Perth

Perth is a city of diverse architecture, cultures, and neighborhoods. You could be in the midst of the bustling city center one moment and take a 10-minute bus to a quiet, comfy corner of town filled with boutiques and coffee shops the next. One of our favorite spots in town was Little Willy’s, a small breakfast spot filled with personality, delicious bagels, tasty coffee, and homey service. Perth’s metropolitan buildings are covered in street art, every corner showing off another beautiful piece of artwork. Despite the big-city feel, the botanical gardens offer a quiet escape from the hustle and bustle.

While not quite central Perth, our favorite spot in town was Fremantle, its streets abuzz with live music, street performers, and colorful shops. Known as the ‘Old Town’ of Perth, it's easy to spend a day (or a few) wandering the energetic streets. We enjoyed a tasty sandwich at Peggy’s, which was topped with locally-sourced ingredients and served on house-made bread. After fueling up on sammies, we found ourselves in the Fremantle Markets, which are home to plenty of small business booths selling snacks, jewelry, clothes, and homeware galore. If you have some time in the afternoon, do make sure to explore the waterfront and Fremantle Fortress, which most prominently served as a defense for the harbor during World War II.

Fremantle is also the spot from where you’ll want to take the ferry to Rottnest Island. On windy days, beware of a bumpy ride out to the island, otherwise it's a fun half-hour trip with lovely views of the coast! Rottnest feels like a dream – the beaches are empty, dusted with white fine-grained sand, and have some of the most incredible turquoise waters. Not to mention, you can find quokkas – small smiley macropods – at every corner of the island. These little fellas are very curious and always on the hunt for a snack. So much so, that just as we got off the ferry, we spotted a teenie baby quokka roaming the main street with his mom close by! A word of caution though: quokkas are vulnerable, so take care when attempting the famous ‘quokka selfie’ and avoid feeding them to keep them safe!

During our short, but sweet time in Perth, we stayed at the Metro Hotel Perth City. While we typically only share places we’d recommend, this is a hotel we would suggest steering clear of. The rooms were a bit grimey, the lobby was filled with questionable individuals, and the customer service was simply terrible. There are much better options in the center of town!

Between Perth and the Nullarbor

On your way out of Perth, pop by one of the Mary Street Bakery locations for their truly incredible pastries and breakfast goodies - try their insanely tasty donuts or their fresh chia bircher muesli! While it’s a bit of a detour, do not miss the Margaret River Valley! This special spot south of Perth is the absolute heart of wine country and best explored with a designated driver. We chose to visit Vasse Felix, the oldest winery in the valley and home to some of the most celebrated wines in the area. This spot is quite elegant and renowned, yet feels very cozy and welcoming. Do explore their vault to see the very first bottles of wine ever made in the Margaret River Valley!

Turning off towards Beedelup, we found ourselves in the Big Brook State Forest. The forest is rather small compared to other parks, but home to some of the country's largest trees and most lively wildlife. Wind your way through the dense trees, stopping at the Big Karri, which belongs to the eucalyptus genus and is typically only found in Western Australia. The largest Karri in the Pemberton area is over 11m in girth and 69m tall, its creamy trunk shedding amber and pale pink bark. If you’re planning on camping, we’d suggest setting up at the Big Brook Arboretum Campground for the night – you’ll likely encounter the riot of kookaburras that have made the karris their home. If you’re lucky, you may even stumble upon a forest kangaroo!

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Keeping with the theme of tall trees and sprawling greenery, we’d highly recommend heading over to the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk in Walpole. While this might not sound as interesting to you, Bill Bryson (author of ‘In A Sunburnt Country’) raved about the tranquil and sublime experience he had. Needless to say, we also enjoyed our wander above the canopy, suddenly and at the same time feeling the peace and immensity of our wonderful planet.

Denmark, Albany, and Esperance are a wonderful cluster of towns ahead of the Nullarbor that offer sprawling white beaches and crystal clear waters (don’t worry, swimming is safe from stingers and crocs here). If you’re in the mood for some exercise, head up to the Bald Head Hike by Albany. It offers incredible views of the coastline and is a solid challenge on a hot day! While we didn’t get a chance to spend much time in the area, we were consistently recommended to visit Lucky Bay to spend a day on the beach with the kangaroos, as well as finding a way to see Lake Hillier on Middle Island, which can appear pink due to the microorganisms that thrive in its saline waters. As for places to camp, Cozy Corner Campground is a lovely nook right on a quiet beach with great facilities. Fair warning though: make sure to arrive earlier in the day to snag a spot, as there are limited spaces available! Our favorite spot here was Betty’s Beach, which felt quintessentially Australian – rich sunsets, a beautiful beach all to ourselves, whale-like rock formations, and a friendly camp host. Nothing like falling asleep to the sound of the waves and salty air!

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The Nullarbor

Here we go! The Nullarbor!

Driving into the Nullarbor with sandy beaches and bustling towns in the rear view mirror was a pretty wild transition. We stayed at the Salmon Gums Caravan Park the night before – a great spot for cooking dinner while the trains roll right past the camp. From there, we drove up to Norseman, the final stop before turning onto the Eyre Highway, which will lead you right through the Nullarbor Plain.

‘Nullarbor’ means “no trees” in Latin. While we didn’t actually see any trees, the Plain turned out to be an unexpectedly rich ecosystem full of blue shrubs and wildlife. As you begin your 1,256 km (781 miles) drive, keep an eye out for kangaroos, emus, wombats, dingoes, and even camels – be sure to wrap up any driving by dusk, as the desert comes alive after dark. Not only will you encounter typical Australian fauna, but you’ll also meet fascinating Outback characters at every roadhouse, see US space junk, spot whales from the cliffs, and be able to play the world’s longest golf course throughout your drive. It's a truly weird and wonderful spot!

We took about 4 days to cross the Nullarbor, as we wanted to take enough time to enjoy everything the landscape has to offer, as well as avoid longer stretches of driving than necessary. From Salmon Gums we powered through until we reached Caiguna. This part of the drive includes the ‘90 Mile Straight’ between Balladonia and Caiguna, the longest straight road in Australia. Don’t miss posing with the sign at the end for a victory shot! Accommodation is rather sparse on the drive, so you’ll likely want to stay at roadhouses if you’re wanting to stay somewhere with facilities. If you’re camping (a van or car is best), finding a spot for the night is a little more flexible and substantially cheaper (free!). The first night we stopped at the Caiguna East Free Camp which is a simple, yet expansive area where you can easily snag an area without any neighbors for the night. With so few towns and activity in the Nullarbor, you’ll be able to step right out of your tent or vehicle to admire the magnificent night sky, shooting stars and the Milky Way included.

From camp, we drove on to Cocklebiddy Roadhouse, where you can visit Samantha and Bruce, the two resident wedge-tailed eagles. The two birds both ended up at the roadhouse for rehabilitation after being struck by road trains on the Eyre Highway. With one bird left half blind and the other unable to fly, the eagles began to enjoy each other’s company. Now, they’re mates for life and have found a home in the middle of the desert – true love does exist! From Cocklebiddy we continued on to Madura, where we suddenly remembered that we were actually on an elevated plain when we drove down from the plateau and watched that landscape change to smaller shrubs and white sand. Nestled in the sandy landscape is Eucla, once a bustling desert city that acted as a central communication hub with their telegraph station. Now, the telegraph station has since fallen to ruin, but has become a fascinating spot for visitors to leave their mark in the Nullarbor. When walking the walls of the old station, we spotted engravings from the 1960s and beyond, the older carvings peeking out from under the growing hills of sand around the site. Beyond the station, you can wander to the beach to see the remains of the jetty that once brought supplies from ships and sailboats to southern Australian towns in the late 1800s. For the night, choose from the countless free camping options on the Bunda Cliffs (we chose kilometer marker 52) and watch the sun go down into the Indian Ocean, but beware of the unstable limestone edges!

On our third day in the Nullarbor, we woke up early to cover some ground and to explore the Koonalda Homestead before other travellers got there. This was our favorite spot in the Nullarbor! The homestead once served as a fuel stop, trainstation, and overnight stay for travelers during the mid-1900s. The homestead closed in the 1970s, but remains a preserved site where you can wander the abandoned buildings that have left its history untouched. You’ll find old bottles, bed frames, a vintage fridge, newspapers from the 60s, and plenty of character in those old walls. Fun fact: the wooden beams, ties, and metal that make up the structure of the main house are bits and bobs salvaged from the Old Telegraph Station in Eucla and railroad tracks in the area! The buildings are surrounded by hundreds of rusting vintage cars that fought and lost their battle with the Old Eyre Highway. Keep an eye out for dingos among the abandoned treasures and make sure to close every door behind you to keep them out! After leaving the homestead, make a lunch stop at the Nullarbor Roadhouse, one of the oldest watering holes in the desert that still welcomes travelers after nearly 70 years of operation. The roadhouse now includes more recent structures and facilities, but the original Nullarbor Station still watches over the property. Here, dingos roam free and often pop by the station for a snack. From here, you can easily turn off to the Head of Bight to see the whales from the cliffs. While we made our trip in February, the peak season to spot the gentle giants is between May and October, when over 150 of them settle into the waters below the cliffs to breed. That third night, we stayed at Cohen's Old School Site. While the space is fairly large and uninteresting, the starry night skies are worth the stay.

Below are some rules of the road for the Nullarbor drive:

Fuel up wherever you can. While there are gas stations dotted along the way (each a reasonable distance apart), they rely on deliveries and may run out of fuel.
Take plenty of water with you – try to have at least 10L (2.6 gallons) of water per person whenever you leave a roadhouse.
Find a camp well before dusk to avoid any encounters with wildlife.
Be aware of strong winds that can travel across the Plain.
Take frequent breaks as it’s easy to get drowsy from the monotony of the road.

The Eyre Peninsula

As we had now made it out of the Nullarbor Plain, the landscape shifted back to green shrubs and sandy coasts. If you have some time before heading on your drive for the day, don’t miss Cactus Beach! This is truly a surfer’s paradise, as the bay is semi-protected, allowing the waves to crash over each other to create a clean swell. If you time your visit during high tide, you’ll likely spot world-class surfers, coastal veterans, and young talent testing the waves. Nearby, you can visit the Whistling Rocks at Streaky Bay, where the ocean swell causes the caverns in the cliffs to breathe deeply and let out a howl. Pretty haunting!

The Eyre Peninsula is a fascinating part of the country, dotted with strange and unexpected attractions. Alongside stunning beaches, you’ll encounter quick stops that aren’t your usual roadside sights. One of these is the Windmill Museum in Penong. Here, you can wander a collection of different windmills that were once key to Australia’s farming heritage. The museum is also home to a massive flock of squawking Galahs (rose-breasted cockatoos) and “Bruce”, Australia’s largest windmill! If you’re in the mood for funky and majestic rock formations, Murphy’s Haystack is the spot for you! The drive out takes you over unassuming farmland until you reach a hill speckled with large, burnt orange rocks. Apparently, these quartz and orthoclase rocks were formed 100,000 years ago due to underground rainwater erosion and weathering once they were exposed. According to the tales of the region, they were mistaken for massive haystacks by a traveler in the distance. Later, the farmer who owned the land heard of the story and claimed the formations as ‘Murphy’s Haystacks’. For the evening, we recommend getting cozy at Coodlie Park Eco Retreat. This is a sweet little spot run by a husband-wife duo that prides itself in being a sustainable and eco-friendly tourist destination. The site is rather large and can accomodate camping visitors, as well as those looking for a room for the night. While the camp itself is homey, our favorite attraction was the beach. If you leave an hour before sunset, you can easily walk a trail through the surrounding farmland and to Mt. Camel Beach. As dusk rolls in, you’ll be able to spot kangaroos in the fields and emus among the shrubs! Once at the cliffs, there’s a steep, but short trail down to the beach where you can watch the sunset as the night comes alive. On top of that, the stars out there are just incredible!

From the retreat, we spent the day driving down to Port Lincoln. Along the way, we’d highly recommend taking a slight detour to Coffin Bay. The area is home to the Coffin Bay National Park, where you can wander lush trails or lounge on beaches with the odd kangaroo. Most of all, this town and park is the spot to see a wild emu. It may take a moment to spot them, but they typically wander and graze in groups, so keep an eye out for these silly-looking birds! Once in Port Lincoln, we took the opportunity to fill up on fresh water, grab some groceries, and wander the large maritime city. Also, if you’ve got the grit to cage swim with Great White Sharks, this is the spot to do so!

Close to Port Lincoln, we took the chance to check out Tumby Bay. This sleepy town is great for a coffee and a pastry – be sure to sip on a tasty latte at Seaspell Cafe and snag some fresh pastries for the road at Tumby Bay Bakery. With the aim of making it to the top of the peninsula by nightfall, we drove throughout the day. For the night, we stayed at a truly magical spot: Fitzgerald Bay Camping Area. The campsite is simply an unpaved road along the ocean, but the area is quiet and welcoming. Gray Nomads (Aussie retirees who now travel the country in their campers) park up here for weeks on end to enjoy the tranquil waters, mangrove trees, and abundance of kangaroos amongst the trees. Not only this, but the site is backed by 7,000 year-old shingle deposits, forming a hill of dark orange rocks. If you’re lucky, you may hear the Australian Army during target practice on the hills beyond the campground!

The next day, we finally reached Port Augusta – the nook that marks the end of the Eyre Peninsula. The town feels rather industrial, but Archer’s Table is a cute, vine-covered cafe that serves great coffee and breakfast. If you’re pushing on towards Adelaide (like we did), Port Germein is a great place to stop and take a breather. The coastal town is charming with its little restaurants, boutiques, and little lighthouse. The town’s jetty is said to be the longest in the Southern Hemisphere. Apparently, there is an aboriginal legend that says it is possible to spot a pool from the end of the jetty, where one can fill up a glass of fresh drinking water! Unfortunately, we weren’t able to spot said pool due to low tide. After another stretch of driving we set up our final camp before Adelaide at the Old Oval in Owen. This free community camp surrounds the old cricket field and you can almost hear the crowds cheering on the stands. The camp has great bathrooms (trust me, this is incredible after some toilet-free sites) and even has a ‘traveler’s garden’ where visitors are free to grab peppers, zucchini, or tomatoes right off the vine.

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