Perth is on the edge of the Australian continent as it is the most isolated capital city in the world. A visit to Western Australia is lightyears away from the eastern side of the country and a trip to Perth is the ideal place to start your adventure. Moreover, Perth is the sunniest city in Australia and is home to 19 beaches that are easy to reach for a day out. The area around Perth is brilliant for outdoor lovers thanks to nature reserves and parks which are great for hiking or taking a simple stroll through. This makes day trips from Perth absolutely amazing!
Additionally, the wildlife around Perth is incredible. One of the most popular places to explore Perth’s unique wildlife is Penguin Island. There, you will find a colony of more than 1,200 penguins. Rottnest Island is also nearby where you will see the unique quokkas. The animal is endangered and can only be found on small islands in Western Australia.
Similarly, day trips from Perth give you the chance to learn more about the region’s indigenous cultures. You can visit museums and galleries. Moreover, Kings Park Indigenous Heritage Tour is a great way to discover the traditions and cultures of aboriginal peoples.
Perth and the towns around it are ideal for a holiday. If the hustle and bustle of Perth tires you, then be sure to hit the road to explore one of these amazing day trip locations.
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Fremantle
Locals know this place as “Freo” and is just a 30-minute drive from Perth’s CBD. The town is located at the mouth of the Swan River and is the port of Perth. In fact, Fremantle was the home of the first settlement around the Swan River, which is the water source Perth grew up around. Colonists arrived in Freo in 1829, giving it a history, that other parts of Western Australia lack.
Fremantle is similar to many other older towns around the world as it has seen gentrification in recent times. It has a great atmosphere thanks to the creative types that have moved into the area. Guided tours of Fremantle give you the chance to learn about the town and its incredible history. The architecture of Fremantle’s buildings is unique and a callback to a time long ago. You can certainly tell a difference in the eras in which buildings were constructed as money flowed into town – or was hard to come by.
You will find excellent museums, galleries, and historical buildings to explore. The Western Australia Maritime Museum takes you on a tour of the region’s shipping and seagoing past. Fremantle Prison is another great lesson on Western Australia’s history. This is a World Heritage-listed building and a trip to the prison will exhibit just how brutal the place was many years ago.
Rottnest Island
Rottnest Island is one of the few places you can get a glimpse of the quokkas. The isolated populations of quokkas are not found on mainland Australia and are another example of the unique animals that make their home in Oz. However, the quokkas cannot be pet or fed otherwise, you can be fined $150 AUS. Keep in mind, that the quokkas that inhabit the island are not shy. Rottnest Island is more than just the quokkas, however. The island is car-free making it an ideal day trip from Perth for wandering the great outdoors. Life runs at a slower pace on the island and its attractive sandy beaches are lovely for lounging about.
Rottnest Island is around 19 kilometres from mainland Australia. You may visit this A-Class Nature all year round. It isn’t just tourists who visit Rottnest Island as locals love to visit the gorgeous destination to explore its lush landscapes. A ferry is the easiest and most affordable way to reach Rottnest Island. However, you can also get there courtesy of air taxi, helicopter, or seaplane.
– History of the Island
The island gets its name from Willem de Vlamingh, a Dutch explorer, who first landed on the island. Although he believed the island to be beautiful, he named it Rottenest (rats’ nest) due to the quokkas – which De Vlamingh thought were large rats. Now, the quokkas are a major attraction along with the turquoise waters that lap onto the shore.
If you have had enough sun and surf, then head over to Rottnest Museum for a dose of history. Rottnest is home to a variety of historical attractions including Wadjemup Lighthouse. You can catch the ferry in Fremantle or Perth. You can add Rottnest Island to a multi-day trip adventure by grabbing it in Fremantle after a day in the old town.
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The Pinnacles
If you want to go on an out-of-this-world experience, The Pinnacles is the perfect place. The Pinnacles exude a moon-surface-like landscape. It is truly stunning and surely nothing like you have ever experienced before. These limestone pinnacles rose up from the Earth like giants.
The limestone formations are located around 250 kilometres north of Perth near the town of Cervantes. The small fishing town is not just a gateway to the Pinnacles Desert, but to the Nambung National Park is there.
At the national park, you will find a four-kilometre road known as the Pinnacles Loop. You may traverse the road by walking or driving, giving you the opportunity to see the amazing moon-like landscape. There are thousands of limestone formations in the Pinnacles Desert. The pillars emerge from the golden sands which are always shifting with the wind. This makes the giant pillars look smaller or larger depending on when you visit.
Nambung National Park is also home to a vast array of wildlife. You may spot emus running wild in the park and appear amongst the limestone pillars. Do not be frightened when you spot one. To reach the park and the Pinnacles, you will navigate the gorgeous Indian Ocean Drive. Opened in 2010, the Indian Ocean Drive is an experience all its own. The highway connects the many remote coastal communities of Western Australia. You could spend days on the highway exploring an extremely isolated part of the world.
Location: Pinnacles Dr, Cervantes WA 6511
Penguin Island
Depending on where you grew up, you may have learned in school that penguins only live in Antarctica. Well, you learned wrong as penguins can be found in Australia. Penguin Island is a destination for travellers from all over Australia. In addition, the island’s white-sand beaches meet crystal clear waters and provide a tropical backdrop to a day trip from Perth.
You can reach Penguin Island from Perth by ferry. It takes just five minutes to make the journey. Once you arrive on the island, an incredible array of wildlife will greet you. Dolphins and rare sea lions are on display as you ride the ferry. Of course, the main attraction is the penguins, which just happen to be the smallest in the world.
The best time to be on Penguin Island is during feeding. Park rangers feed the island’s penguin population three times daily (10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m.). Ferries from Perth to Penguin Island run hourly between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. You can spend all day on the island watching the animals, swimming in the sea, or just taking it easy. A day on Penguin Island is really what you make of it.
Yanchep National Park
If you are looking for a nearby, fun, family day out, then Yanchep National Park is perfect for a day trip from Perth. Situated just 50 kilometres north of Perth, you will find the park and all of its wonders. Once again, Australia’s wildlife is on the show and you will spot koalas and kangaroos while exploring. In fact, the park is the home of Australia’s grey kangaroo. Walking trails snake through Yanchep National Park giving you the chance to get exercise and to explore deeper into the bush.
Bird watchers will find a wealth of bird species to spot in the park’s wetlands. Impressive cave structures that were carved out over a millennium can also be found. So far, over 400 caves have been found in the park. Perhaps you will locate one that hasn’t been discovered. Visitors are also offered guided tours which give them the chance to learn more about the local aboriginal heritage that calls the park’s land and the surrounding area home.
You can make a day trip to Yanchep National Park into an overnight experience thanks to the camping that is offered. Golf lovers can experience a round of bush golf while adventure-seekers are able to book a helicopter tour that takes them over the park for a bird’s eye view of the region.
Location: Yanchep Beach Rd &, Indian Ocean Dr, Yanchep WA 6035
Crawley Edge Boatshed
Also known as the Blue Boatshed, the Crawley Edge Boatshed is considered the most photographed boatshed in Australia and one of the most visited places in Perth. The boatshed is located at the Swan River in Crawley. Further, the boatshed was constructed in the 1930s and underwent a facelift in 2015.
The boatshed’s iconic blue colour was only added in 2001 and it became known for its blue colour ever since. The #blueboathouse has had a thousand tags on Instagram and the boatshed has been a feature on Australian tourism videos since it has been very appealing, especially to Asian Tourists. Additionally, the boatshed definitely is a top selfie spot you should visit in Perth.
Location: 1 Kings Park Ave, Crawley WA 6009
Phone Number: +61 400 340 228
Serpentine Falls
Another day trip from Perth is the majestic Serpentine Falls. This waterfall is located just 55 kilometres Southeast of Perth and is the highlight of the Serpentine National Park.
Moreover, since the waterfall is nestled in a sprawling national park, guests can enjoy picnicking, bushwalking, or kangaroo watching. The area is also equipped with amenities such as picnic tables, toilets, barbecues, and food trucks, which are usually found in the park on weekends.
The best time of the year to visit the falls is from August to October or from late winter to Spring. The area will be filled with colour from the wildflowers that are native to the area. In addition, the falls will be flowing with water from the winter rains which guests will surely enjoy swimming in.
Location: LOT 1 Falls Rd, Serpentine WA 6125
Swan Valley
Are you looking for a place to go on a girl’s trip or a wine-tasting adventure? Swan Valley is the perfect destination for you. The valley was discovered more than 40,000 years ago by the original custodians of the land, the Noongar Aboriginal people of the Whadjuk tribe. At present, the area has been known as the wine region of Western Australia and is only a 30-minute drive from the Perth city centre.
A lot of wineries, boutique breweries, and distilleries are located in the area. Most of them offer wine-tasting sessions. In addition, many artist studios are located in the area wherein you can also have guided tours. If you are in the mood for something a bit different, you may opt to hire a horse-drawn wagon to take you on a trip around the valley.
Moreover, kids are also welcome in Swan Valley! The Swan Valley Visitor Centre offers The Great Valley Rally and Amazing Valley Chase wherein kids can go on a treasure hunt around the area. The lucky winners will get prizes which they will surely enjoy.
Perth has everything you could want in a holiday experience. From beaches to history to local culture, Perth exudes an atmosphere far different from other major cities in Australia thanks to its isolation. If you want to get away from the rest of the world even more, then experience a day trip from Perth to discover some of the most amazing places you may not have known exist. You won’t regret it.