Some of WA’s best moments aren’t found in travel guides. They’re discovered when you take the longer way around. Like pulling off at a roadside fruit stand, chasing a sunset down an unmarked beach track, or stumbling across a winery that wasn’t on your map, but ends up being the highlight of your trip.
This is the kind of freedom you only get when you rent a car.
Public transport can’t take you to hidden waterfalls, forest drives, or coastal trails that locals keep to themselves. It won’t wait while you picnic by a lake or stop to watch kangaroos cross at dusk.
WA’s regions are made for road travel. You set the pace. You choose the stops.
The starting point for many is the city of Perth.
Swan Valley, the oldest wine region in the state, is just a 25-minute drive away. This region’s famous Swan Valley Trail winds through more than 150 gourmet experiences—wineries, breweries, and artisan producers of honey, nuts, and nougat. Self-driving by rental car allows you to flexibly set a route and make stops for tastings and picnics in the gardens.
The path to the south opens up even more
The Margaret River region, a three-hour journey from Perth, is one of the largest biodiversity regions on the planet, with 80% endemic flora. Along the 76-mile Cape-to-Cape route, you’ll find stunning cliffs, limestone caves, and secluded beaches waiting just off the road. Here, car rental is especially convenient: you can turn off to a little-known winery or drive to an inaccessible beach by public transport.
Margaret River is famous not only for its powerful cabernet and chardonnay, but also for its gastronomic events. Brookland Valley serves wines recognized as the benchmark of Australia, and at Leeuwin Estate you can participate in a blending session. Along the way, it’s worth stopping at Hamelin Bay Beach – not only for swimming, but also for socializing with friendly stingray eagles that swim freely to the shore.
Then the road leads to Pemberton
A town in a forest belt with curry trees up to 70 meters high. By car, you can quickly reach the Gloucester Tree, a 174-foot observation platform where firefighters used to be on duty. For less extreme walks, Valley of the Giants is a 130-foot suspension trail among ancient tingle trees. And nearby is the Brave New Wine winery, where “natural” wines are poured, reflecting freedom from commercial standards.
It’s easy to get to Bremer Bay by rented car
To get to one of the most spectacular sights: in the Patch area, just 19 nautical miles from the coast, a unique population of killer whales appears in January and March. This is one of the few places on Earth where you can watch them hunting in the coastal waters. Freedom of movement allows you to plan your trip for the best time of the day and stay close at night.
You can complete the route in Albany
And continue along the coast to Esperance. Australia’s whitest beaches and undulating fields with flamingos and pink cockatoos are located here. A car hire will again be indispensable; there is often no public transport between the attractions, and overnight accommodations are scattered in secluded corners.
You can’t fully experience Western Australia from a bus window.
Drive the scenic routes, stop where you like, and discover places you won’t find on a schedule. Early wildlife sightings, vineyard lunches, and coastal sunsets become part of your journey when you’re behind the wheel.
Cyclist, self-starter, ukulelist, International Swiss style practitioner and screen printer. Producing at the crossroads of aesthetics and intellectual purity to craft meaningful ideas that endure. Concept is the foundation of everything else.
