Best Weekend Breaks in WA | Australian Traveller

WA boasts more than 20,000 kilometres of coastline, so where else would you want to end the week than relaxing on some of its sandy shores? Here, the best weekends away in WA for your hit list.

Rottnest Island (Wadjemup)

A quick trip across the water to Rottnest Island is the quintessential short break from Perth, espousing the kind of timeless appeal that makes worries melt away the moment you step off the ferry for a few days of leisurely cycle rides to bays and beaches, swimming, snorkelling and quokka-spotting.

And the recent opening of a squeaky new resort expands the accommodation offering: Samphire Rottnest on Thompson Bay blends the island’s signature relaxed coastal style with a little luxury; rooms are chic, natural and understated and the spoils of lagoon-style pools, beachfront cocktails and more are just a towel’s flick away.

Also, for the first time in November, Gourmet Escape brings its fine foodie events to the island.

The new Samphire Rottnest resort on Thompson Bay.

Broome

The beguiling beach resort and pearling town of Broome, which sits pretty where red-rock Kimberley meets the turquoise Indian Ocean, is famous for its unique history and cultural diversity. And it’s perfectly proportioned for exploring in a weekend.

For a taste (read: sensory explosion) of what it’s all about, time your visit for Shinju Matsuri. The Festival of the Pearl (22 August – 5 September) marks the end of the pearl harvest season with a series of events including the Floating Lantern Matsuri, Mardi Gras, Chinatown Feast and Sunset Long Table Dinner on Cable Beach.

The Sunset Long Table Dinner at Cable Beach. (Image: Julia Rau Photography)

Margaret River Region

Known for having vineyards for days, pale sandy shores and sunshine in spades, the Margaret River is the WA weekend getaway that needs no introduction. This world-class wine region three hours’ drive south of Perth invites you to meander between its cellar doors, many with laid-back cafes or fine diners making good use of regional produce and invariably with views out to farmland, wine country and coast. Not sure where to start? Put this year’s Western Australia Gourmet Escape in your diary (17–21 November) to get a taste of it all at festival favourites such as gourmet beach barbecues.

In the vines at Vasse Felix, Margaret River. (Image: Tourism WA)

Kalbarri National Park

With two cantilevered viewing platforms that hang 100 metres mid-air above Murchison River Gorge, Kalbarri Skywalk opened in 2020 to provide jaw-dropping views of Kalbarri National Park and insight into its Aboriginal heritage through interpretive signage and artwork by local Nanda artists.

It provides another compelling reason to head to this spectacular region on the Coral Coast that also encompasses a majestic coastline, heavenly beaches, pink lakes and wildflowers that bloom into full colour and fragrance from July each year.

Kalbarri has been significantly impacted by Cyclone Seroja and the national park is closed at the time of writing, so plan your trip when the time is right to return.

Avon Valley

The picturesque Avon Valley, just an hour’s drive east of Perth and WA’s first inland settlement, is a quintessential weekend away: a patchwork of rolling hills and winding streams made for scenic country drives and ambling around historic towns like Northam, Toodyay, York and New Norcia.

Curl up by a cosy pub fireplace in winter, spot colourful murals and public artworks and rise at the crack of dawn in Northam for a hot-air balloon ride to take in the landscape.

Here in town you’ll also find the impressive Bilya Koort Boodja Centre for Nyoongar Culture and Environmental Knowledge and the newly renovated Farmers’ Home Hotel.

hot-air balloon ride Avon Valley — Rise at the crack of dawn in Northam for a hot-air balloon ride.

Exmouth

For a dose of vitamin D and sea head to Exmouth – blessedly situated at the northern gateway to the Ningaloo Coast World Heritage Area, where the lush and colourful underwater world of Ningaloo Reef contrasts against the rugged terrestrial landscape of Cape Range National Park.

Don’t miss the chance to explore Cape Range’s spectacular rocky gorges carved by ancient rivers and cruise, kayak or SUP down the deep canyon of Yardie Creek.

But the big-ticket attraction – swimming with whale sharks, the biggest fish in the world – is every bit as thrilling as it promises to be.

Southern Forests And Valleys

Disconnect from the stressors of urban life by spending a few days in the Southern Forests and Valleys of WA.

Base yourself at the RAC Karri Valley Resort, set on the banks of Lake Beedelup and flanked by the sky scraping karri trees the region is known for, to immerse yourself in nature.

Nourish yourself in other ways too: the region is considered a food bowl of WA where you’ll find farm-fresh epicurean treats like chestnuts, finger limes, cherries, ginseng and black truffles, and cool-climate Wines from the Pemberton and Manjimup Regions.

Perth

For a weekend of urban activities mingled with sand in the toes, look no further than Perth – a cosmopolitan capital that stacks up in the cultural stakes while remaining steadfastly laid-back.

For a taste of the former, check out hip neighbourhoods like Northbridge and Fremantle as well as brand-new WA Museum Boola Bardip – whose name means ‘many stories’ in Noongar language and which bridges striking contemporary architecture with existing heritage buildings.

And for a taste of the latter head straight for sunset cocktails at the Cottesloe Beach Hotel.

Swan Valley

Just 25 minutes from Perth, the Swan Valley is ripe for weekend exploration: packed with wineries (it’s WA’s oldest wine region), breweries and distilleries and artisans producing delicious goods like chocolate, nougat and honey, as well as artist studios and galleries to visit.

Take an Aboriginal cultural workshop led by Dale Tilbrook of the Maalinup Aboriginal Gallery; pick a trail to follow, from Fresh Seasonal Produce to Fine Wine to Cider and Ale to Sweet Temptations; or book a masterclass such as cheesemaking, and bed down for a night or two at a cute bed and breakfast, farm stay or boutique hotel.

Albany

Head to the port town of Albany, set within the Princess Royal Harbour and King George Sound, for a weekend of history served up with some epic scenery.

Called Kinjarling (meaning ‘the place of the rain’) by the Menang Noongar people, this was the site of both WA’s first European settlement and the last port of call for troopships departing Australia in the First World War; visit the National Anzac Centre for an immersive experience of Anzac legend and take a Kurrah Mia cultural tour to experience the rich and ancient history of the land.

National Anzac Centre Albany — Visit the National Anzac Centre for an immersive experience of Anzac legend. (Image: National Anzac Centre).

Also check out the old whaling station at Discovery Bay, which serves as a fascinating museum, and encounter migrating humpback and southern right whales between June and August as they chart their course along the dramatic coastline here.

Discover the perfect road trip stopover between Perth and wine country.

Western Australia punches above its weight when it comes to coastal hot spots, but no other town or city has seen a tourism boom quite like Mandurah. Named Australia’s Top Tourism Town in 2023 , it’s the relaxed, beachside break you’ve been searching for. And it’s perfectly placed, sitting between Margaret River and Perth, as it’s just a 55-minute drive from Perth’s CBD. Which is why we’ve put together your ultimate Mandurah guide.

Aerial view of Mandurah. — Plan your perfect coastal escape to Australia’s Top Tourism Town of 2023.

The best things to do in Mandurah

Wetlands and rivers, ocean and inlet; Mandurah’s laid-back lifestyle centres around the aquatic. Its waterways cover twice the ground of Sydney Harbour – measuring some 134 square kilometres in total – and form a unique environment for oceanic and estuarine flora and fauna to thrive.

In the city’s estuary lives perhaps the region’s most famed inhabitants – a resident pod of 100 bottlenose dolphins – and the inlet’s silty bottom is home to the prized blue manna crab. Spot the former breaching and playing on an hour-long dolphin cruise through the channels, or try your hand at catching the latter by wading through the estuary’s shallows with a scoop net in hand.

While swimming at the circular Kwillena Gabi Pool, chance encounters with the local wildlife aren’t uncommon. The sheltered estuarine pool takes its name from the traditional custodians of the land, the Bindjareb people, and directly translates to ‘dolphin waters’. Jutting out of the eastern foreshore, it’s enclosed by a ring of net-free floating pontoons, which allow the dolphins to swim freely through the attraction.

If that’s a little too close for comfort, book a kayak tour with Down Under Discoveries . The dolphins have been known to cruise beside the paddle-powered crafts, which are a fun, family-friendly way to explore the city’s inner waterways.

Dolphins swimming in Mandurah. — Watch dolphins glide by as you explore Mandurah.

You don’t have to be on the water to appreciate the coastal city’s aquatic beauty, with 600 kilometres of cycleways and scenic walking trails traversing Mandurah’s estuary, inlet and coast.

Follow the 30-kilometre coastal trail and you’ll come face to face with one of Thomas Dambo’s headline-making ‘Giants of Mandurah sculptures, Santi Ikto, along the way. There are five sculptures around Mandurah in total, hidden among gum-filled reserves or sitting sentry over the water.

Head to the Mandurah Visitor Centre to pick up a map to pinpoint their exact location and download the traveller’s companion to learn more about the sights along the way. Or join a three-hour e-bike tour from The Bike Kiosk and you’ll stop by two of the giants – Santi Ikto and Yaburgurt Winjan Cirkelstone – as you sightsee central Mandurah.

The towering Santi Ikto, one of Thomas Dambo’s iconic Giants of Mandurah. — Meet Santi Ikto, one of the legendary Giants of Mandurah.

Where to eat in Mandurah

Mandurah’s culinary scene reflects its laid-back lifestyle, with large, honest meals and locally brewed beer. After visiting Lake Clifton’s 2000-year-old thrombolites, head to the peppermint and gum-shaded beer garden at Thorny Devil Brewery . Tuck into a platter of house-smoked meats and an ale pulled fresh from the tanks. Closer to town and right on the waterfront is Boundary Island Brewery ; here, woodfired pizza, pub-style seafood dishes and easy-drinking brews are centre stage.

On a Murray River Lunch Cruise , the focus is as much on the environment around you as the food you’re filling up on. Help yourself to the colourful salads and freshly cooked meats on the buffet as you meander up the winding, jarrah tree-lined waterway, stopping at the heritage Cooper’s Mill for a quick walking tour along the way.

Keep your eyes trained on the Creery Wetlands as you pass – you’ll spot much of the region’s migratory birdlife, and, as always, might see the playful bottlenose dolphins in the inlet.

The most memorable meals aren’t necessarily always the fanciest, and lunch aboard a self-skippered Mandurah BBQ Boat is a testament to that. All food and beverage prep is left up to you as you cruise through the canals, sausages and steaks sizzling away on the central hot plate.

If seafood is more your kind of fare, board the Wild Seafood Experience , where dolphin cruise meets long table lunch. Eight courses of crab, crayfish and scallops await.

A table filled with plates of crab, crayfish, and scallops. — Dine on the water with eight courses of ocean-fresh fare.

Where to stay in Mandurah

With so many waterways comes abundant waterside stays. Like the self-contained Seashells Mandurah on the shores of Comet Bay. The calm, oceanic outlook from the one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and villas is as close to Maldivian as Mandurah gets. Families especially enjoy the property, bouncing between the protected cove and the beachfront pool for endless hours of fun.

The Sebel Mandurah , just a hop, skip and jump from the Mandurah Ocean Marina, has a different outlook entirely, overlooking the estuary and lively foreshore on the other side. It’s also within walking distance of the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre , cinema and a swathe of waterfront bars and eateries.

But you can’t get any closer to the water than on a vessel from Mandurah Houseboats . You don’t need a skipper’s ticket to hire one, nor do you need comprehensive boating experience; just a full driver’s license and your undivided attention during the pre-departure tuition will do. Then you’re free to take to the estuaries and tributaries for a few nights of peaceful rest, surrounded by the very element that makes Mandurah so special.

A houseboat cruising in Mandurah along the river — Captain a houseboat to explore Mandurah at your own pace.

Plan your next WA getaway in Mandurah.

Ultimate weekends away in WA