Perth Travel Forum

We're a family of 6 with 1 teenager,a 12 year old, a 10 and a 5 year old kid visiting Perth in end of May to June for 10 days.
Our plan is to have a farmstay for 2-3 days- any recommendation?
A trip to either Margaret River vineyards or Swan River- which would be better?
A trip to Rottnest Island- is there any accommodation there which would cater for our family of 6?
Would we have time to visit the Pinnacles and is it a worthwhile trip especially for the young ones?
Perhaps a visit to a beach.
The rest of the trip would be spent just exploring Perth and Fremantle.
Would it be more worthwhile to hire a car while in Perth and Fremantle or could we rely on public transport?
Also would appreciate any suggestions for a B&B or cottage or lodge stay that would be able to accommodate us or have 2 interconnectiong rooms.
Thanks.

Hi there...hopefully we can give you some help here. A farm stay in the Southwest would be nice. There are plenty to choose from. Would definately recommend hiring a car if you can. Would make things a lot easier with the family.

You would have time to see the Pinnacles but would take up most of a day. It's a 3 to 3&31/2 hour driver there. Not sure the kids would be overly excited at a bunch of rocks sticking out of the sand. If it was summer time you could have added some swimming at a local beach which is really nice. (May/June is not beach weather).

Perhaps you could look at spending more time looking around between Perth and Margaret River. Yallingup is a nice place. Dunsborough has the best bakery and Busselton is a beautiful spot as well.

http://www.australiassouthwest.com/en/default.htm

The kids would love this I reckon...

http://www.valleyofthegiants.com.au/treetopwalk.html

Have a great trip.

Col & Sue

Farmstay will not be actually IN Perth, so you may want to split your time between a farmstay and staying in Perth.
Margaret river is a lovely area but is several hours travel south of Perth, not much for the children, mostly vineyards and it will be a bit cool for the beach.
There are lots of tours around the swan valley from Perth, (not a long drive), some tours include the cheese and chocolate factories as well as the vineyards.
Rottnest island is a good day trip from Perth from all ages. You should be able to get a ferry without booking during the winter, so wait for a fine still day, it gets windy over there.
The Pinnacles are amazing rock formations, but it is a very long drive, and not much to do when you get there, I should think it will be quite boring for children.
There's plenty to occupy you in Perth and/or Fremantle. In the centre of Perth you can easily manage without a car, free 'Cat' buses will take you around, but if you want to go anywhere out of the city you will need a car.
More places to go etc on my Perth, Fremantle Rockingham and Mandurah Pages.

Forgot to mention....a Swan River cruise would be a great idea...to the Swan Valley.

http://www.captaincook.com.au/home.asp

http://www.swanvalley.com.au/en/default.htm

Col

Days are at their shortest in June, something you will need to consider if you're planning a long day trip out of Perth to somewhere like the Pinnacles. It's very exposed and apart from the pinnacles of stone there's not a lot else to do - lots of fun in summer as you can hit the dunes and the beach as well but I'd give it a miss at this time of year if time is short and with young children. There are pleant of other things to do.

The Swan Valley is just an hour from the city centre - lots of activities for all the family - wineries, mini-breweries, galleries, restaurants, Cavershanm Wildlife Park, mini golf, Shire horse drawn wagons, the chocolate factory, a maze.

Penguin Island, 1 hour from Perth - fairy penguins, sea lions http://www.penguinisland.com.au/

3 or 4 days touring the southwest would give you time to see the great forests, Valley of the Giants, etc, visit Albany (http://www.westernaustralia.com/en/Destinations/Australias_South_West/Albany/Pages/Albany.aspx) and still spend a couple of nights in Margaret River. It's winter so the beach is great for a walk and quick visit but you wouldn't want to be spending the day there. Lots of Farmstay options http://www.about-australia.com/travel-guides/western-australia/australias-south-west/accommodation/farmstay/

Sorrento Beach Resort may fit your accommodation needs. Family accommodation, lots of restaurants nearby, plus an aquarium, ferry to Rottnest from the quay, easy access to the city, Fremantle (a longish drive but perfectly straightforward down the coast), the Swan Valley, freeway to the south.
http://www.sorrentobeach.com.au/

Have a great holiday
leyle

Gee, didn't expect such informative replies so soon.I'm so happy to have found you guys.
Some more queries-
(1) This free "cat" service, is it reliable and quick or do we lose a lot of time waiting for it? Is there a proper schedule? Where does it travel to and from?

(2)As I'm with kids, but also enjoy good wine and food,would it be more interesting going to Margaret River region and give Swan Lake a miss or do both?But I don't want to bore the kids with too many wineries so am thinking of just choosing one destination.

(3) I think it's settled that I give Pinnacles a miss this time round.
(4) Is it a good time to swim with dolphins?and where?

(5) Is the Fremantle market the only farmers market aorund or is there any equivalent?

Appreciate all your responses.TQ.

The CAT sevice is excellent - buses are just a few minutes apart through the day. http://www.lookatwa.com.au/Transport/cats.html.

May/June is too coldto swim with anything in the sea in the south. You'd need to travel to Monkey Mia - the best part of 1000km to the north.

I'd give both the Swan Valley and Margaret River a shot. There's much more to both areas than just wineries. Check this website for things to do in the Margaret River area - http://www.margaretriver.com/pages/attractions/

There are other markets but the Fremantle ones are definitely the most fun - lots of other things goin on around them, a lively street scene, Maritime Shipwreck Museum and Fisherman's Harbour within walking distance. Is your 5 year old a girl? If so, she'd love The Pickled Fairy shop near the market.

Agree with Wandering Camel.....

You can do both Margaret River and the Swan Valley....the Swan Valley is very close to the city and you can find great stuff for the kids there to.

Like a nougat factory
http://www.mondonougat.com.au/

The Margaret River Chocolate Company is both in Margaret River and the Swan Valley
http://www.chocolatefactory.com.au/

Also Whiteman Park is virtually next door the the Valley. Plenty for the kids there.
http://www.whitemanpark.com.au/

Cheers
Col & Sue

perthmark - great advice!

There is lots to do around the Freo area and the CAT bus will drop you at all the touristy spots so you just jump on and off at leaisure. There is also a CAT service in the city same deal. The Swan Valley is nice is handy to the city and given there are 6 it is probably cheaper to hire a vehicle than book a tour nice eateries and the kids will like the free chocolate tastings at the chocolate factory and at least 1 of the adults can enjoy wine tasting at the wineries!! It will be pretty chilly May/June far to cold to swim but if you can get to Rottnest on a mild clea rday it is still a great spot to wander around and at least see some of our fantastic beaches. Freo is full of character the markets are great to wander at the weekends there is fish & chips down at the harbour and some great museums

Thanks again for all your tips.

Is there any accommodation on Rottnest and is it worth staying there overnight?
From what I gather, you guys are saying that the weather will be too cold to swim so is it worth it at all to visit Rottnest at that time of year?

My kids love the experience of picking fruit and eating them. Are there any fruit farms around the region that would allow picking for fun?what sort of fruits would be in season then?

Where is a recommended farm stay? There seem to be loads but I would imagine the locals would be more discerning as to which is a better experience for the kids.

Thank you once again.

We still have some nice weather around that time and cold depends on where you come from. 19-22 degrees celcius is cold for us locals lol but to some people it can be warm....you may strike it lucky and get a the odd day with clear skies and sun with a nice 22 or even 23C.

Rottnest would be nice...it's always mild weather there.

http://www.rottnestisland.com/en/Accommodation/default.htm

As for fruit picking.....the season for this in our southwest is much later in the year.


Cheers
Col & Sue

Winter is citrus time but I don't know of anywhere that would let you actually pick fruit - we visit Golden Grove orchard in the Chittering Valley

http://www.experienceperth.com/en/Country/Chittering+Valley/default.htm

regularly to stock up on fresh citrus fruit, they have a farmyard full of ducks, guinea fowl and chickens, you buy direct from the packing shed. Apricot Acres (also in the valley) offers orchard tours I believe, but I've never done one. There's usually a mob of emus in a paddock down by the river near Golden Grove.

If you wanted to make a day of it, you could drive up through the valley to Gingin, and then out to the coast to Guilderton at the mouth of the Moore River
and take a cruise on the river

http://www.mooreriver.com.au/index.site.attractions.attraction.1943.html

A day at Rotnest at this time of year would be great. You can hire bikes, there are lots of different walking tours on offer with the volunteer guides, and a bus does a tour around the island. I wouldn't stay the night as you have so much else to do with your time here.

If no-one here is suggesting a specific farmstay it'll be because they have no actual experience of a commercial enterprise. Many West Australians have farming connections , so when we go to a farm we tend to go as private guests of family or friends. I'm sure they all offer a great experience.

You might like to take a look at some of the travel pages written about Western Australia here on VT. There's all sorts of information to be had on them, with lots of direct links to websites, phone numbers for booking, places to eat, etc.
Type Western Australia (or Perth, or Margaret River or wherever else you're interested in)into the little Search box at the top of this page, press Go and follow your nose. There's an absolute mine of information out there.

getting back to you rhomestay my husband & I went to Donnybrook several years ago and stayed at a Bed & Breakfast which was also an Alpaca Farm but can\t remember the name. Although it wasnt a large farmstay they did have some sheep & cows they loaned us outdoor boots and we wandered around the paddocks we loved it as we are both city people that was enough for us. Yes Rottnest is worth staying over there are plenty of walks and fresh air but probably no swimming you can see the local wildlife Quokka small rat like marsupials that hop all around the island. Rottnest was named by the Dutch after these rat like crreatures Rottnest-Rattnest. Not sure about booking accomodation though.

http://www.rottnestisland.com/en/Accommodation/default.htm

You can book accommodation here, book early, it'd very popular, but you should be able to get something as it's not peak season.

Just to add to the confusion - LOL - here's a couple of points.

Rotto is worth staying overnight. The Quokkas are nocturnal and the kids will love seeing them going in and out of restaurants etc. We even met a security guard who was supposed to keep people under control. He said all he gets to do is f*** off Quokkas and one he named Houdini as it could get in and out of everything. I gave Quokkas a "cuteness factor" of several hundred percent. We stayed at the Quokka Arms Hotel.

Couple of people have mentioned Ablany and area - very spectacular and if you go there Whale World (last whaling station that operated in Australia) http://www.whaleworld.org/ is well worth visiting. Tree Top Walk at Walpole is on way there or back and have a look at Denmark famous for the hippies - altough aging they still wander around bare footed wearing brighly coloured garb (and probably listening to Pete Seger/Bob Dylan et al on their RECORD players). From that area head off to Margaret River and then back up the coast to Freemantle and Rottnest Island.

Although WAY out of your way, Kalgoorlie is an interesting place to visit, but its a days drive (6 + hours) from Perth.

Sorry to add more to the packed schedule.

Enjoy Oz

I found these in an old list I had stored, it may be useful to you.


Tumblegum Farm - about 45 mins south of Perth at Byford - is a great day out, lots of farm activities, sheep mustering and shearing, whip cracking, milking the cow and a hayride. The Aboriginal culture show features traditional dances including the emu, dingo and kangaroo dances and the didgeridoo.

Fremantle - the Shipwreck Museum and the Maritime Museum

Spare Parts Puppet Theatre (opp the station) the foyer is always open and has a great puppet museum/collection

fish and chips at the Fisherman's Harbour
tram ride around the city,
markets

http://www.scitech.org.au... (interesting for teenagers and adults as well as small children)
http://www.perthzoo.wa.gov.au/

Some things that may be of interest to you. http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/9a93e/1c8d7f/4/

Tumbulgum Farm seems to have closed at Byford and are advertising their show as being at at Caversham Wildlife Park instead.

Thanks WC, my information is a few years old.

I'm a bit confused here-is Tumblegum still operating? I did a google serach for fruit farms and they turned up . would appreciate if anyone could confirm their existence.
Thanks.

Ok guys, you all have been so helpful and i've come up with a rough itinerary. Please feel free to comment eg whether it's a realistic schedule or too hectic for the kids etc.Here goes:

My idea of 10 days will probably go like this:-
(1)Stay in Perth/ Fremantle for 3 days to explore.
-also make a trip to Rottnest during this time.
-query:is it cheaper to stay in Perth or Fremantle
-Which would be more convenient to go to Rottnest?
-would it be advisable to rent a car during this time as I understand there's a very good and reliable CATS bus service?

(2)Drive to Margaret River-3 days to explore.

(3)Drive to Walpole/ Denmark-2 days

(4)Back to Perth-2 days

Do you think this is a bit too hectic?I want to take things nice and easy -but I'm not too sure about the driving distances.

Firstly on the car, perhaps get one from Freemantle on the last day of the Perth/Freemantle section. Like most big cities, having a car can be more of a pest than otherwise.

I'll leave to others the question of cheaper in Freeo or Perth, however as you'll be coming in from elsewhere by air (assuming here) then Perth city is far closer to airport than Freeo. Maybe the best of both worlds and stay in Perth for 2 nights, take the train down to Freeo and stay overnight on Rotto. The ferries to Rotto leave from very close to the Freeo rail station (easy walking distance). Next day return to Freemantle and grab a rental car from there. Perhaps that first day go to Bunbury and see Bunbury Dolphin Discovery Centre http://dolphins.mysouthwest.com.au/ and then get to Margaret River later on that day. Sorry to throw in another suggestion.

Last leg you have allowed 2 days to go from the Denmark area back to Perth (assume airport). You can do that in an easy one day if its a late flight out.

Sounds fine to me.

Perth v. Fremantle? have you looked at the Sorrento Beach Resort I suggested? I think it would suit your group admirably, better than staying in the city centres of either Perth or Fremantle.

I'd hire a car - the CAT buses only operate around the very centre of the city - you still need to get around the larger city area. Here's a basic map

http://www.perthtouristcentre.com.au/map.php

For example Perth to Fremantle is 20km, Cottesloe Beach is about halfway between, the zoo is in South Perth(across the river from the city). May/June can be very rainy and windy and hanging around on bus stops or station platforms with 4 children on days like that is no fun.

To get to Rottnest, you can take a ferry from Perth, Fremantle Harbour or from Sorrento Quay. The longest is from Perth as it takes about 45 minutes for the ferry to travel doewn the river to Fremantle. It realy depends where you're staying.

Driving distances

Perth to Margaret River - 277km - 3 hours driving plus stops
Margaret River to Albany - 130km
Albany to Perth - 410km

Some general information here

http://www.goozgo.com.au/where_to_go/margaret_river.html

about the south-west corner

leyle

Sorry, there's a mistake in those mileages -
Margaret River to Albany is 425 km (you'll need to go on to Albany from Denmark to get back to Perth most directly.)
Margaret River to Walpole is about 300km
Walpole - Denmark - 65 km

Allowing a whole day to drive between Margaret River and Denmark will give you plenty of time to have a look around Pemberton (the Gloucester tree - http://www.goozgo.com.au/where_to_go/margaret_river.html), Walpole and other stops along the way.

Would it be faster/more interesing to go along the coastal road via Margaret River, Bunbury,as opposed to the one from Albany back to Perth?Is there any towns from Albany to Perth that would make an interesting stop?

As to stopping in Bunbury for the Dolphin Discovery Center- would it be too cold to swim with them for end of May?

Sorrento Beach resort looks very interesting but my only concern is that staying at a beach resort at that time of year may not be appropriate as it'll be too cold to use the beach facilities then.
Moreover,I'm also wondering whether there are any supermarkets or eateries in the vicinity to make it more convenient?
You mentioned that the Rottnest Ferry departs from Sorrento- where and how long does it take?Is it the same price as leaving from Fremantle or Perth?

Thank you.

The road to Margaret River goes through Bunbury - although it only touches the coast in a couple of spots. If you drove from Margaret River across to Albany you certainly wouldn't want to come back the same way, it would be over 700km instead of 400. Can I suggest you get hold of a map and you'll see what I'm talking about. As for places to stop along the way - the road goes through farming country and small country towns. There are wineries at Mt Barker. Some towns have local museums. You could take a detour and spend a couple of hours in the Porongorups, just north of Albany. One feature of travelling in Western Australia is long distances betwen towns in many areas and there's no getting away from it. The direct route from Albany to Perth takes 6 hours to drive, with allowing for stops along the way.
There are plenty of places to eat at Sorrento Quay and a huge shopping centre about 2-3 km up the road.
I've never taken the ferry to Rottmest from there but they do advertise it as being the shortest crossing to the island. Their website will give you all the information you need. http://www.hillarysfastferries.com.au/

Your itinerary looks great.

Dont think you will find any real difference in accommodation costs between Perth & Fremantle. And as others have posted the Cat buses are only Perth City. Rest of public transport here is not that reliable. A car would be much more convenient.

As for getting to Rottnest I would consider this....if you stay in Perth city you can kill 2 birds with 1 stone by going to Rottnest from Barrack St Jetty in the city. Will mostlt likely be a little more expensive but you get to see the Swan River which I think is major part of Perth's beauty.

A friend of mine has just come back from a long weekend at a Margaret River Farmstay...

http://www.margaret-river-online.com.au/accom/redgate/index.html

...which is also a winery...he said it was very good and they have 2 kids aged 10 & 8.

The coastal route between Perth & Margaret River is much more interesting than the direct route between Perth & Albany.....though if you go the coastal route to Bunbury you may consider coming back from Bunbury via the Southwest Highway, through Brunswick Junction and Pinjarra and then to Armadale on the outskirts of Perth metro area.. That is quite a nice drive through dairy country.

Driving times are not great in the southwest and is quite pleasant. Just beware that the road between Mandurah & Bunbury can be dangerous. Mostly because of other drivers' inability to drive sensibly.

Hope this helps :-)

Col

To follow the route 2cities is suggesting, you would go from Albany to Mt Barker, Manjimup, Bridgetown, Donnybrook, Bunbury and then take the South-West Highway via Pinjarra to Perth. Have a look at it on a map. It is a very pretty run, about 525km - it would certainly take you all day to get back to Perth if you made a few stops along the way.

What are the regulations like in respect of children sitting in the car at the back? Is it compulsory for them to be seated in car seats?Do the authorities allow me to carry the child in the front of the car if they are sleeping?