Photo: Bahnfrend · CC BY-SA 3.0South West Edge
Take the long coastal arc from Perth through Margaret River and the southern forests to Albany and Esperance.
- Allow
- 10–14 days
- Route
- 1,136 km
- Drive time
- 12 hr 45 min
- Stops
- 6
Western Australia’s southwest changes character in chapters: calm Geographe Bay, vineyard country around Margaret River, karri and tingle forest, Albany’s granite coast and finally Esperance’s almost implausibly pale beaches.
The route is long enough to punish box-ticking. Ten days is a workable minimum; two weeks allows weather buffers, two-night stays and the option to return from Esperance by air instead of retracing every kilometre.
The road, in one glance
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Drawing the route…
The route earns
its distance
Each pin is selected as a place to do something—not merely proof that you passed through.
- 01Perth
- 02Busselton & Geographe Bay
- 03Margaret River
- 04Southern forests
- 05Albany
- 06Esperance & Cape Le Grand
Photo: File:Perth CBD skyline from State War Memorial Lookout, 2023, 04.jpg : Kgbo derivative work: Georgfotoart · CC BY-SA 4.0Perth
Start with river light, an ocean swim and a well-stocked boot; the city is the last place where every forgotten item is easy to replace.
Perth (Nyungar: Boorloo) is the capital city of Western Australia. It is the fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth as of 2023. The world's most isolated major city by certain criteria, Perth is part of the South West Land Division of Western Australia, with most of Perth's metropolitan area on the Swan Coastal Plain between the Indian Ocean and the Darling Scarp.
Photo: Photograph by Greg O'Beirne · CC BY 2.5Busselton & Geographe Bay
A long timber jetty and calm bay make an easy first coastal pause before the denser choices of Margaret River.
Busselton (Noongar: Undalup) is a city in the South West region of the state of Western Australia approximately 220 km (140 mi) south-west of Perth. Busselton has a long history as a popular holiday destination for Western Australians; however, the closure of the Busselton Port in 1972 and the contemporaneous establishment of the nearby Margaret River wine region have seen tourism become the dominant source of investment and development, supplemented by services and retail.
Photo: Bahnfrend · CC BY-SA 4.0Margaret River
Wine, caves, surf breaks and forest sit within a compact region that deserves at least two nights and a plan that does not depend on tasting-and-driving.
Margaret River is a town in the South West region of Western Australia, located in the valley of the Margaret River, 277 kilometres (172 mi) south of Perth, the state capital. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Augusta Margaret River. Margaret River's coast to the west of the town is a renowned surfing location with worldwide fame for its surf breaks including, but not limited to, 'Main Break' and 'The Box'.
Photo: The original uploader was Tirin at English Wikipedia . · CC BY-SA 3.0Southern forests
Karri and red-tingle country slows the route between wine and open coast, with canopy walks and forest roads that feel far removed from Perth.
Walpole-Nornalup National Park is a national park in the South West region of Western Australia, 355 kilometres (221 mi) south of Perth. It is famous for its towering karri and tingle trees. Red tingle trees are unique to the Walpole area.
Photo: U.S. Consulate General Perth · Public domainAlbany
Granite headlands, sheltered beaches and layered Menang and settler history make Albany much more than a refuelling point.
Albany ( AL-bən-ee; Noongar: Kinjarling) is a port city in the Great Southern region in the Australian state of Western Australia, 418 kilometres (260 mi) southeast of Perth, the state capital. The city centre is at the northern edge of Princess Royal Harbour, which is a part of King George Sound. The central business district is bounded by Mount Clarence to the east and Mount Melville to the west.
Photo: Bahnfrend · CC BY-SA 3.0Esperance & Cape Le Grand
The route finishes in a sweep of white sand, granite and turquoise water, with Cape Le Grand rewarding weather-aware beach and summit days.
Esperance (Wudjari: Kepa Kurl ( Kep-pa Kurl)) is a town in the Goldfields–Esperance region of Western Australia, on the Southern Ocean coastline approximately 720 kilometres (450 mi) east-southeast of the state capital, Perth and 391 kilometres (243 mi) south of Kalgoorlie. The urban population of Esperance was 12,003 at June 2018.
Drive the conditions,
not the itinerary.
Book accommodation before remote stretches, refuel well before empty, and plan daylight arrivals. A one-way rental or flight can make the ending humane.
Checked against
the people who run it
Distances and driving times are planning estimates. Conditions, closures, ferries, permits and park rules can change, so check the linked official guidance before setting out.