Self-Drive Through Western Australia for 13Days 12Nights (13D12N) Travel Itinerary. Fremantle & Rottnest Island (Part 2)

In our latest episode, we’re taking a look back at the classic road trip in WA (Western Australia). For the next episodes, we will bring you off the beaten track to explore our most adventurous road trip in WA covering Perth, Fremantle, Rottnest Island, Lancelin, Bunbury, Margaret River, Augusta, Denmark, Albany and York. 

Western Australia is a road trip hot spot. There is something for everybody, especially if you opt to take a self-drive through the regions spanning the biggest state down under. One thing for sure, the roads and highways are really great as we drove by ourselves with a valid driving license. Except for one thing, the “Roo” that jumped in front of our car along the way. 

Check out our scenic-drive through WA (from Perth to Albany) 13days 12nights travel itinerary here and of course, you may adjust them accordingly to suit your own schedule.

Day 1: 8 November 2011
Penang International Airport (PEN) → Kuala Lumpur (LCCT) 

Day 2: 9 November 2011
WESTERN AUSTRALIA (PERTH) 
Morning: Arrived Perth International Airport and make our way to Perth 178 in Northbridge - Swan Bell Tower – Wheel of Perth - Kings Park & Botanic Garden - The Perth Mint – His Majesty Theater London Court @ Hay Street 
Afternoon: King Street – Trinity United Church at St. George Terrace – Perth Town Hall - Lake Monger 
Evening: Stroll around Northbridge & Voodoo Lounge    

Day 3: 10 November 2011
WESTERN AUSTRALIA (ROTTNEST ISLAND)
Morning: Walk to Perth Train Station → Fremantle Train Station (Upon arrival at Fremantle Station, walk for 4 minute to Victoria Quay. Once on Victoria Quay, walk in a North-westerly direction to B-Shed office <on the water across from the E-Shed Markets>) and depart via ferry ride to Rottnest Island at 9.35am.  
Afternoon: Circle the island by bike and stop at these areas:  (i) circumnavigates the whole island and stop at the bays: Little Armstrong Bay, Salmon Bay, The Basin, Parakeet Bay, (ii) visit Vlamingh Lighthouse, (iii) explore the pretty beaches  (Pink beach &  Eagle beach), (iv) Meet Rottnest Island native animal, Quokkas and (v) chill out and enjoy the ocean view at Rottnest Island Visitor Centre - Depart from Rottnest Island at 4.30pm. 
Evening: Explore Burswood neighborhood via public bus before heading for dinner 

Day 4: 11 November 2011 
WESTERN AUSTRALIA (PERTH) 
Morning: Perth Wellington Street – Take train from Perth Station to Fremantle Station - Fremantle Market - Cappuccino Strip - Fremantle Prison  
Afternoon: Fremantle Maritime Museum - Western Australia Submarine Museum – E Shed Market (for souvenirs) - Fishing Harbour for Cicerello Fish and Chips 

Day 5: 12 November 2011 
WESTERN AUSTRALIA (PERTH)
Morning: Pick-up rental car at Perth Downtown, Milligan Street - Yanchep National Park 
Afternoon: Lancelin – The Pinnacles (Nambung National Park) 
Duration from Perth City → The Pinnacles: 55.2km 

Day 6: 13 November 2011 
WESTERN AUSTRALIA (BUNBURY) 
Morning: Caversham Wildlife Park 
Afternoon: Swan Valley – Clifton Lake (Yalgroup National Park, Mandurah) - Bunbury Lighthouse – Move to Bunbury  
**Duration from Perth City → Bunbury (approx. 2 hours 30 minutes’ drive / 175km) 

Day 7: 14 November 2011 
WESTERN AUSTRALIA (MARGARET RIVER) 
Morning: Wyalup Rocky Point - Busselton Jetty – Margaret River Chocolate Factory 
Afternoon: Canals on the Coast (Rocky Coastline) – Move to Margaret River 

Day 8: 15 November 2011 
WESTERN AUSTRALIA (AUGUSTA)
Morning: Sunflowers Animal Farm 
Afternoon: Explore Jewel, Lake and Mammoth Caves – Cape Leeuwin Light Tower - Move to Augusta 

Day 9: 16 November 2011 
WESTERN AUSTRALIA (DENMARK) 
Morning: Warren National Park in Pemberton - Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree National Park Afternoon: Valley of the Giants (Tree Top Walk and Ancient Empire & Discovery Centre) - Move to Denmark 

Day 10: 17 November 2011 
WESTERN AUSTRALIA (ALBANY)
Morning: Torndirrup National Park – Woolworths Shopping Centre 
Afternoon: Albany Wind Farm – The Gap & Natural Bridge - Move to Albany 

Day 11: 18 November 2011 
WESTERN AUSTRALIA (YORK)
Morning: Wave Rock in Hyden - York
Afternoon: York Town Hall - Courthouse & Gaol – Move to Perth 

Day 12: 19 November 2011 
WESTERN AUSTRALIA (PERTH)
Morning: King Street– Hay Street - Her Majesty’s Theater - St. Georges Terrace - Barrack Street
Afternoon: Murray Street Mall - Crown Perth Hotel Casino 

Day 13: 20 November 2011
WESTERN AUSTRALIA (PERTH)
Morning: Depart for Kuala Lumpur from Perth International Airport  

Perth to Fremantle (Day Trip)

(approx. 28 minutes by train from Perth Station → Fremantle Station) 

The day at Fremantle

Day 4 was reserved for Fremantle. We took an early train from the main city of Perth to Fremantle.  The town is located only 25 minutes train ride south from the city and is a fascinating little coastal town with a cultural and historic heritage. For foodies, we found this place brimming with great dining options. Here, we sampled Australia’s fresh produces at one of the many new small bars, cafés and restaurants along the street near the market. We had fun time walking around the market and its surrounding area, bustling with arts and crafts stalls and fresh local produces. 

A church found in the city centre of Fremantle

Fremantle Market was established in 1897

The Cappuccino Strip at Fremantle

You'll find local products, handmade souvenirs and eateries here

Everything is stuffed in this market

 Ostrich eggs anyone?

We also took the opportunity to visit the best preserved example of a 19^thcentury port streetscape here **feeling a little bit bohemian and a little bit hipster** 

Fremantle is the principle port of Western Australia

Fremantle is the principle port of Western Australia

Fremantle Harbour is WA's largest and busiest general cargo port and an important historical site

The view along Victoria Quay

Later, we visited the Fremantle Prison to learn more about the city’s convict history (via the Doing Time Tour) at 11.30am. and the tour lasted for 2 hours before we moved on to the maritime and submarine museum.  We took the 2-hour historic day-time tour guided by a tour guide and were fascinated by the sites, including the prison buildings, cells, kitchen, canteen, the exercise yards, the administrative building and the gallows, as well as the tunnels under the buildings. The submarine museum tour was really impressive. The tour showed us what life is like under the sea, including the narrow sleeping quarters. The guided tour lasted approximately one hour and reveal intimate details about living and serving aboard the 89 meter long vessel. We learnt that, 63 people served aboard the vessel living amongst pumps, controls, sensors, tactical equipment and torpedoes in extremely cramped conditions. Having little or no knowledge of submarines,  we walked away with a greater insight into the true life of a submariner. Overall, it was a rewarding experience.

With its foreboding 5m-high walls, the old convict-era prison still dominates Fremantle

From 1855 to 1991, 350,000 people were incarcerated here

In 2010 its cultural status was recognised as part of the Australian Convict Sites entry on the Unesco World Heritage list

43 men and one woman were executed on site, the last of which was serial killer Eric Edgar Cooke in 1964

Chengy @ Submarine Museum

The Oberon class Submarine HMAS Ovens is an authentic Cold War-era vessel 

The submarine museum tour gives an insight into what it's like to serve as a submariner in what is called "the silent service"

The WA Maritime Museum has fascinating and interactive displays showcasing the region’s rich maritime heritage

This waterfront Maritime museum featuring a guided submarine tour, a range of iconic vessels & history exhibits

Lots of great exhibits

The Oberon class Submarine HMAS Ovens is an authentic Cold War-era vessel. Make sure to take the submarine tour!

Find out what life is like aboard a submarine!

The tour and was guided by a retired Royal Navy submarine officer

For maritime lovers!

Later in the afternoon, we headed to the nearby E Shed Market (for souvenirs) and fishing harbour for the famous Cicerello Fish and Chips. The chips were really good! Fremantle is a small, holiday-like town and we loved it there! 

You'll find plenty of hand-made arts and crafts at E-Shed Markets

Perth to Rottnest Island
(approx. 28 minutes from Perth Station → Fremantle Station)
(approx. 45 minutes fromB-Shed, Victoria Quay in Fremantle to Rottnest Island)

For a different experience, we took a short ferry ride from Fremantle to Rottnest Island. We woke up early on that day and took a train from Perth Station → Fremantle Station via Transperth ($3.80/way). From there, we took a short ferry ride from B-Shed on Victoria Quay in Fremantle at around 9.35am to Rottnest Island, home of 63 beaches and bays. There are no cars on the island so pedal power is king. Most people traveled to Rottnest Island for snorkeling, diving, and also to discover local wildlife. This little sunny holiday island is definitely one of the best we've seen so far, with a casual atmosphere, picturesque scenery, dazzling marine life and some of the world's finest beaches and pristine bays! 

Pedal power is King at Rottnest Island

Salmon Bay -  a beautiful beach on Rottnest

A water playground. Salmon Bay in Rottnest

Life's a beach @ Little Salmon Bay

Life's a beach @ Thompson Bay

Unknown Bay

Rottnest Island is Perth's island paradise

Meet my friend, Quokka

**Things to do here: (i)  Join free guided walking tours (ii) Hire a bike and snorkel gear from Rottnest Island Pedal (iii) Swim and relax by the stunning waters (63 beaches and 20 bays) (iv) Discover the underwater snorkel trails at Little Salmon Bay (v) Learn about the island's history at the Rottnest Island Museum (vi) Encounter a variety of wildlife including quokkas and dolphins (vii)  Visit the Wadjemup Lighthouse for the ultimate views across the whole island (viii) Join a 90 minute adventure cruise.   

We spent the entire day in this little island discovering the local wildlife (quokkas) and found perfect bays and beaches to enjoy the spectacular view of this island before we left at 4.30pm. Rottnest Island beaches are truly amazing and we were mesmerised by the intense colours of the ocean. The tough part of this trip was we had to cycle around the uphill roads around the island. Overall, it was a relaxing Rottnesty day!   

Later in the evening, we took a public bus to Burswood, an inner southeastern suburb of Perth located immediately across the Swan River from Perth's central business district
(CBD) via the Causeway. The surrounding neighborhood area amazed us. 

**Tips: The ferry from Fremantle leaves several times a day, however catching the 9:35am ferry in the morning and the 4:30pm ferry in the afternoon should give you ample time to explore this island! 

 **Stay tuned for our next travel episode: Self-Drive Through Western Australia for 13Days 12Nights (13D12N) Travel Itinerary.  Bunbury and Margaret River**

Places of Interest / Entrance Ticket(s): 

(i) Ticketing Info for Rottnest Island 

Getting there: B-Shed, Victoria Quay Fremantle → Rottnest Island (via Rottnest Express)

Departure time: 09:35am / 4.30pm 

Fare(s): $54/pax for return ferry tickets   

e-mail: reservations@rottnestexpress.com.au 

Website: http://www.rottnestexpress.com.au

Website: http://www.rottnestisland.com/ 

Bike Hire: $45 for one day + $50 security deposit for tandem bike 

Phone: (08) 9292 5105   

(ii)Sunflowers Animal Farm

Address: 5561 Caves Rd, Margaret River WA 6285, Australia
Contact: (+618) 9757 3343
e-mail: farmerjones@sunflowersfarm.com
Website: http://www.sunflowersfarm.com/index.html   

◊Swan Bell Tower: $13/pax

◊Wheel of Perth – FOC

◊Kings Park & Botanic Garden – FOC

◊The Perth Mint – FOC

◊Old Fire Station – FOC

◊London Court (Hay Street) – FOC

◊Trinity United Church – FOC

◊Perth Town Hall – FOC

◊Lake Monger – FOC

◊Ferry tickets to Rottnest Island - $54/pax for return tickets

◊Bike Hire at Rottnest Island - $45 for one day + $50 security deposit for tandem bike

◊Fremantle Prison – $25/pax

◊Fremantle Market - FOC

◊Fremantle Maritime Museum & Submarine Museum - $25/pax

◊Yanchep National Park - $10/vehicle

◊Lancelin – FOC

◊The Pinnacles (Nambung National Park) - $65/pax

Caversham Wildlife Park - $23/pax

◊Swan Valley - FOC

◊Clifton Lake - FOC

◊Bunbury Lighthouse – FOC

Busselton Jetty – $20/pax

◊Margaret River Chocolate Factory – FOC

◊Sunflowers Animal Farm – $10/pax  plus $3/ bucket of animal feed

◊Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse - $8/pax

◊Warren National Park – FOC

◊Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree National Park – FOC

◊Valley of the Giants (Tree Top Walk) - $12.50/pax

◊Wave Rock: $7/vehicle

◊Margaret River (Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, Mammoth Cave, Lake Cave and Jewel Cave) - $48.00/pax 

Air Itinerary Details:

AirAsia: Penang – Kuala Lumpur (LCCT) – Perth / Perth – Kuala Lumpur (LCCT) – Penang

From                     To                    Flight         Date            Dep               Arr

Penang                  KUL (LCCT)    AK5357          8 Nov             1930              2030

KUL (LCCT)        Perth                 D7236            8 Nov             2350              0520

Perth                     KUL (LCCT)    D7237            20 Nov           0635              1215

KUL (LCCT)        Penang             AK5364          20 Nov           1535               1630

Accommodation(s):

(i) Perth City   
(a)Perth 178

Address: 178 James Street, Northbridge, Perth, Australia 6003
e-mail: perth178@gmail.com  (Mr. Kim Meng Hon)
Telephone: +61 411545027 / +61 411610826
Website: www.perth178backpacker.com.au/
Room Type: Double Room ($55/room/night)
Other information: 178 has two separate man and female toilets and bathrooms, share kitchen facilities dining area, coin operated washing machine and dryer. It feels more like family home.  

(b)Exclusive Backpackers 
Address: 158 Adelaide Tce, Perth, Australia 6000
Contact: +61 (08) 9221 9991 
e-mail: exclusivebackpackers@hotmail.com 
Website: www.exclusivebackpackers.com
Room Type / Rate: Double Ensuite Room ($98/room/night) 

(ii)Bunbury 
YHA Bunbury
Address: 14, Wellington Street, Bunbury 6230, WA
Contact: (+618) 97924690
e-mail: bunbury@yha.com.au 
Website: https://www.yha.com.au/hostels/wa/south-west/bunbury/ 
Room Type / Rate: Double Room ($65/room/night) 

(iii)Margaret River
 YHA Margaret River 
Address: 66 Town View Terrace, Margaret River , 6285, WA 
Contact: (+618) 9757 9572  
e-mail: margaretriver@yha.com.au
Website: https://www.yha.com.au/hostels/wa/south-west/margaret-river/
Room Type / Rate: Double Room ($74/room/night) 

(iv)Augusta   
YHA Augusta  
Address: 9 Heppingstone View (just off Blackwood Ave), Augusta , 629,WA 
Contact: (+618) 9758 1290
e-mail: augusta@yha.com.au
Website: https://www.yha.com.au/hostels/wa/south-west/cape-leeuwin-augusta/ 
Room Type / Rate: Double Room ($74/room/night)  

(v) Denmark  
Denmark Hotel  
Address: 36 Hollings Rd, Denmark WA 6333, Australia
Contact: (+618) 9848 2206
e-mail: denmarkhotel@westnet.com.au 
Website: http://denmarkhotel.com.au/  
Room Type / Rate: Double Room ($100/room/night) 

(vi) Albany  
Ace Motor Inn
Address: 314 Albany Hwy, Centennial Park WA 6330, Australia  
Contact: (+618) 9841 2911 
e-mail: reservations@acemotorinn.com.au 
Website: http://www.acemotorinn.com.au/ 
Room Type / Rate: Double Room ($84/room/night)  

Local Transportation:  
Hertz Vehicle through Drive Now  
Address: 39 Milligan Street, Perth 
Contact: 08 9321 7777 
E-mail: info@hertz.com.au / savemore@drivenow.com.au 
Website: http://www.drivenow.com.au / http://www.hertz.com 
Vehicle Type: Toyota Corolla Sedan (Auto) (or similar) 
Rental duration: 12 Nov 2011 (10:00am) - 18 Nov 2011 (10:00am)
Total Amount:  $336.42 (for 6 days) 
**Why drive: There is no better other way to explore WA (country towns, ocean drive, natural parklands, and country-side farms etc.) besides self-drive.  

“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware” – Martin Buber
 

Note: All entrance / transportation fees and accommodation rates/charges listed on this post are based on our (chengywong.blogspot.com) travel dates (2011) and therefore subject to change(s). ©chengywong.blogspot.com is not responsible for content on external web sites.

Welcome to Small World! This blog is not a travel agency, but rather a personal site which allows us to share our past travel experiences in a straightforward and far-reaching way. We often made great use of other peoples travel blogs and sites every time we plan for our travel itinerary as they often contained most updated information and invaluable resources from their past travel experiences.  We hope that you will find every piece of information & images contained within our blog handy and useful. Thank you very much for reading our post(s). If you find this blog worth a read, please feel free to leave a comment/testimonial or click "Like/Share" if you love reading them all. xoxo Both Chengy & Camel are passionate travelers who enjoys speaking to young keen travelers about the freedom to get cultured and to taste the fullness of life. Feel free to contact them if you need any travel advice, guidance or tips or if you have any burning questions with regards to your upcoming trip(s)/ journey

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