Western Australia travel tips

THE WESTCOAST OF AUSTRALIA

The west coast of Australia was initially just an embarrassment destination for us, because Australia was never at the top of our list. After four weeks, the west coast of the red continent completely enchanted us and became our dream destination. If you are planning to visit the west coast of Australia, our travel tips will definitely help you.

ARRIVAL, VISA AND DEPARTURE - WESTERN AUSTRALIA

If you fly to the west coast of Australia, you will most likely get off the plane in Perth.

For normal tourist activities you have to apply for the free eVisitor visaonline before arrival. This allows you to stay in the country for up to 3 months at a time. As visa regulations change from time to time, be sure to check the official website for the current regulations before you arrive

Depending on what you plan to do, you can take the airport bus into town or have it brought to your camper rental company. Unfortunately, most camper companies are not directly at the airport, so you need a taxi.

ON THE ROAD ON SITE - WESTERN AUSTRALIA

The west coast of Australia is very sparsely populated, so there is almost no public transport outside of Perth. Of course, one or the other small town has a city bus, but it doesn't help us much as a traveler.

We picked up our reserved camper directly and drove inland. In the following, our tips therefore focus primarily on life in the camper and on campsites. Of course you can also travel the country by car and sleep in hotels.

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TOURING THE WEST COAST OF AUSTRALIA IN THE CAMPER

The camper pick-up takes about 40 minutes with instruction and paperwork.

We can only advise you to check your camper thoroughly before you travel. With us the CD player didn't work because a CD from the predecessor was in it and didn't want to move. Since the radio reception in WA is very poor, we listened to the same 11 songs from Kathrin's cell phone for four weeks. In addition, the air conditioning controller could not be turned, a screw on the sink cabinet was missing and that caused a nasty squeak. The provider offered to visit a workshop on our route, but it wasn't worth the 1 to 2 day break.

The large distances and the sparse population in WA force you to refuel in time. Detours and unannounced road closures can sometimes lead you to travel one to two hundred kilometers longer than planned, without having to pass a petrol station. A can of petrol and a spare wheel certainly make sense. We didn't have both.

Since in some national parks you can only drive with four-wheel drive or one or the other flood causes you to drive on gravel roads or through deeper water, we definitely recommend renting a 4WD camper for your trip to the west coast of Australia. Of course, that also depends on your route.

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SIM CARD - WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Since you cannot rely on the WiFi reception on the campsites, you should definitely buy a prepaid SIM card. We chose Vodafone. We had good reception in Perth and the surrounding area, but for the rest of our tour on the west coast of Australia we were virtually cut off in terms of communication. The provider Telstra (status 2017) offers much better network coverage on the west coast.

FOOD - Western Australia

During our west coast trip, we mostly cooked ourselves. Our camper had a small kitchenette, which was perfectly adequate. Nevertheless, next time we would make sure that you also have a possibility to cook outside of the camper. We mostly bought from Coles or IGA and then cooked fresh and delicious in the evening. This is important to us and is part of camping. Accordingly, we grilled a lot of lamb and seafood and made delicious salads as side dishes. For us there is nothing better than sitting alone in the sand dunes and enjoying great food and a bottle of Australian white wine. This lifestyle when traveling is not exactly cheap, especially on the west coast of Australia. Accordingly, we also met many other campers who mainly lived on pasta with tomato sauce.

A visit to a restaurant in Western Australia almost brings you to financial ruin. There is often no operation. You order at the counter, pay there and it is then brought to your table. The food is delicious, but it is often fried and greasy. We also grilled our seafood everywhere instead of being breaded - even if it wasn't on the menu.

No matter how you do it, eating in WA will cost you a lot of money.

MONEY - Western Australia

Geld in Australien

Außerhalb von Perth sind ATMs Mangelware und es ist nicht unbedingt sichergestellt, dass die vorhandenen ATMs immer gefüllt sind. Uns ging es einmal so, dass der ATM nichts ausgespuckt hat und wir ohne Bargeld da standen. Kreditkarte wird generell akzeptiert, je nach Empfang kann es aber immer wieder vorkommen, dass die Zahlportals nicht einwandfrei funktionieren und da heißt es “Nur Bares ist Wahres”. Wenn ihr auf Nummer Sicher gehen wollt, dann stattet euch gleich in Perth mit genug Cash aus, dass ihr bis zur nächsten größeren Stadt kommt. Bis dahin sind es an der Westküste Australiens meistens mehrere Hundert Kilometer. Die größeren Städte, die wir auf unserer Rundreise besucht haben, sind neben Perth noch Albany, Esperance, Geraldton, Fremantle und Exmouth.

NATURE AND ANIMALS - Western Australia

Nature and animals are the reason for a trip to the west coast of Australia.

Huge whale sharks and rays, turtles, kangaroos and breathtaking nature. Take a look at our highlights in Western Australia or in our article on the most beautiful beaches on the west coast of Australia..

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National Parks in Western Australia

If you plan to visit more than three national parks - and you should - get the Holiday Pass, which allows you to enter all of the national parks on the west coast of Australia. You can buy the Holiday Pass either online or at the National Park ticket booths. But be careful: these ticket booths are only occupied at peak times. You can also buy day tickets to national parks using a form that you put in an envelope with the entrance fee and then throw in a mailbox. You can only buy the Holiday Pass from the cashier. Since we actually always try to be at the highlights outside of peak hours, we stupidly had to buy each national park pass individually.

In some national parks you only get ahead with all-wheel drive. So consider when deciding 4WD camper vs. Minivan campers which national parks you want to see.

Campsites located in national parks usually have no electricity and water sources, so you should take precautions accordingly.

We liked the Cape Le Grand National Park with its famous Lucky Bay and the Cape Range National Park, where we stayed at the North Kurrajong campsite.

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The Cape Range National Park is located on the Ningaloo Reef and is perfect for snorkeling. At the tourist information there is information about the tides.

We particularly liked Turquoise Bay, where the reef begins about 50 m from the shore and a relaxed drift snorkeling is possible.

Oyster Stacks is also really cool. The entrance is a bit rocky, but the subsequent insight into the underwater world is really great.

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Westküste Australien
Westküste Australien

PERTH AND SURROUNDINGS - HOTSPOTS ON THE WEST COAST OF AUSTRALIA

At this point we want to give you some general travel tips for Perth and the surrounding area.

If you want to visit a club or a party somewhere in Perth, don't forget to bring your ID with you - no matter how old you are, otherwise you won't have a chance to be part of this party ;-).

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Opposite Perth station is The Globe Bar. Super cool flair, delicious food and cool drinks.

Rottnest Island - the island of cute quokkas - is about a 20-minute boat ride from Fremantle.

The easiest way to get to Fremantle is by train.

There are no cars on Rottnest Island, but more and more cyclists. Bikes are offered by the Rottnest Express ferry company. However, behind the Hotel Rottnest there is also a bike rental with many different bike models, different helmet sizes and well-maintained bikes. You pay $ 30 for 24 hours.

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Westküste Australien

There is a supermarket, bakery, ice cream parlor, subway, fashion store and restaurants on the island.

TIP: If you are not too picky and want to save some money, you can buy great sandwiches from the day before at the bakery. We can only recommend it.

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THE SOUTHERN PART OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

The temperatures between the northern and southern parts of Western Australia can vary widely. If you are happy to have air conditioning in your car in the north, you need warm clothes and a thick blanket in the southern part at least in the evening and at night. Of course, all of this depends on your travel time.

According to some online sources, a pink lake can be found in Esperance. However, when you are there, you understand that the lake has not been pink for a long time. So we would advise against stopping here. If you want to see a pink lake, you should visit the Hutt Lagoon in Port Gregory. Really awesome.

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If you want to stay in Cape Le Grand National Park, you have to be quick. There are two campsites with limited and particularly popular weekends. We really wanted to stay at the campsite on Lucky Bay. Early in the morning, when the national park entrance is not yet occupied, you should already drive through the entrance gates. Then there are volunteers who take care of the allocation of places.

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On our first day in Esperance, a local gave us the tip to definitely drive along Twilight Beach Road when we head west again. We did that. The view is totally worth it, but above all a stop at Twilight Cove. The beaches here in the south are awesome and definitely one of the best we have ever seen.
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The Valley of Giants Tree Top Walk is pretty cool, but think you don't miss a thing if you miss this one. Just a little tip, the path that leads along the ground is free.
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In Albany there is a super delicious fish and chip shop: SQUID SHACK. You have to wait about 40 minutes for your meal, which is absolutely worth it. Recommendation: S&P Squids + Chips

CAMPING ON THE WESTERN AUSTRALIA

We have all visited the following campsites in Western Australia ourselves. In a few sentences, we would like to give you valuable information about location, facilities and other useful information.

The receptions at many campsites are no longer occupied from 6:00 p.m. at the latest. We therefore recommend either booking the campsites on the website or planning an early arrival there. However, some campsites also have keys (for bath houses) with envelopes on site, in which you fill in the completed arrival form, the fee and take the key. On a trust basis.

Depending on the location and facilities of the campsite, you have to plan 30 to 50 Australian dollars per night.

Here you come to our travel report, so that you can assign these campsites Western Australia to the experiences that we made on our tour.

The holiday parks / campsites are not cheap, but very well equipped. You will always find a BBQ area and camping kitchen, as well as sinks, refrigerators and gas stoves. The toilets and showers are also in very good condition. The WiFi is poor almost without exception.

The campsites in the national parks usually have no electricity or water connection, so you should take precautions and calculate the battery and supplies accordingly. Most of the time, the campsites in the national parks also have relatively poor sanitary facilities and only outhouses and no showers.

If you want to stay overnight at the RAC Monkey Mia Resort after Monkey Mia, you have to pay a holiday fee in addition to the parking space fee (as of 2017: stay 1 day: $ 12; several days: $ 18).

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You can arrive here at any time. We stayed there while traveling from Perth to Wave Rock. Our first night on the red continent. There is a caretaker there, where you can register and pay for the night. It is a simple caravan park with toilets and showers, a small camping kitchen, running water and electricity. It is relatively behind on the main street. We had no noise issues.
The Esperance Bay Holiday Park is equipped with a camping kitchen, toilets and showers, laundry and WiFi. The place is very clean. We thought he was good.
Located directly on the famous Lucky Bay, the campsite is in high demand and you have to arrive early in the morning to get a spot. The local kangaroos are looking for food and shade all day at the campsite. The site is laid out in terraces, so that most of the pitches offer a fantastic view of the bay. There are two BBQ houses, toilets and showers with running water, which is not a matter of course on the campsites in national parks. There is no electricity and water for the camper here. The volunteers take care of the campground and organize everything. We really liked this campsite because of its location and remoteness.
Camping kitchen, showers and toilets are available, but not very clean. During our visit, the place was populated by beetles and frogs. The wifi was bad. This campsite is located at an entrance to the Fitzgerald National Park.
This campsite is located directly on the beach and is therefore in a fantastic location. The sanitary facilities are new and clean. A large BBQ area invites you to cook. The wifi is miserable.
The campsite is near Margaret River. If you arrive after 6 p.m., you can book a parking space online. The sanitary facilities are not very clean and due to the location in the middle of the forest full of beetles, spiders etc. There is a camping kitchen and a table tennis table. The WiFi is acceptable.
The campsite is about a ten to ten minute walk from the beach. The location is wonderful and there is a clean pool and a trampoline for children. The showers, toilets and the camping kitchen are clean. There is an acceptable WiFi.
This campsite in Mandurah is getting a bit old, but in a great location. The beach is about a ten minute walk from the beach. BBQ area, showers and toilets are available and in order. The sunset on the beach is a dream.
We used this campsite in Perth to clean our camper and stayed there the night before we returned it. There is a camping kitchen, toilets and showers. It is about ten kilometers to the airport. You have to book here, because space is in high demand.
There are not many places to stay at Rottnest. We stayed at the Hotel Rottnest. It's right on the beach and about a five-minute walk from the boat dock. The hotel also has a restaurant and a bar. Hotel, restaurant and bar are not cheap. Next time we would rather take a day trip to Rottnest.
The hotel is nicely decorated and has a restaurant. It is located opposite the Perth Arena and not far from Perth Station. The pedestrian shopping area is also only five minutes away on foot. We liked it a lot.
The campsite is relatively well maintained by us. There is a pool, a trampoline, a well-equipped camping kitchen, clean showers & toilets and a leisure room.
The campsite is really great - one of the most beautiful of our trip. Clean, right on the beach and a new well-equipped camping kitchen, pool, showers & toilets and good WiFi. All you need.
This place is right on the beach. Unfortunately the beach is not that nice. Many cockroaches are out in the evening. BBQ area, showers and toilets, as well as a WIFi with very limited data volume are available.
Here are new showers & toilets and laundry. A pool and a trampoline are also available to guests. All in all a good campsite.
This campsite is located on the beach of Moneky Mia, where the dolphins are fed every morning. There is a restaurant, a bar and a small shop. In addition to the parking space fees, you have to pay a holiday fee (as of 2017: stay 1 day: $ 12; several days: $ 18). There is a camping kitchen, showers, toilets, WiFi, laundry and two loyal emus. * Update: The RAC Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort was completely renovated in 2018. Our information may no longer be correct.
There are two campsites in Coral Bay. Peoples Park is right on the beautiful beach. There are different prices depending on the location of the parking space. There is no wifi here, but there is a BBQ area, toilets and showers. Next door is a restaurant, a tour operator for sea excursions and a small shop.
Our travel tip for camping on the west coast of Australia is right on the beach. Only separated from wonderful sand dunes you camp here completely secluded from civilization. There are very few pitches and we were the only campers. In the morning, many kangaroos bounce around the campground. Since it is a secluded place in the national park, there is no running water or electricity. and just an outhouse. Nevertheless, this campsite is our absolute favorite and highly recommended.
This campsite is relatively large and is populated by curious and sometimes aggressive emus. With us the campsite was visited relatively little. There is WiFi, showers, toilets, a camping kitchen and a pool.
The campsite is located at the mouth of the Murchison River and ocean. There is a large camping kitchen but no WiFi. E is a somewhat older system. The Kalbarri Visitor Center is about a hundred meters away.
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Overall, we liked the life in the camper very well, because the other campers were very friendly and helpful.

COST DURING A WEST AUSTRALIA TOUR

A tour in Western Australia is pretty much the most expensive thing you can afford. The unique landscape compensates for this 100%. Here you can find our travel report. Let yourself be inspired.

We always live on foot when traveling. The time when we slept in hostels and ate canned ravioli is over for us. However, we only did a few things - such as restaurant visits and hotels - in absolute exceptional cases. But since we are passionate eaters, we never miss out on culinary delights. In Western Australia, it's fairly easy to get groceries yourself. We usually stocked up a good supply of good meat - mostly lamb or beef - and fresh vegetables and stored them in the camper fridge. It should always be noted how long the fridge in the camper has been supplied with electricity. So it is best to take into account the upcoming destinations and routes when shopping and how long your refrigerator can keep the food cool and fresh. So we could always eat delicious, high quality and regional food on our Western Australia tour and at the same time not spend any fortune.

We did not show any nakedness on the excursions either. Some destinations simply cannot be explored on your own, because you need a boat or an airplane. Most of the time, however, these are the experiences that will be remembered for a long time and are therefore worth their money. Just watch our video about Abrolhos Islands and you will know what we mean. So we spent a lot of money on food and experiences.

The Western Australia tour can certainly be made cheaper than we did, but it is certainly more expensive.

HELPFUL APPS - WEST COAST AUSTRALIA

No costs

Requirements: For this you have to download the offline maps beforehand.

Description: You can navigate anywhere offline.

Cost: € 4.99

Requirements: For this you have to download the offline maps beforehand.

Description: You can search for campsites. The campsites are provided with additional information such as WiFi reception, water, electricity and the like. displayed.

No costs

Requirements: Internet connection is required.

Description: Entry of start and end point in Perth. The app provides you with the best connection in combination with walking, bus and train travel.

CONCLUSION OF OUR CAMPER JOURNEY TO AUSTRALIA'S WEST COAST

We absolutely loved the west coast of Australia. Cruising the lifestyle with the camper through the lonely landscape of the red continent is unique and we have never experienced it again before or after. Above all, the animals and nature, but also the friendly nature of the Aussies are really unique. The planning for our next trip to Western Australia / West Coast Australia is already in full swing. This time we want to push further north towards the Kimberleys.

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