Bartholomew Honey is a meadery that also produces delicious honey: think chai honey, hazelnut honey, chili honey, etc. They have incredible ice cream flavors such as honey rose almond, honey passionfruit, honey banana, and so forth, plus an abundance of other honey products (soap, beeswax wraps). Of course, you must try their mead! Samples are complimentary. There’s also a toffee factory and leather factory nearby.
Green’s Pool: one of the top three most incredible places I’ve been to. This neighbors Elephant Rocks, which was unfortunately a bit windy and high tide when I went, but you walk through these massive boulders in the water to get to the cove.
Walk down the parking lot from Greens Pool over to Elephant Rocks, and you’ll come across an incredible bay with massive, you guessed it, elephant sized rocks you can climb. To access the water, you literally have to walk through these humps, which is thrilling and slightly frightening at high tide. I’d recommend going with someone, or go at low tide.
Note: This part of Denmark is simply breathtaking, but can get extremely windy on the Southwest coast. Go in the morning for less wind! Additionally, past Greens Pool and Elephant Rocks is Madfish Bay, but 4WD is highly recommended for the road leading to it.
Where I stayed: Boat Harbour Camp (RVs and grass tent/van spots).
Stop 4: Denmark to Albany, to Esperance
Approximate driving time: 5-6 hours
I didn’t have time to enjoy the actual town of Albany, but I heard it was beautiful. On your way out, there’s a Sandalwood Factory that caught my interest.
Two People’s Bay: it’s a $13 AUD entrance fee good for all day at the reserve, but Little Beach and the neighboring Waterfall Beach (walk across Little Beach, then up the path of stairs) are also on the list of Western Australia’s most beautiful beaches. Bare and aquamarine with powdery white sand, these gems are untouched Australian gold.
After swinging back onto South Coast Highway 1, prepare for an incredible drive of endless highway that wraps around the southern cusp of Australia, with never-ending, winding folds of road that lead to adventure. You’ll feel free as a bird as you pedal past bucolic fields of what seems to be the world’s happiest cows, horses and sheep, coexisting with the kangaroos at dawn and dusk, with the occasional fox. Five hours later, I arrived in Esperance just at the edge of dusk with the sky fading into a soft lavender, the pastoral green fields seeming almost too pristine and calming.
ESPERANCE
Recommended time: 2 days
Take the Great Coastal Drive and you will be blown away by the back-to-back beaches of shimmering, crystal blue waters to yourself.
11 Mile Beach: a long stretch of sand, waves, and hues of blue that continue on through each mile mark of a beach. The left (west) side is a nude beach.
Twilight Beach: the most famous beach of Esperance, ideal for beginning surf and great for families. There are two sides, but the side left of the rock separating the two is great for lounging and swimming.
Blue Haven Beach: a total breathtaking beauty next to Salmon Beach, where there are huge waves and tons of fishermen. Continue up the side drive to Blue Haven, and you’ll stumble upon completely pigmented aqua waters down a beautiful stairway to, well, haven.
Where I stayed: YHA Esperance
Stop 5: Cape Le Grand National Park
Approximate driving time: 1 hour outside Esperance
Most famously known for Lucky Bay, Cape Le Grand is home to beautiful beaches and several trails, just west of Duke of Orleans.
Pulling up to Lucky Bay is like washing up into a gradient palette with shades of icy blue. Apparently, there’s been an ongoing debate about whether Lucky Bay or Whitehaven has whiter sand, but they’re both stunning. At Lucky Bay, you will even get to interact with the locals – beach bound kangaroos who enjoy sun for their buns on the sand.
A lot of seaweed washes up onshore with fish wrapped in it, and I suspect this might be why the kangaroos frequent the beach here so much. That, and the campground is exceptionally popping with kangaroos day and night long.
Go for the coastal walk from Lucky Bay to Thistle Cove, and check out several beaches with other bushwalks.
- Hellfire Bay
- Thistle Cove
- Wharton Beach
- Frenchman Peak
- Lucky Bay + Campground
Where I stayed:
Lucky Bay Campground: Bookings in advance are essential. This is bar none, one of the best campgrounds I’ve ever stayed at. There are few bushes, but that leaves plenty of open space for stargazing and if you’re lucky, sites to the beach. There’s a camp kitchen and drop toilets with auto detection lights, but they are so fresh and new, it doesn’t feel grungy. I booked my campground about 1.5-2 weeks in advance and there were still bookings available, but they do fill up. To book the campground, go here.
Cape Le Grand Beach + Campground: The other popular campground to Lucky Bay, this is tucked directly behind the beach and includes flush toilets. However, Lucky Bay was the nicer of the two, and there were beetles pelting themselves at my tent at this site. Still, a great option! To book the campground, go here.
Stop 6: Esperance to Hyden (or continue on to Duke of Orleans)
If you’re looping back to Perth, many people go back inland through Hyden (3.5 hrs from Esperance, and another 3.5 hours to Perth). This popular route is due to the famous Wave Rock, a rock formation in the shape of a wave.
Where I stayed: Tressie’s Museum and Caravan Park. Impeccable cleanliness, both in the lawn area and restroom.
For more on a beach guide, check the Esperance tour guide. I hope your Perth to Esperance road trip throughout Southwest Australia is epic!
