Australia: Road Trip To Perth (23 - 27 Nov 2013)

[Jman888]

 

When one have stayed quite a while and ate too much Aussie style food.

Haha, missed home cook food lor.

 

 

 

there are many food other than kway chap

[Windchoco]

Just returned from a few weeks in Perth, Margaret River and Albany.

Drive total 2300km.

Perth is a great city in our opinion.

Fremantle good for a day's visit.

MR really nice.

 

We liked the sea side, the forests, the buildings in Perth, the Flora and the fauna. Only went on one wine cellar door trip, real waste of time imo.

 

Eating out is expensive but you have to do it.

 

But also cook in. The steaks, lamb and pork really cheap in Super markets and top quality.

 

Weather not too hot in Perth and MR. Cool in Albany and Denmark.

 

Ate in William Steet a couple of times.

First inVietnamese place, a bit blah.

Then in Malaysian place, very nice.

Both expensive in comparison.

 

Funny thing was that in MR, Denmark and Albany though on the coast the sea food is really non existent.

 

Bought some live Marron to cook at home. A$52 per kilo. Nice but prefer crab and even lobster myself.

 

Anyway been there done that but really enjoyed.

Hi,

 

I am going next month and will take some tips from here. Where can we get the visas done for Singaporean and Malaysian Singapore PR?

 

 

Thanks..

Edited November 11, 2013 by Windchoco

[Windchoco]

Just returned from a few weeks in Perth, Margaret River and Albany.

Drive total 2300km.

Perth is a great city in our opinion.

Fremantle good for a day's visit.

MR really nice.

 

We liked the sea side, the forests, the buildings in Perth, the Flora and the fauna. Only went on one wine cellar door trip, real waste of time imo.

 

Eating out is expensive but you have to do it.

 

But also cook in. The steaks, lamb and pork really cheap in Super markets and top quality.

 

Weather not too hot in Perth and MR. Cool in Albany and Denmark.

 

Ate in William Steet a couple of times.

First inVietnamese place, a bit blah.

Then in Malaysian place, very nice.

Both expensive in comparison.

 

Funny thing was that in MR, Denmark and Albany though on the coast the sea food is really non existent.

 

Bought some live Marron to cook at home. A$52 per kilo. Nice but prefer crab and even lobster myself.

 

Anyway been there done that but really enjoyed.

 

Bro I am planning nearly the same places as you after researching online: Albany, MR, Perth, Freemantle...

 

Questions:

 

1. Albany worth staying for 2 nights?

 

2. Freemantle can no need to drive there? Was planning 1st 2 days in freemantle and perth city then take a rental car and go south passing dunborough, busselton, MR, Denmark and Albany.

 

3. Anything North of Perth worth seeing or should I just leave it for next time and enjoy the south?

 

total I have 6 days 5 nights. Enough for such a trip?

 

[Katz2282]

 

Bro I am planning nearly the same places as you after researching online: Albany, MR, Perth, Freemantle...

 

Questions:

 

1. Albany worth staying for 2 nights? Personally, No.

 

2. Freemantle can no need to drive there? Yes, catch the train. Was planning 1st 2 days in freemantle and perth city then take a rental car and go south passing dunborough, busselton, MR, Denmark and Albany.

 

3. Anything North of Perth worth seeing or should I just leave it for next time and enjoy the south? Sand dunes?

 

total I have 6 days 5 nights. Enough for such a trip?

 

 

[Jman888]

 

Bro I am planning nearly the same places as you after researching online: Albany, MR, Perth, Freemantle...

 

Questions:

 

1. Albany worth staying for 2 nights?

 

2. Freemantle can no need to drive there? Was planning 1st 2 days in freemantle and perth city then take a rental car and go south passing dunborough, busselton, MR, Denmark and Albany.

 

3. Anything North of Perth worth seeing or should I just leave it for next time and enjoy the south?

 

total I have 6 days 5 nights. Enough for such a trip?

 

 

 

6D/5N not really enough for travelling all the way down south, rather stay in the city and visit the surrounding attraction as what TS is doing.

[Windchoco]

 

 

6D/5N not really enough for travelling all the way down south, rather stay in the city and visit the surrounding attraction as what TS is doing.

 

Surrounding action meaning places like scarborough beach, perth city, swan valley and freemantle?

 

I wanted to go south because I had assumed that it would be similar Melbourne - I enjoyed touring and sightseeing the countryside much more than the shopping in Melbourne city. Not sure if thats true for Perth though.

[Jman888]

 

Surrounding action meaning places like scarborough beach, perth city, swan valley and freemantle?

 

I wanted to go south because I had assumed that it would be similar Melbourne - I enjoyed touring and sightseeing the countryside much more than the shopping in Melbourne city. Not sure if thats true for Perth though.

 

 

i see, if you want to skip places in Perth (as those you mentioned above), you can head straight to MR and Albany for 4 nights, and return to Perth for 1 night and fly back. That is workable

 

That is provided you assume Perth city and fresh markets are just like another market in Sydney or Melbourne and dun mind give them a miss.

[Windchoco]

 

 

Bro I am planning nearly the same places as you after researching online: Albany, MR, Perth, Freemantle...

 

Questions:

 

1. Albany worth staying for 2 nights? If it wasn't so far from Perth then one day trip would be enough. Ditto Denmark we wouldn't do it knowing what we know now. Pemberton would be the furthest south for us, it was interesting there. But again one night passing through was enough.

 

2. Freemantle can no need to drive there? Was planning 1st 2 days in freemantle and perth city then take a rental car and go south passing dunborough, busselton, MR, Denmark and Albany. Day trip by train to Fremantle is sufficient Perth can easily spend 3 or 4 days plus there.

 

3. Anything North of Perth worth seeing or should I just leave it for next time and enjoy the south?

 

total I have 6 days 5 nights. Enough for such a trip?

4hr drive from Perth to MR a further 5 hr drive from MR down to Albany.

Same returning to perth, so 2 days lost already.

 

We liked MR and stayed in accomodation well inside the forests.

Kangaroos in the front garden most days. Loved it.

Surfers point is a great beach with lots of surfing action.

Drove up to Dunsborough/Busselton and down to Augusta all along Caves Road but didn't bother seeing any of the many caves. Caves road is a quite picturesque route and one stop off place among the Karri trees was very impressive.

We saw whales from the rocks in Yallingup but none in Dunsborough. It appears they are late moving north up the coast this year but should be up in Dunsborough now or next week ish.

Stopped off in Bunbury on way down to MR for a stretch of the legs but not a lot there.

 

By the way it was just me and the missus, no kids to keep happy.

 

 

 

Thanks bro, many good tips in there, Love scenic routes !

 

Just curious, what is there to do in Perth for 4 days?

 

 

 

 

i see, if you want to skip places in Perth (as those you mentioned above), you can head straight to MR and Albany for 4 nights, and return to Perth for 1 night and fly back. That is workable

 

That is provided you assume Perth city and fresh markets are just like another market in Sydney or Melbourne and dun mind give them a miss.

 

I was hoping to hoot oysters. Any good markets to recommend?

 

Aldy aiming the freemantle Cicerellos

[Jman888]

 

Thanks bro, many good tips in there, Love scenic routes !

 

Just curious, what is there to do in Perth for 4 days?

 

 

I was hoping to hoot oysters. Any good markets to recommend?

 

Aldy aiming the freemantle Cicerellos

 

if you want to do Albany/MR in 4 nights, this was what i did few years back...

 

head straight to Albany, but i didn't want to rush, so i took the Great Southern Highway (Route 120) and explore the small towns along the way, note that this is in land route (not coaster), hence you see mountain and farm. I spent a night at Sterling (The Lily Dutch windmill).

 

2nd day head down to Albany for another night, there you will go around the attractions around that area.

 

3rd day heading Margaret rive which you can also explore the places along the coaster road (Denmark, Pemberton, Augusta), and arrive Margaret rive in the evening, just nice for dinner...

 

4th day explore the caves and vineyard, beaches.

 

5th day head back to Perth, stop over at Dunsborough, Busselton, Bunbury... along the way.

 

I took the direct route to Albany and then slow return to Perth so that you are not rushing back via Albany highway when you do MR then Albany.

[Windchoco]

 

if you want to do Albany/MR in 4 nights, this was what i did few years back...

 

head straight to Albany, but i didn't want to rush, so i took the Great Southern Highway (Route 120) and explore the small towns along the way, note that this is in land route (not coaster), hence you see mountain and farm. I spent a night at Sterling (The Lily Dutch windmill).

 

2nd day head down to Albany for another night, there you will go around the attractions around that area.

 

3rd day heading Margaret rive which you can also explore the places along the coaster road (Denmark, Pemberton, Augusta), and arrive Margaret rive in the evening, just nice for dinner...

 

4th day explore the caves and vineyard, beaches.

 

5th day head back to Perth, stop over at Dunsborough, Busselton, Bunbury... along the way.

 

I took the direct route to Albany and then slow return to Perth so that you are not rushing back via Albany highway when you do MR then Albany.

 

I am beginning to regret booking the return air ticket so early. At first I thought "nothing to see no need to stay so long".

 

But now it seems like more and more interesting.

 

 

Thanks bro, many good tips in there, Love scenic routes !

 

Just curious, what is there to do in Perth for 4 days?

In Perth we first went to the tourist office, which we found not very good, only interested in selling accommodation anything else is 'on the wall over there', which was the same for all the tourist offices we went to except for Pemberton. In fact any young tourist officers were useless imo and the oldsters were great.

In Murray Street in Perth there is another Tourist Info stall run by old volunteers. This was excellent for info and interesting to talk to.

On Sat and Sunday there is a free walking tour of interesting places in Perth starting from thhe Murray St stall at 11am.

Also there is a free tour of King's Park starting at the info stall there at 2pm?, check with the Murray St stall for time, this tour explains all the flowers of west Australia and takes 1.5 hours well worth the time and Kings Park is nice.

Walking around the Perth Streets there are many new bronze statues which are great, with the statue in Murray St doing hand stand and the Kangaroos outside or near the Governors House as good photo opps.

 

There are 3 free bus routes in Perth (Cat Buses) so it's easy to get around the city center and to the more distant areas and drop off for a look around.

Walk Along Riverside drive and down to the jetty.

We like looking at the inside of churches and they are all in one small area in Perth.

On Friday or Saturday nights there is a food center open just behind the Murray St info stall.

A bit like Newton Circus but the food looked very expensive and didn't interest us although the atmosphere was great. About 50 m away from these food stall on the opposite side of Murray St is an indoor food court with virtually the same food but cheaper and in an air con environment.

 

Shafto Street has some good food outlets. The lamb shank and steak sandwich in The Generous Squire are worth a try and the '150 lashes' beer is tasty.

 

On William Street there are so many Asian food outlets but we only tried two. The Tak Chee House at 364 William St does some good Penang food, the owners are from Penang. The Phong Vinh Vietnamese place at 323 William St although good was a disappointment for us. Get on the Blue Cat bus to get there easily or walk over the railway bridge.

All eating places in Perth and WA are expensive.

 

There is an old prison in Freemantle, again a free bus service and the tour around the prison is great. The guy who did the tour for us made us feel like prisoners and shouted at everyone, very good.

Also a good ish market well worht a look in Freeo and some good pavement musicians outside doing lots of different stuff.

 

 

 

I was hoping to hoot oysters. Any good markets to recommend?

 

Aldy aiming the freemantle Cicerellos

 

Freemantle on a Sunday is mad. Everyone eating fish and chips, which were average for us.

The oysters there were small and expensive - we were in Bouzigues in France in June and one oyster there has more meat than 6 Perth oysters and costs half the price of one Perth oyster - my missus goes ga ga over oysters so we eat whenever we can.

 

In MR we saw 20 over Marron, similar to lobster, swimming in the river but cannot catch, out of season iirc.

 

 

Thanks bro Neu and Jman - Exactly the kind of tips I was looking for. Will also pickup a book or 2 on WA later from the library and shortlist the places.

 

[Jman888]

Singapore tourists injured in car accident in Nornalup, south of Perth

Published on Nov 21, 2013

PERTH - A group of Singapore tourists were injured when their car rolled in Nornalup, 420km south of Perth, on Wednesday afternoon.

The crash happened on the Valley of the Giants Road at about 1pm local time when the group's Hyundai wagon left the road and rolled, news website PerthNow reported.

Police believe the 51-year-old male driver veered onto the gravel, before overcorrecting and crashing the vehicle, said the report.

A 35-year-old woman, who was sitting in the back seat with her 17-month-old daughter, suffered life-threatening injuries.

 

 

 

drive safe and stop if you are tire.

 

 

[Mrkopi]

 

Thanks bro, many good tips in there, Love scenic routes !

 

Just curious, what is there to do in Perth for 4 days?

 

 

 

I was hoping to hoot oysters. Any good markets to recommend?

 

Aldy aiming the freemantle Cicerellos

 

Cicerellos have no decent oysters, only chilli mussels and fish and chips. For those Fish and Chips and chilli mussel Kailis is better and more servings. Oyster have to go for Meads @ Oyster (Can't Remember the exact name) during my uni days they had 1 for $1 specials on a weekday. Eat until you shiok.

[Windchoco]

 

Cicerellos have no decent oysters, only chilli mussels and fish and chips. For those Fish and Chips and chilli mussel Kailis is better and more servings. Oyster have to go for Meads @ Oyster (Can't Remember the exact name) during my uni days they had 1 for $1 specials on a weekday. Eat until you shiok.

 

 

Thanks..

I later went to Kalis.. In the end I had my $1 oysters at a place near the end part of Murray St.

 

Perth and WA was really nice but pls do not go during the same period that I went (Dec 2nd week). Perth and all surrounding areas had so much houseflies it was unbelievable. If u open your mouth big big in an outdoor area theres a realistic chance of 1 going into your mouth.

 

I heard there are 6 weeks during the summer that this happens.

[Vinceng]

Looked through the Swan Valley websites and seems interesting...

 

Is parking easy to find at these places you mentioned?

The Fremantle Markets should also have it right?

Expensive? I'm quite concerned about food prices there as many have told me that you can spend a bomb and still walk away hungry... Planning to get some supplies for daily breakfast from Coles and perhaps BBQ on one of the nights for dinner...

Also what did you guys do at night? I was in Darwin for a RSAF detachment for 3 months and the nights are spent in front of the TV or if someone is kind enuff to drive me to the Fisherman's Wharf for some good "Fisherman's Basket"... So I would expect Perth to be pretty much the same as Darwin or any other places after 6pm...

 

Must order this. AUD58. Good for 2 - 3 pax.