copen

I am considering whether or not to rent a car for day trips around Perth. We have 2 days to spend outside Perth (2 in Perth & Freemantle/Rottnest) and would like to see the Tree Top Walk in Walpole and the Yanchep farm North of Perth.

The trip South is 5+ hours, and I believe the trip North is ~2 hours. Should we just take day tours, or is there a distinct advantage to driving around these regions ourselves? We have no interest in wine, and so Margaret River isn't really a draw for us.

Thanks,
Dave.

Alan

Hi, copen!

There is little heavy traffic in the suburbs of Perth and almost nothing between the country towns, so I don't think the prospect of driving on the wrong side would be much of an issue for you. I would certainly hire a car; there are various small renters in the city (just around the corner from the cluster of "majors" ) which offer good prices, and we got an excellent deal in the suburbs from a one-man operation whose name I cannot recall (but if I find it I will get back to you).

The Treetop Walk is in an isolated area, and worth a look-in, but not if you drive for hours just to see this one feature! Can I strongly recommend the town of New Norcia as well-worth a couple of hours? Among other religious displays, there are some paintings there that look like they belong in Florence or the Vatican Museum!

Fremantle is great -- the jail offers one of the best prison tours you will ever go on (we rated it as superior to Alcatraz!), and there are numerous other interesting sites to visit. We never got to Rottmest, as several people (including one of the ticket agents) told us that it really wasn't worth the time and trouble. Albany is great -- the most interesting town in the south part of Western Australia, I reckon -- but it's a long drive, and if you're not interested in the wineries, it's probably not worth the long trek for one town.

There are two chocolate factory visits which will please you, as (unlimited)free tasting is available!

copen

Alan,

Hmm, the Tree Top Walk isn't worth the 5 hour drive? Yikes. Perhaps we'll stick to the Pinnacles and Yanchep.

Can you provide any other suggests regarding things to see in Perth? We were thinking of checking out Scarborough beach, Kings Park, take a river cruise down to Freo. In Freo, we though we'd check out the jail, Round House, military sub tour, and Rottnest. What's up with Rottnest... most others rave about it. Not worth it?

Thanks,
Dave.

johhj_au

Dave...get this straight...a trip to Rotto is the quintessential Perth day out. Feed the quokkas,have a swim ,bicycle the island and sink a swan lager at the rotto pub.

Given good weather,it doesn't get a hell of a lot better than this.

johhj_au

ps try bayswater car rental for a good deal.

AussieJo

One thing no one has told you is the free pubic bus service around Perth & Freemantle which run until around 7.30.p.m.
Also the tramcar tour which if taken as soon as you arrive in Perth will give you an idea of the tourist spots in Perth (hop on & off.) I don't beleive you need a car at all in Perth or Freeo. We loved Rottnest, take the bus tour around the Island...don't think you can do it on the push bike as 1000's do !
Once again this cheap hour long tour takes you all over the Island. ( We should have spent a night thier just to catch up on rest ) People rave about Fremantle sorry we didn't think it was that great... loved the cruise on the River though.
Intended to do the Tree Top walk but ended up staying in Bussellton instead... tooked around Margaret River (town just another) wineries okay. Very easy place to drive around. Tour buses ?? all seemed very long days I would hire & self drive....Have a lovely time.

Alan

Hi, again!

Perhaps the Treetop Walk would be better if there were more of it, or if it were called something else. We liked it okay, but, as I said, we happened to be going that way..... but instead of "treetop walk" think of it as a bridge without water beneath it... occasionally, it does get as high as the treetops, so it isn't a case of false advertising or anything like that..... but the roof of our house is as high as the treetops, too, and you wouldn't drive for hours to stand on it! We were, if I recall, on the way back from Albany when we passed the sign leading to it, so it was no big deal going to see it. You would, I am sure, enjoy it more if that's how you approached it, too. I highly recommend a drive to Albany, and at least one night there. It's an interesting place which somehow suggests the coast of Scotland to me, and it's so unlike Perth and Fremantle that it would make a nice contrast.

Don't leave out New Norcia! Get there before lunch, as, if I recall, the escorted tour of the monastery leaves about 1:30 and they won't do another even if you plead with them (luckily, they will let you go through their historical museum, and that is surely worth the drive).

You will like everything that you have planned for Fremantle, and I can't think of anything more to add, except that there's a youth hostel there that is the old Fire Station, and it looks like a fun place to stay -- and it's in a great location near the water.

I would hate to think I had dissuaded you from going to Rottnest because of my "lukewarm" cooment -- after all, I didn't go there, I am just reporting what somebody else said. By all means go for a look, and maybe, if nothing else, you will see the quokkas for which the island is famous.

copen

I think we'll definitely still check out Rottnest. However, I'm now unsure of how we'll be seeing the area outside of Perth. I was just thinking that if I only had a day, I might as well have a bus drive us all the way to Albany/Tree Top Walk and relax for the 5 hours up/down. Now if we were spending a few days in the region, a hired car would sound appropriate.

Am I on the right track with this line of thinking?

However, if the Tree Top Walk is not all that it's cracked up to be, and it takes 5 hours to get there, perhaps that's not the best expenditure of a day from the most expensive vacation we'll ever be taking.

Maybe we should think about visiting the two Capes South of Perth instead. Has anyone had an experiences there?

Thanks,
Dave.

marg

The tree top walk is good but not worth driving all that way - it must be about 400km. Use your time to see things closer to the city. Have you considered visiting New Norcia - really unique. There is an interesting car museum in York - pretty old town with lots of places to eat and browse.
Don't forget to go to Kings Park for great views over the city - spectacular at night too.

copen

Yeah, the more I think about it (and hear from you fine folks), the more I think we're going to scrap the trip to the Tree Top Walk.

I'm getting a lot of recommendations for New Norcia, so we may opt for that instead.

Thanks for the advice,
Dave.

Alan

I was glad to see Marg supported the idea of a trip to New Norcia, copen, and I think you will enjoy this. But don't do what we did.... arrived fifteen minutes after the only tour of the day had departed! Do a "New Norcia" search on this forum to see if you can find out the exact time of the tour, and maybe, from Perth, check that out so that you arrive inplenty of time (we WOULD have arrived in time, in our rented car, but twelve minutes into the journey we got a speeding ticket, and that somehow took all the fun out of a fast drive! $130! But New Norcia, even without the tour, made up for it.)

copen

How long a drive was it from Perth to New Norcia? Also, where did you check to see when the tours were? Do they have a web site?

Also, can you guys recommend any 'wow' sites in Perth/Rottnest? I'm having a bit of trouble finding 'must see' stuff in my Lonely Planet guide. I'm sold on Rottnest, but the rest is up for grabs.

Thanks,
Dave.

billbuckin

Hey Copen

Enjoy your stay in Perth.

Would agree with the other posters regarding the long drive to the tree top walk. Very long way, no doubt. A good way to see the countryside indeed, but a heck of a long day.

We have done the tree top walk and it is definately worth it, BUT only if you are in the area. We combined it with a trip to Albany, Bunbury, Pemberton, Margaret River. Really need 3-7 days to do the area justice.

Yanchep National Park is only a short drive north up the freeway then a country highway. Close up views of Koalas and other animals. Can combine it with a trip to the WA aquarium or the new town of Joondalup. Also up that way is Botanical Golf, worth a stop for die hard mini golfers.

Highly recomend Rotto for a day. Can catch a boat from Perth and cruise down the Swan, takes about an hour, then 30 minutes from Freo to Rotto. Can catch the boat from Freo if in a hurry.

Rotto is great for bus tours, bike riding, history (convicts, Native Australians, War Defence), sunbaking, drinking, eating, swimming, wildlife, bakery, boating etc. We really enjoyed the Old Guns tour, can catch an old train from the Settlement. Just walking around the Settlement, looking at all the history signs tells a lot about the island.

Freo is worth a day at least. All of it can be done walking, or taxi or car. Can even rent some crazy forms of transportation from near the Railway station. Depending on where you are staying, catch the train to Freo, makes an enjoyable relaxing trip.

For tourists, Scarboro Beach is clean, safe, good waves and plenty of shops, bars and restaurants. Personally I prefered the Cott or City Beach. For exercise buffs, you could rent a bike and ride the entire ocean front from Freo harbour north to Burns beach, I believe, probably 40 miles or so. A bike path runs the whole way. Ocean views on one side, expensive houses on the other.

Just a few ideas

Bill