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The Western Way – WA (1)

Roadtrip

The Western Way, WA




The Western Australian coastline is arrestingly beautiful, a contrast of deep green bushland, pastel cliffs and sands, and turquoise water. This coast-hugging, family-friendly road trip begins in the spirited port town of Fremantle – “Freo” to locals – around 30 minutes from the centre of Perth, and winds its way southwards.
Your next stop? Rockingham, known for its many attractions and access to some of the best nature experiences in the region. Another hour-and-a-half south and you reach bustling Bunbury, which has made a name for itself with its thriving arts-and-culture scene, along with its resident pod of curious bottlenose dolphins.
Read on for your travel guide filled with the best things to do at every stop.



Explore our local picks


Fremantle

There’s no end to things to do in Fremantle, so after checking into the accessible-accredited and pet-friendly Quest Fremantle, head out into the city’s UNESCO-listed streets and start exploring. You’re only a short walk from the water’s edge, with its ferry access to the powdery beaches of Rottnest Island, and the port city’s lively restaurants and distilleries are also a short distance away.

Republic of Fremantle
WA is famous for its boutique spirits industry, and this creative distillery (right across the road from Quest Fremantle) is one of the most welcoming and intriguing, particularly because of its use of local grapes to make a unique grape-based spirit. Book a cocktail masterclass or a negroni tasting flight, or simply grab a spot at the bar to try a spritz alongside something smoky and delicious served straight off the woodfired grill.
Madalena’s Bar & Restaurant
The seafood fished from WA waters is some of the country’s best, from the scallops of Abrolhos Island to the wild-caught octopus from Fremantle itself. There’s no better place to try it all than at Madalena’s – a leader on the Fremantle dining scene, it was named the best restaurant of 2024 in the WA Good Food Guide. Head up to level two for sunset oysters and champagne, or pull up a chair on a streetside table to watch the passing Freo parade.
Rottnest Island
The ferry stop for Rottnest Island – Wadjemup in the local Noongar language – is just moments away from your door at Quest Fremantle. A day trip to this largely car-free island means a day of biking between unspoilt beaches, meeting the resident cheery-faced quokkas and, of course, a sunset cocktail at Pinky’s, where you may spot dolphins playing in the waves.
Good Things
Australians famously love their barista-made coffee, and Fremantle has a whole street almost entirely dedicated to it. South Terrace, from Bannister St to Parry St, is famous for its busy cafes, which froth flat whites and macchiatos from daybreak onwards. Good Things is one of the best Fremantle coffee shops – a classic, light-filled cafe that does a mean avo toast to go along with your flat white.
WA Maritime Museum
The day Australia won the America’s Cup in 1983 is one that will hold a special place in the sporting history books forever. Now it’s part of Fremantle history, too – this fascinating Fremantle museum is home to Australia II, the yacht that made a nation proud. There is also a range of impressive, permanent exhibits dedicated to WA’s pearl-fishing industry, as well as the marine life that lives beneath the state’s waves.

Rockingham

Sleek, modern and near the town’s famous beaches, the accessible-accredited Quest Rockingham is ideally positioned for sightseeing in this friendly seaside community. Start your day with a dip in one of the property’s two pools – indoor or outdoor – before making your way to the waterfront cafe strip to grab brunch and scan the horizon for pods of playful dolphins.

Chandlers Kitchen
Locals say the eggs benedict at this breezy oceanfront restaurant are the best in Rockingham, and the lunchtime burgers are pretty great, too. But perhaps the best time to swing by is in the evening, when you can watch the sun sink over the ocean with a strawberry gin-ade in hand.
Rockingham Museum
The pretty seaspray-green Art Deco exterior is reason enough to visit this compact and charming little museum, which sits only a block from Quest Rockingham. Inside, you’ll find a collection of artefacts and curiosities that document the town’s development, all the way back to its early European foundation. The guides are knowledgeable and enthusiastic and very happy to show visitors around.
Shoalwater Islands Marine Park
Snorkelling, shipwreck diving, kayaking and island-hopping are just some of the attractions waiting for visitors in this 6000-hectare protected aquatic reserve. The Park is home to colonies of rare Australian Sea Lions, which can sometimes be seen sunbaking on the shores of Penguin Island, a five-minute ferry ride from the mainland. The island is also a nesting spot and sanctuary for vulnerable little penguins.
Lake Richmond
The three-kilometre trail around Lake Richmond is one of the top outdoor adventures in Rockingham and home to thriving communities of bird life, including pelicans and black swans. But the most fascinating drawcards are the ancient thrombolites, masses of microscopic organisms that resemble the very first life on earth. A viewing platform in the middle of the loop track allows visitors to get a good view of these intriguing and endangered life forms.
Boya Kaarla Walking Tour with In Culture Tours
Cape Peron, also known as Boya Kaarla in the Noongar language, is a place of towering limestone cliffs and caves, and has special significance in the Dreaming stories of the Derbal Nara – an inlet of the Indian Ocean that stretches from Fremantle. This tour is led by Whadjuk guide Steven Jacobs and includes a sand ceremony and stories that explain the deep connection the Noongar people have to this Country.

Bunbury

Situated between the Leschenault Inlet and Koombana Bay Beach, the accessible-accredited Quest Bunbury is ideally positioned to take advantage of the best Bunbury attractions. Here, you are a short distance to shops and other amenities, and on the doorstep of the Margaret River, with its iconic wineries and cellar doors.

Dolphin Discovery Centre
Dolphin-watching is big in Bunbury: the waters around Koombana Bay are home to a pod of around 100 wild bottlenose dolphins, and the not-for-profit Dolphin Discovery Centre is the place to learn everything about their unique habitat and behaviours. The centre also runs a popular, four-hour ‘Swim With The Dolphins’ snorkelling tour between November and April.
Market Eating House
Almost nothing at Bunbury’s Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant hits the table without being kissed by fire and flame. This is share-style eating at its best, with diners encouraged to order plates of lavish dips, barbecued and chargrilled meats and seafood, then dig in, tapas-style. The lunchtime shawarma is also a delicious way to grab lunch on the run.
Bunbury Regional Art Gallery (BRAG)
This striking candyfloss pink building is a fantastic place to explore the creativity and culture that marks Bunbury as one of the south west’s premier artistic hubs. The gallery houses a permanent City Collection, which it began acquiring in the 1940s and documents the town’s artistic evolution. There is also a dedicated Noongar Arts program that highlights the work of the First Nations artists from Wardandi Country, as well as regular rotating exhibits.
Leschenault Inlet Walk
Right on the doorstep of Quest Bunbury, this fully-sealed, five-kilometre walk around Leschenault Inlet is the place for a sunrise leg-stretch. The walk is notable for its white mangroves, a species that is almost never seen this far south. On two Saturdays per month, the loop passes by The Bunbury Markets, which are a great place to stop for a coffee and browse for souvenirs.
Capel Vale Wines
Thirty minutes south of Bunbury brings you to the cellar door of one of Margaret River’s most storied wine producers, and the first established winery in the region. The vineyard here – one of three belonging to Capel Vale – is known for its Malbec and Merlot grapes, and tastings can be enjoyed overlooking the budding vines in the warmer months, or by the fire in winter.