Tours in Perth

Australian Pacific Touring, Australian Pinnacle Tours, and Feature Tours conduct day tours of Perth and its major attractions. You can also take a day tour of outer sights like Nambung National Park and the Pinnacles, Wave Rock near Hyden, and the Treetop Walk near Walpole.

Boat Torque runs excursions to Rottnest Island three times daily from Perth and five times daily from Fremantle; they also have Swan River cruises, and whale-watching trips between September and late November.

Captain Cook Cruises has trips on the Swan River, traveling from Perth to the Indian Ocean at Fremantle. Cruises cost A$18-A$130 and may include meals and wine. Oceanic Cruises runs several boat cruises, including tours of the Swan River with stops at wineries. Golden Sun Cruises also has tours upriver to the vineyards, as well as trips to Fremantle.

West Coast Rail and Coach uses trains and buses in conjunction with local operators to provide tours to such popular destinations as Margaret River, Bunbury, Busselton, Esperance, Walpole, Kalbarri, Albany, and Kalgoorlie.

Springtime in Western Australia (September-November) is synonymous with wildflowers, as 8,000 species blanket an area that stretches 645 km (400 mi) north and 403 km (250 mi) south of Perth. Tours of these areas, by companies such as Feature Tours, are popular, and early reservations are essential.

Orientation & Wildflower Tours

Australian Pacific Touring (1300/655965. www.aptouring.com.au). Australian Pinnacle Tours (08/9471-5555. www.pinnacletours.com.au). Feature Tours (08/9475-2900. www.ft.com.au).

Boat Tours

Boat Torque (Barrack St. Ferry Terminal, CBD. 08/9430-5844. www.boattorque.com.au). Captain Cook Cruises (Pier 3, Barrack Sq. Jetty, CBD. 08/9325-3341. www.captaincookcruises.com.au). Golden Sun Cruises (Pier 4, Barrack Sq. Jetty, CBD. 08/9325-9916. www.goldensuncruises.com.au). Oceanic Cruises (Pier 5, Barrack Sq. Jetty, CBD. 08/9325-1191. www.oceaniccruises.com.au).

Bus Tour

West Coast Rail and Coach (08/9221-9522).