Perth to Adelaide Road Trip – The perfect Southwest itinerary
Are you planning a road trip from Perth to Adelaide? Do you want to do it on a budget? Perfect, let us take you with us from Perth to Adelaide on a budget – here’s the perfect itinerary for your adventures.
Be prepared because you are up for some amazing scenery. Clear blue waters, breathtaking sunsets and beautiful views and a lot of driving. We will during this trip drive the longest straight road in all of Australia. We are going to pet kangaroos and swim with sea lions. So why don’t you pack your car and we set off? Oh, you either need to rent a car or buy your own to be able to do the Perth to Adelaide road trip since no buses are taking you between these destinations.
VIEW POST: Broome To Perth On A Budget – The Perfect Three Weeks Itinerary.
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BUDGET TIP: Download WikiCamps to find cheap or free camping areas and Fuel Map to find the cheapest patrol.
Perth
Perth is the start of this trip and if you haven’t already spent a few days here we recommend you to do so. Walk around in the Fremantle, enjoy the beautiful beaches, eat ice cream and enjoy one of the many vegan restaurants. We highly recommend you to do a trip to Rottnest Island and to take a selfie with some quokkas, enjoy the sunshine and the pristine beaches.
After a couple of days in Perth, it’s time to set off. If you don’t own a car we would recommend you rent one from either Wicked Campers or Jucy. You can rent it from Perth and drop it off in Adelaide. So let’s head off on the road trip from Perth to Adelaide.
Perth to Margaret River
270 kilometers south from Perth you will find this cozy little surfer town. It’s the perfect place for all the surfers out there but it’s also a cute little place for all the none-surfers too. This town has something for every taste; they have wine and cheese tasting and a chocolate factory. The chocolate factory is something you can visit for free. They also have free chocolate samples you can try during your visit, which is perfect for the broke backpacker, eat until you get full and you can skip the lunch.
Margaret River to Hamelin Bay
The next stop on the road trip is Hamelin Bay, 35 kilometers south from Margret River. Hamelin bay is an open sandy bay and is mostly famous for its stingrays that show up frequently in the bay and give you the chance to pet them. Stingrays are friendly animals but like all other wild animals, they can be dangerous if they feel threatened so always be careful if you choose to pet them.
Hamelin bay also offers good snorkeling so it is also possible to swim with the rays.
Hamelin Bay to Williams Bay
It’s time to start heading east. The next destination is Williams Bay which is 328 kilometers east from Hamelin Bay. Williams Bay might not sound familiar to you but it’s home to the Elephant rocks and Greens Pool. These two places are very big tourist attractions and you’ll understand why when you see them. The Elephants rocks are spectacular rock formations. The name comes from their shape that resembles a herd of elephants from several angles.
A short walk from the Elephant rocks you will find Greens Pool which is a beautiful and magical beach, almost totally sheltered from the waves of the Great Southern Ocean by the rounded rock boulders typical to this area. Greens Pool is one of the most beautiful locations you will ever see, with its white sand and turquoise water. Note though, that during summer months both of these places will be crowded so be there early if you want to have some time to yourself and explore the areas.
The next two places you can skip if you don’t want to take a bit of a detour. We truly recommend you to take this detour and to experience these beautiful places.
Williams Bay to Porongurup National Park
90 kilometers northeast from Williams Bay you will find our next stop, Porongurup National Park. A National Park that is home to a 670 meters high Granite Skywalk where you will see an exhilarating view. In the National Park, you can also find Karri and Marri tree forest and you are likely to see some of the 78 species of birds and 700 flowering plants.
Porongurup National Park to Stirling Range National Park
47 kilometers north from Porongurup National Park you will find one of our favorite Nationals parks in Australia, Stirling Range National Park. This National park is over 60 kilometers wide from west to east and is home to one of Western Australias highest peaks, Bluff Knoll. Bluff Knoll rises more than one kilometer up in the air. If you choose to take the challenge and climb it for sunrise you will be well rewarded as the sun rises behind the mountains. Bluff Knoll is also one of the few places in Western Australia where you can see snow.
You can also go rock climbing at Ellens Peak or climb any of the other mountains in the area. Whichever mountain you choose to climb, you will be rewarded with stunning panoramic views.
Stirling Range National Park to Two Peoples Bay or Williams Bay to Two peoples Bay if you chose to not take the detour
Time to move on to the next stop which is Two Peoples Bay, 94 kilometers south from Stirling Range or 127 kilometers east from Williams Bay. In the area, you will find an amazing free caping area, right on the beach. You can find all the free camping areas in the wiki camps app, which we recommend to download for the road trip.
Two Peoples Bay is a nature reserve that gives you beautiful unspoiled coastal scenery. It is home to some of Western Australias threatened animals. If you’re lucky you might see some dolphins swim by as you relax on the beach or eat your lunch outside of your car.
Two Peoples Bay to Bremer Bay
The next stop is Bremer Bay. You’ll find Bremer Bay 138 kilometers east from Two Peoples Bay. In Bremer Bay, you will once again find an amazing coastline and amazing beaches. If you arrive in Bremer Bay at some point between January and April you can go and see Orca or killer whales as they also are called.
Bremer Bay to Esperance
380 kilometers east from Bremer Bay you’ll find one of the most beautiful places we’ve ever seen, Esperance. Esperance is home to some of the whitest beaches in all of Australia and on Lucky Bay you can find kangaroos relaxing and enjoying the sun. If you think about the most perfect, beautiful and breathtaking postcard you’ve ever seen, that’s what Esperance looks like. It’s a place you don’t want to miss. Make sure to go see the beautiful Twilight Beach and to do the Great Ocean Drive along the coastline.
Esperance to Smoky Bay
After we leave Esperance we have a long drive in front of us to reach our next destination. Which is Smoky Bay. Smoky Bay is a 1447 kilometer drive from Esperance and the first stop on the trip down the Eyre Peninsula. We will drive through Nullaboor, over the longest straight road in Australia and cross the border to South Australia.
Smoky Bay has a beautiful bay, beautiful beaches, and a thriving oyster industry. This is the perfect place to spend a few days and to go for a hunt for natural rock pools.
Smoky Bay to Baird Bay
The next stop is Baird Bay, 140 kilometers from Smoky Bay. It’s time to swim with sea lions and dolphins in the wild. We recommend to book your trip through Baird Bay Eco Experience. This is the experience of a lifetime!
Baird Bay to Coffin Bay
This next bit is a drive on 257 kilometers and we’re heading to Coffin Bay. Coffin Bay is home to amazing sand dunes and some beautiful beaches. You can reach the sand dunes with a regular car but if you want to explore more around in the Coffin Bay National Park you will need a 4WD car.
Coffin Bay to Port Lincoln
Only 30 kilometers from Coffin Bay you’ll find Port Lincoln, the biggest town in the Eyre Peninsula. If you want a place to stay for the night close to Port Lincoln we can really recommend a free camp in Fishery Bay. It is 30 kilometers south from Port Lincoln. Here you will find yourself camping right by the ocean, watching an amazing sunset and falling asleep to the sound of the waves. Close to Fishery Bay, you will also find Whalers Way, a road through beautiful nature along the ocean. You will find several rock pools and see some amazing places. The entrance is 30 AUD and you need to buy the ticket in Port Lincoln.
Port Lincoln to Innes National Park
731 kilometers from Port Lincoln you’ll find Innes National Park. In this National Park, you will find several beautiful beaches and even more rock pools. You will find a lighthouse, a shipwreck, a boat wreck on the shore and lookouts. As you can see, this National Park has something for everyone and is definitely worth staying a couple of days in to relax and enjoy the beauty.
Innes National Park to Adelaide
291 kilometers from Innes National Park you’ll find Adelaide, the end of this road trip from Perth to Adelaide. By the time you reach Adelaide, you probably are going to be longing for some civilization again after been spending time on the road. Adelaide is one of our favorite cities in Australia. It is a big city but not too big. It’s the perfect place to spend a few days after the road trip. Maybe it’s time for you to return your car. If you have time we would really recommend you to go to Mt Osmond to watch the sunset over the city as a perfect end of this trip.
