South Western WA

"South Western WA Travel Information"  

South western WA is famous for its kauri and jarrah trees, but there are also some excellent beaches, national parks and historical towns. Some of the greatest places to visit are the Valley of the Giants, Western Australia’s most famous wine region - Margaret River, and Wave Rock in the outback Western Australia. Here is some information on the region's attractions, and in the end of the page there is a map of the area.

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Esperance. Poster by AllPosters, all rights reserved. Buy the poster.

South Western WA - Bunbury Australia
As you drive south from Perth, you come to Bunbury, where there is a Dolphin Discovery Centre; King Cottage Museum and Bunbury Regional Art Gallery. Good surf beaches are Lighthouse Beach and Surf Club Beach; and at Marlston Hill Lookout there are some good views over the ocean. There are different tour operators that take you out to tours to watch oceanic dolphins.


Places to stay in Bunbury include All Seasons Sanctuary Hotel, Bunbury Welcome Inn Motel, Clifton Motel, Comfort Inn Admiral, Lighthouse Beach Resort, Mantra Hotel, Bunbury Motel and Serviced Apartments, Ocean Drive Motel, Quality Hotel Lord Forrest and Quest Serviced Apartments.  


Bunbury marina. Poster by AllPosters, all rights reserved. Buy the poster.

South Western WA - Busselton and Busselton Jetty
South from here is Busselton, with the famous 2km wooden Busselton Jetty – the longest in the Southern Hemisphere. In the end of it, there is an interesting Underwater Observatory. Places to stay in Busselton include Abbey Beach Resort, Amalfi Resort, Aqua Resort, Bayview Geographe Resort, Beachlands Holiday Park Hotel, Broadwater Beach Resort, Broadwater Bed and Breakfast, Busselton Guest House, Busselton River Resort, Forte Capeview Beach Apartments, Gale Street Motel Villas, Geographe Guest House, Grand Mercure Apartments, Hope Gardens House, Inn the Tuarts Guest Lodge, Mandalay Holiday Resort, Martin Fields Beach Retreat, Miss Bay Heaven Hotel, Sandy Bay Holiday Park Hotel, Royal Palms Residences Resort and Waterside Villas.


Busselton Jetty. Poster by AllPosters, all rights reserved. Buy the poster.

South Western WA - Cape Naturaliste and Dunsborough
East from here, on the Cape Naturaliste, are Yallingup and Dunsborough. Dunsborough is mostly about water sports, but there is also the Quindalup Fauna Park, Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse, and the beaches in Meelup, Eagle Bay and Bunker Bay. Places to stay include Bay Village Hotel and Dunsborough Central Motel.


Cape Naturaliste. Poster by AllPosters, all rights reserved. Buy the poster.

South Western WA - Cape Naturaliste and Yallingup
Yallingup is a good spot to surf; and there is also the Wadan Aboriginal Centre and two breweries: Wicked Ale Brewery and Bootleg Brewery. Places to stay include Arrunga Bed and Breakfast, Cairnhill Homestead, Cape Lodge, Empire Retreat, Erravilla Country Estate Hotel, Injidup Spa Retreat, Moondance Lodge, Seashells Resort, Seclusions of Yallingup Bed and Breakfast, Sienna Estate Lodge, Smiths Beach Resort, Windmills Break Hotel and Yallingup Forest Resort.


Cape Naturaliste. Poster by AllPosters, all rights reserved. Buy the poster.

South Western WA - Margaret River Surf and Vineyards
South from here is Margaret River – Western Australia's most famous wine region and one of the most popular destinations in the south western WA. There are plenty of vineyards offering free sampling and selling wine; and some offer transport so you don't need to risk drink driving. Other popular places to visit are Eagles Heritage Raptor Wildlife Centre and Margaret River Chocolate Company. Margaret River is also known for good surf, and a great place to surf is Surfers Point. Places to stay include A Peppi Lane Apartment, Acacia Chalets Hotel, Adamsons Riverside Accommodation, Admiral Stirling Inn, Apartment Three MR, Australis MR Hotel, Basildene Manor Estate Suites, Bridgefield Guest House, Bridgewater Hotel, Burnside Bungalows, Bussells Bushland Cottage, Central Avenue Apartments, Chalets Hotel, Comfort Inn Grange on Farrelly, Darby Park Serviced Residences, Edge of the Forest Motel, Forest Retreat Bed and Breakfast, Gilgara Retreat, Grand Mercure Basildene, Hedge Cottage, Heritage Trail Lodge, Hilltop Studios, Hillview Retreat, Honeymoon Hill Hotel, Isaacs Ridge Cottages, Leeuwin Apartment, Leeuwin Holiday Rentals, Loaring Place Bed and Breakfast, Margaret River Apartments, MR Guesthouse B&B, MR Hideaway, MR Holiday Hotels & Suites, MR Hotel, MR Resort, Margarets Forest Apartments, Marmalade Lodge, Peppermint Brook Cottages, Peppermint House Hotel, Pinda Lodge Retreat, Prideaus Motel, Riveresque Hotel, Riverglen Chalets Retreat, Riverview Tourist Park Hotel, Riverzedge Retreat, Rosewood Guest House, Sheridan House B&B, SLR Holiday Homes, Station House Chalets, The Traill Hotel, Vintages Accommodation Hotel and Waterfall Cottages.


Great ways to visit Margaret River and vineyards:

TWO DAY MARGARET RIVER WINE TOUR FROM PERTH

MARGARET RIVER TRIP FROM PERTH, INCLUDING VINEYARDS, CAVES AND CAPE LEEUWIN LIGHTHOUSE






South Western WA - Augusta and Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse
South from Margaret River is Leeuwin Naturaliste National Park, and Augusta - a sleepy little town with a few cafes and motels, the Augusta Historical Museum, and an 8km track to Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse on the southernmost cape of the south western WA. There are whale watching tours, river cruises and fishing tours. Places to stay include Augusta Hotel Motel, Best Western Georgiana Molloy Motel and Mayflower Bed and Breakfast.


Cape Leeuwin. Poster by AllPosters, all rights reserved. Buy the poster.

Pemberton, Gloucester Tree and Warren National Park
East of Cape Leeuwin is Pemberton with a pioneer museum, Pemberton Tramway Co, Karri Forest Discovery Centre, and a man-made beach at Big Brook Dam. There are tours that take you to the neighbouring Warren National Park and Gloucester National Park to discover the big trees; and 3km out of town there is the 60m Gloucester Tree that you can climb. Places to stay include A Splendid Wren Bed and Breakfast, Best Western Hotel, Forest Lodge Resort, Gloucester Motel, Hawke Brook Chalets, Karri Forest Motel, Karri Valley Resort, Pemberton Farm Chalets, Peppermint Grove Retreat and Warren River Resort.


Karri forest. Poster by AllPosters, all rights reserved. Buy the poster.

Shannon National Park and Great Forest Trees Drive
East from here is Shannon National Park with some beautiful old growth karri forests and the Great Forest Trees Drive - one of the most popular things to do in the south western WA. Outside Northcliffe is the Northcliffe Forest Park with some great short walking tracks amongst the giant trees; and places to stay include Riverway Chalets.


Easy way to visit the Valley of the Giants and the Tree top Walk:

VALLEY OF THE GIANTS AND TREE TOP WALK TRIPS FROM PERTH












South Western WA - Walpole and the Valley of the Giants
East from here is Walpole, famous for its Valley of the Giants - one of the most beautiful drives in the south western WA through a forest with huge trees; and the Tree Top Walk where you can discover the life high up in the tree canopies. There are also some lovely beaches here; and places to stay include Che Sara Sara Chalets, Tree Top Walk Motel and Walpole Wilderness Resort.


Tree Top Walk. Poster by AllPosters, all rights reserved. Buy the poster.

Denmark Western Australia
West of here is Denmark, with some good walking tracks and beaches and water activities. Places to stay include Chimes Retreat, Denmark Waterfront Apartments, Karma Chalets, Millars Creek Bed and Breakfast, Misty Valley Country Cottages and Observatory Resort.


Coast near Denmark Western Australia. Poster by AllPosters, all rights
reserved. Buy the poster.

Albany Australia
West from Denmark is Albany – one of the largest towns in the south western WA with a population of 30,000; a few museums, the lovely Middleton Beach, and Albany Wind Farm. Albany's most popular attraction is the Whale World, and there are whale watching tours in this former whaling town (More about Albany whaling..). You can also watch whales from the cliffs of the nearby Torndirrup National Park; and there are a few companies that take you scuba diving. Places to stay include 1849 Backpackers, Acclaim Parks Rose Gardens Beachside Holiday Park, Ace Motor Inn, Bayside Ocean Villas, Discovery Inn, Harbourside Apartments, Holiday Park Cabins and Chalets, Emu Beach Holiday Park, All Seasons Hotel, Amity Motor Inn, Apartments on Spencer, Aviator's Cottage, Balneaire Seaside Resort, Banksia Gardens Resort Motel, Beach House at Bayside Hotel, Best Western Motel Apartments, Cape Howe Cottages, Cheynes Beach Caravan Park Cabins, Comfort Inn, Dog Rock Motel, Dolphin Lodge, Dunmoylen House Bed and Breakfast, Emu Beach Chalets, Emu Point Motel, Flinders Park Lodge, Gardens Holiday Resort, Havana Villas, Le Grande Motel, Maitraya Luxury Private Retreat, Metro Inn, Middleton Beach Holiday Park, My Place Colonial Accommodation Hotel, Norman House Bed and Breakfast, Our Villa, Park Avenue Holiday Units, Pelicans Holiday Village Apartments, The Rocks Hotel, and Torbay Sea View Holiday Apartments.


Avenue of Trees near Albany. Poster by AllPosters, all rights reserved.
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Esperance Australia
East from Albany is Esperance and lovely white-sand beaches with bright blue waters and kangaroos, and you can drive on these beaches with a 4WD. Places to stay in esperance include Best Western Hospitality Inn, Comfort Inn Bay of Isles, All Seasons Apartments, Mackenzies Island Cruises Apartments and Woody Island Eco Stays.


Beach near Esperance. Poster by AllPosters, all rights reserved.
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Wave Rock and Outback Western Australia
A long way inland from here, next to the small settlement of Hyden in the outback Wave Rock – an amazing granite wave formed by chemical erosion. I managed to get lost on one of my early trips while trying to approach it along small dirt roads south of Southern Cross and haven’t yet had time to give it a second go, but if you are in the south western WA and have time, I’d say it’s worth a trip. In Hyden, there is the Wave Rock Motel.


Great and easy way to visit Wave Rock:

WAVE ROCK TRIPS FROM PERTH, INCLUDING YORK, WILDFLOWERS, AND ABORIGINAL CULTURAL TOUR






















Here's a map of the south western WA, where I have tagged the places that I mentioned on this web page. You can click on the tags to see what places they are, and double-click anywhere on the map to zoom it in and see the places closer. Drag the map to move around, and if you want to see the satellite image with Google Earth, click on "Sat" in the top right hand corner.



 
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