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.

All passengers in a car must be seated with a properly fitting seat restraint appropriate to their size. This means although children may sit in the front seat, they must have the seat belt adjusted so that it fits them properly - small children will need a booster seat for this to happen. Small children in the back seat also require a booster seat for the belt to fit properly. Fines will be issued for any breach of these regulations.

You cannot have a child of any age on your lap in a private vehicle under any circumstances. The only time a a child may sit on an adult's lap in a car is in a taxi and only if the child is under 12 months.

I definately know you cannot have a sleeping child in the front with you....the 10 & 12yo kids are fine in the back, just make sure they have their seat belts on at all times as is a $500 for not wearing them....will see if I can find for the 5yo :-)

Col

http://www.officeofroadsafety.wa.gov.au/documents/RoadSafetyFactSheetChildrenJan2008.pdf

This should explain everything to you :-)

I actually spoke to the police about this today and the reply I gave you is exactly the information they gave me with regards to the law on seat belts, children in front seats and children sitting on an adult's lap. That is

1. All seat belts must be correctly fitting, no matter what age the passenger. This means adults as well as children.

2.Whilst it is always preferable to have children sitting in the back seat, the law does not actually require them to do so. Children may sit in the front seat but their seat belt must restrain them properly - that means it must fit firmly and correctly over their shoulders and across the lap - hence the need for either suitable capsules or booster seats for small children. You may not simply restrain a child with the lap section of a lap/sash belt .

3. The only time a child may sit on an adults's lap is in a taxi, and then the child must be under 12 months. All other taxi passengers must wear a seat belt in the appropriate manner.

That puts me in a dilemma as most cars are only fitted with 3 seat belts at the back.
Did I understand you correctly -that if both the shoulder and lap belt can go across a child while sitting on an adult's lap , that is within the rules?

You can hire 7 seater vehicles :-)

Col

No. The only time children may sit on an adult's lap in a car is in a taxi and only then if the child is under months of age.
With 4 children you will need to hire a 7 seat car or "family mover"

<<It will be pretty chilly May/June far to cold to swim >>

This is not necessarily true. Sea temp will be about 23c, freezing for Aussies but normal sea temp in UK!
I don't know where you're coming from, but if but if you are from a cool place, you may well find the sunny days fine for swimming.
BUT, I should think the 'swim with the dolphins' companies will be closed for the winter.

Sorry to be botehring with more queries but I trust the information you guys give than any other tour guide, so here goes again:

(1)Since we'll be arriving late at night, about 10pm , I was thinking it might be a good idea to arrange for the accommodation to provide us transport from the airport.I am keen to stay in Fremantle itself somewhere near the Market and prison as that's where I intend to visit the next day.Any suggetsions of accommodation around there. not particularly fond of hotels but more B & B or cottage.My priority is to stay somewhere near the Market so that the kids would not be tired by the time we get there.

(2)Since we'll be spending most part of the day in the Market the next day,it would be futile having a car. However, I would need a people mover for my journey down south.I read somewhere that on High Street itself , there are plenty of car hire agencies. Are they reliable?Any recommendations?


(3)how big is the Fremantle Market? Do I require a whole day there or could I visit the prison as well as take in the Market in a day?

Thanks for any feedback.

Another query popped up as I was browsing the webpage for Rottnest Island.
Is it possible to go around the island for a discovery tour as well as bike around the island in a day without having to stay overnight?Do they have bike hire for the 5 year old- she has not learnt how to balance on a 2-wheeler yet?

Fremantle Markets will only take a few hours at the most. It's not that big. Not Like the Queen Vic Markets in Melbourne.

As for car rental places, I would stay with a major company like Avis, Europcar or Bayswater Car Rental. They all have hire centres in Fremantle.

Yes you could see Rottnest in a day without having to stay overnight....check this link out for bike hire and other Rottnest stuff.

http://www.rottnestisland.com/en/Getting+around+Rottnest/Rottnest+Bike+Hire/default.htm

Cant help with B&B's sorry.

Col