Monique
For more of my roadtrips, travel adventures and food recommendations check out @monsadventure on Instagram.
Table of Contents
Embarking on the Perth – Esperance itinerary
If you ever have a week to spare for a holiday, I’d highly recommend doing the Perth-Esperance route and exploring the south coast of Western Australia.
If you have your own caravan, you’ll have to drive to Western Australia first, so you might embark on this itinerary a little differently depending on where you’re driving from.
For this trip, my friend and I flew into Perth and hired a campervan, which was more of a van with a few nice additions.
Why Choose the South Coast Route?
Most people will either choose to go north or south from Perth. Both areas of Western Australia sound like must-do routes, however with the time we had up our sleeve, the south coast route sounded more achievable to do at a leisurely pace in one week.
A funny bit of slang we heard from a local was that we were headed “douth”, ie. down south.
Like most people, we were keen to see Esperance after hearing a lot about the pristine beaches. Overall, you get a lot of beach time, but you also see some of the vast, untouched, inland areas of Western Australia.
Why caravan/campervan?
Well my friend had just quit her job, so she had a week to enjoy funemployment, before starting a new job. What better way to celebrate freedom than being on the road and hitting the beach every day?
This meant we had all our change of clothes easily accessible in the car. We booked powered sites along the way so we could have access to toilet blocks and showers.
Our campervan had a pull-out stove at the back and an esky, so this allowed us to save money and cook – and it also helped when we were at locations that were a bit more remote.
Highlights
We took the common route, which involved stopping at different regions along the south coast from Perth to Esperance, then driving inland on the way back.
Here are some of my highlights.
Yallingup - 3 hours from Perth
Our first stop was Yallingup, located just before the famous Margaret River wine region. Known for its dramatic rock formations and clear waters.
Canal Rocks:
Ngilgi Cave Ancient Lands Experience:
We did this on a separate trip, but I’d recommend these, as some of the caves are easily accessible. It also provides a change-up of scenery from the coastline.
Injidup Natural Spa
Your experience really depends on the time of day you visit due to the tide. The water wasn’t as vibrant as online pictures due to the time of day we visited, and it wasn’t the warmest day. The rocky area was still nice to explore, but we didn’t spend a lot of time here.
The other thing to note was that we travelled outside of peak summer, so although the weather was still hot, the water temperature was quite cool. It took some convincing for me to take a dip at every stop haha!
Hamelin Bay - 1 hr from Yallingup
Denmark - 3.5 from Hamelin Bay or 4 hours from Yallingup
Denmark and Esperance are closely tied as my favourite spots on this trip. I think the water colour at Denmark was just a sign of what was to come at Esperance.
The most popular spots to visit here are in William Bay National Park.
Greens Pools:
A white sand beach, with turquoise waters and rocks scattered throughout the ocean in the bay. It’s fun to walk around/between the rocks and explore the patterns left on them from erosion. Green Pools➚
Elephant Rocks:
Similar to Greens Pool but with larger boulders, said to look like the back of elephants. Both areas are sheltered from the ocean due to the rocks, making the beaches very calm and serene for exploring and relaxing. Elephant Rocks➚
Esperance - 5.5 hours from Denmark
(We stopped for one night in Ravensthorpe to break up the drive.)
Last but not least, Esperance, located south-east of Perth. By now, you’d think you’d be somewhere near South Australia, but it’s still another 9-10 hours to the border. This just puts into perspective how large a state Western Australia actually is!
We explored several beaches along Twilight Beach Road, and were not disappointed by the scenery of every single one of them.
Other highlights were in Cape Le Grand National Park, about 50 minutes from Esperance. It has a $17 per vehicle entry fee.
Lucky Bay:
Frenchman Peak:
Wave Rock - 4 hours from Esperance and Perth
On the inland drive back to Perth, the stop that everyone ticks off the list is Wave Rock in Hyden.
The novelty is that this cliff formation looks like a wave, and you can take photos at the bottom with it. There is also a trail that heads to the top of the rock for some views of the surrounding country landscapes.
Back to Perth - 4 hours
Driving
Much of the driving involved freeways, so there was no point where we really felt challenged with the campervan. Some of the driving will show you the vast, desert-like scenery of Australia, which contrasts to all the beach stops you’ll cover along the way.
One thing we noticed, that we haven’t noticed in Victoria, is that trucks in front of you will sometimes indicate right for a second on one-lane freeways, then stop indicating. Gradually, we realised that they were telling us it was clear for us to overtake. How thoughtful!
Summing Up: A Great Journey In WA
This trip from Perth to Esperance offers an incredible mix of beach and inland experiences. From the dramatic landscapes of Yallingup to the serene beaches of Esperance, it’s a journey worth taking.
For more of Mon’s roadtrips, travel adventures and food recommendations check out @monsadventure on Instagram by clicking the icon below 📸✨
