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Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
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I'm planning a trip to Australia in about a year. After reading some books on the continent I think I've decided to go to Western Australia. The normal tourist circuit seems to be the east coast (Sydney/Brisbane/Cairns/Great Barrier Reef). I'm the kind of guy that appreciates hidden gems and uncrowded places, thus the basis of WA's appeal. I've looked at pictures of Kalbarri, Esperance, and Broome and words can not describe how awesome the scenery looks.
I wanted to open a thread for discussion of Perth and Western Australia.
My questions would be, how is Perth as a city? How is the food and what kind of food is popular there? The beaches look appealing. Also is airfare expensive for a quick jaunt out to Ayers Rock? I do understand WA is a vastly large state, would 2 weeks merrit enough time to see the best of what it has to offer?
I'm planning a trip to Australia in about a year. After reading some books on the continent I think I've decided to go to Western Australia. The normal tourist circuit seems to be the east coast (Sydney/Brisbane/Cairns/Great Barrier Reef). I'm the kind of guy that appreciates hidden gems and uncrowded places, thus the basis of WA's appeal. I've looked at pictures of Kalbarri, Esperance, and Broome and words can not describe how awesome the scenery looks.
I wanted to open a thread for discussion of Perth and Western Australia.
My questions would be, how is Perth as a city? How is the food and what kind of food is popular there? The beaches look appealing. Also is airfare expensive for a quick jaunt out to Ayers Rock? I do understand WA is a vastly large state, would 2 weeks merrit enough time to see the best of what it has to offer?
Since you like "off-the-beaten-track" and are visiting WA...
You might like this better than Ayer's Rock:
I would expect Ayers Rock might be more expensive from WA.
2 weeks?
If I was on that kind of time limit, I'd stick to 1-3 night stays at any one spot particular spot.
Never been to WA, but from my own experiences travelling and given how many places you want to see
I would think 2 weeks is "...very busy, but doable..."
Firstly you guys over there need to collectively demand more holidays.
What i would suggest if you really feel the need to visit Ayers Rock as well is to maybe look into a ticket with Perth as an arrval point and Darwin as your point of departure.
Stay in Perth not more than two days,most of the attractions in the State of West Australia(WA) are not in the metropolitan area of Perth.
You would not really have time to visit the South,which is very nice,but Ayers Rock is a long way and no time to waste.
Rent a camper van and make your way up the coast,give yourself a good few days in Broome,which is located in the Kimberley region of the West,and one of the best areas of the entire country.
If you decide that you could pass on The Rock,then you could include both the south and Broome region.
A number of back packers from Britain and mainland Europe do the route all the way up the coast. It's a large state as you are aware. Read up and find what captures your particular interest,giving the short time available to you.
Hope it works out. Enjoy
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
10,749 posts, read 23,819,647 times
Reputation: 14665
Quote:
Originally Posted by the troubadour
Firstly you guys over there need to collectively demand more holidays.
What i would suggest if you really feel the need to visit Ayers Rock as well is to maybe look into a ticket with Perth as an arrval point and Darwin as your point of departure.
Stay in Perth not more than two days,most of the attractions in the State of West Australia(WA) are not in the metropolitan area of Perth.
You would not really have time to visit the South,which is very nice,but Ayers Rock is a long way and no time to waste.
Rent a camper van and make your way up the coast,give yourself a good few days in Broome,which is located in the Kimberley region of the West,and one of the best areas of the entire country.
If you decide that you could pass on The Rock,then you could include both the south and Broome region.
A number of back packers from Britain and mainland Europe do the route all the way up the coast. It's a large state as you are aware. Read up and find what captures your particular interest,giving the short time available to you.
Hope it works out. Enjoy
I whole heartedly agree we certainly need more holidays. At Thanksgiving my brother in law asks "hows work?". I say I'm getting burned out. He replies "that's how it's suppose to be" with a grin. I say you're wrong...Americans are conditioned to think that way, but in reality it's a slippery slope to stress and poor health. Anyway that's a whole nother thread topic.
I would rather have more time in WA, so I think I would be willing to ditch Ayers Rock if I could travel north and south of Perth as I just could not take a pass on the Southwest (Albany/Esperance). It looks amazing! I might assume that there are areas of the Kimberley around Broome or perhaps east of Perth (Kalgoolrie) that might have a similar effect as Ayers Rock with red desert and remarkable geological rock formations?
A combination of the South(Albany,Esperance,Margaret River,Tall timber country(Nannup,Pemberton) with someof the North,perhaps Broome may be a little far but you could certainly stay at Ningallo Reef,with a few days in Perth,make that three then and take in Rottnest Island for a day.
Although we in Australia and in Europe get far more holidays than you poor folks do(i get five weeks,which i am not happy as previously got six weeks,) life is not free of work stress.Management is rather poor in many areas and i'm afraid a lot of American work place practices have been put into place,which stresses all concerned.
Its going to be hard to fit it in with just 2 weeks. You can't have an extra week off with no-pay leave?
Its just Extra hard because of the great distances involved with W.A
Anyway if it was me I would give myself at least 3-4 days in Perth just to get over the Jet Lag. Which doesn't leave much time.
Forget Kalgoorlie way as there is nothing out there
Esperance is really nice, would be worth a trip. You could fly there, hire a car and drive the stunning twilight beach road in a day. You will be driving on the wrong side of the road but there is no traffic so I think you will be fine
I would recommend touring the south west but you don't have much time. Driving up from Perth to Kalbarri to Broome would be nice also but again the time?
Maybe try keeping it simple. 3 days Perth, 2 days Esperance return Perth flight, flight Perth to Broome 4 days, Flight Broome to Darwin 4 days with a Kakadu side trip to see the outback. Then fly Darwin to U.S ? Something like that would not be to stressful. You wouldn't be running around so much and it would give you time to just relax and enjoy it
The trick is to come down in the sunny season (Nov to Apr) as its cold and wet in Winter. Also book the domestic flights at least a month before hand to score some cheap deals....Hairy
Esperance is amazing btw. Further east out to Cape Le Grande is even more amazing. I like our Southwest. Not too far from Perth and I like the terrain since I'm not a fan of vast swaths of bleak, flat nothingness. Albany's alright, cute town, always freezing cold (at least when we're there!) but it's the surrounding areas that are lovely: Torndirrup and Two Peoples Bay National Parks, etc.
A quick jaunt to Alice Springs (Uluru) will set you back $219 with Qantas one-way during the cheapest time. $313 one-way otherwise.
I might assume that there are areas of the Kimberley around Broome or perhaps east of Perth (Kalgoolrie) that might have a similar effect as Ayers Rock with red desert and remarkable geological rock formations?
You didn't check out my link?
Mount Augustus is double the size of Ayer's Rock and has numerous hiking trails.
Though I can't find an easy way to drive from anywhere in WA's NW on google maps.
Parabardoo is 200 km away "as-the-crow-flies," but 647 km (400 miles?) worth of road that supposedly takes 16 hrs and 36 minutes.
Wonder if it'd be faster to take a bicycle through the bush from Parabardoo?
Last edited by ColdCanadian; 12-08-2010 at 07:35 AM..
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
10,749 posts, read 23,819,647 times
Reputation: 14665
Quote:
Originally Posted by ColdCanadian
You didn't check out my link?
Mount Augustus is double the size of Ayer's Rock and has numerous hiking trails.
Though I can't find an easy way to drive from anywhere in WA's NW on google maps.
Parabardoo is 200 km away "as-the-crow-flies," but 647 km (400 miles?) worth of road that supposedly takes 16 hrs and 36 minutes.
Wonder if it'd be faster to take a bicycle through the bush from Parabardoo?
Thank you for all the suggestions folks. Yes Mount Augustus NP may be an alternative to Ayers Rock, certainly in terms of terrain and scenery, including the uncrowded open spaces that I'm looking for. It looks fierce! However the drive there may be a bit on the extreme side as accomodations are limited to non existent after much googling. Nonetheless this has certainly piqued my interest. Karijini National Park looks pretty awesome though with with the red rocks, gorges, waterfalls and rock pools and it seems more accessable.
The NT, Darwin, Kakadu, and the Rock all look fabulous but judging by ditances, added flights, and costs, that ought to be for another trip. Also internal flights within WA itself would surely need to be considered as posters here have suggested.
I think I'd consider adding a little more time, at least a few days to two weeks for the sake of jet lag, and some laid back chill time in Perth and the beaches. I just ordered some books exclusively on WA itself as the Australia guidebooks with the thin chapters on WA are just not doing the state justice.
What are some thoughts on Perth itself? It's suburbs, and the beaches. What kind of food is popular in WA, what kind of seafood is served up?
Last edited by Champ le monstre du lac; 12-08-2010 at 08:42 AM..
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