Five towns near Perth you should road trip to this weekend

Western Australia a big place (it fills about one-third of the Australian continent) but you don’t have to travel too far from Perth to see some great sights. We've put together a list of five of our favourites to get you road trip ready.

While this Weekend Drives article lists five towns to road trip to, there are many more in each pocket of the country which we encourage you to visit also. Think of this as your starting point. The devastating bushfires have affected many regional towns across the country so there has never been a more important reason to pack the car with mates and an empty esky and visit the towns around your region to support local and in many cases, family businesses.

For an Australian wild west experience, head north along the coast and the country flattens into sand and scrub. After about 90 minutes is Lancelin. Its must-do attractions? The Endeavour Tavern is one of Australia’s great pubs with lawns reaching down to the sea and has excellent fish and chips; then there’s the towering Lancelin Sand Dunes which you surf down with one of the tour operators on-site, and about 30 minutes further north are the eerily majestic Pinnacles rock formations at Nambung National Park.

Feel like a stroll along a seaside pier? The Busselton jetty is so long (all 1.8km of it) you almost need to take a cut lunch for the return trip to the underwater observatory at its terminus. There’s also a train to take you out, leaving time for lunch on Busselton’s revamped foreshore at a casual eatery such as The Goose. Try a whale watching tour in season, or visit the historic Wonnerup House. About two and a half hours south of Perth, the town is also the gateway to the Margaret River region, which will take much longer than a day to explore.

The Avon Valley is an hour east of Perth via Mundaring and at its centre is the town of Northam. Nestled in a sleepy hollow by the Avon River, it’s home to Australia’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge, from which you can see a breeding colony of white swans. The new Bilya Koort Boodja centre showcases the region’s indigenous heritage, and the history of European settlement dating back to the 1830s is evidenced by many beautiful old public buildings. There are wineries, restaurants and walking trails making a longer stay in the area quite a temptation.

The small town of Guildford may have been swallowed by Perth’s suburban sprawl (it’s less than 30 minutes from the city) but retains a village-like atmosphere, and is a gateway to the Swan Valley’s scenic countryside and wineries. Guildford’s history dates back to 1829 and is best explored via a walking tour taking in the Rose and Crown Hotel (built in 1841) and funnily enough, the colonial gaol established in the same year. Shop for antiques in James Street, stop for lunch or just head back to the pub for a cold Swan Lager and a feed.

Perth has any number of beautiful beaches strung out along its Indian Ocean coastline, but for something a bit special head 50 minutes south to Rockingham. Protected by Garden Island and Point Peron, it’s a seaside playground offering sand, sunshine and special outings such as swimming with dolphins, thrilling jetpack experiences or just a picnic on the foreshore. There are cafes and restaurants aplenty or for a bit of history, walk out to the Point Peron gun battery installed during WW2.

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