When visitors hire a car in Western Australia they’re being handed the key to some of the most diverse and beautiful scenic drives in the world. This vast state offers drivers a variety of spectacular landscapes from dramatic coastlines to wildflower meadows, soaring forests and granite hills, sunkissed vineyards and picturesque rivers and lakes.
For most visitors to Western Australia, Perth is the starting point for their holiday or travelling adventures, and car rental options are plentiful in the city. Those seeking a more personal service, local knowledge and competitive rates when hiring a car in Western Australia may find it preferable and more cost-effective to choose a reputable, independent car rental company such as Myaree Car Hire rather than opting for one of the large and rather impersonal international hire companies.
Equipped with a hire car, visitors are free to explore the wide and wonderful state of Western Australia in all of its glory, although it may be worth noting that venturing to the northern reaches of the State (beyond Carnarvon) may incur an additional “remote surcharge” on the car rental fee. But with so many great scenic drives in Western Australia to choose from you may not need to venture far north at all; take these three, for example:
Bunbury to Augusta
The city of Bunbury, an easy two hour drive south from Perth, is the perfect starting point for a scenic drive that takes in a healthy slice of Western Australia’s superb coastal scenery, hugging the shoreline as it heads southwest to Busselton then west to the dramatic and beautiful beach at Bunker Bay before turning south again to the delightful coastal town of Prevelly and onward south into the famous wine region of Margaret River before ending at Australia’s most south-westerly destination, Augusta. This might not be the longest scenic drive in Australia, but with awesome Indian Ocean views, pristine beaches and a host of charming coastal towns and villages to enjoy it’s one to be savoured and with an overnight stop somewhere along the way, the route from Bunbury to Augusta is a great scenic drive in Western Australia and a perfectly pleasurable way to fill a couple of days.
Balingup, Nannup and Bridgetown
Widely regarded as one of the greatest scenic drives in Western Australia, the route often referred to as the “Golden Triangle” – which takes in the towns of Balingup, Nannup and Bridgetown provides a round-trip of around 113 kilometres. The starting point, Balingup is a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Perth which heads south along National Route 1/State Route 2 eventually turning away from the coast and heading inland. At Balingup, a pretty, rural town surrounded by hills and fields dotted with olive groves and vineyards the start of this great scenic drive is signposted and the Balingup-Nannup road is joined. This winding road leads visitors on a pastoral journey through plantations of pine trees, wide expanses of open farmland and natural forests along the beautiful Blackwood River valley. The nineteenth-century agricultural and timber-milling town of Nannup still possesses an old-world charm and is the starting point for a number of scenic walking trails. Twenty kilometres along the scenic Brockman Highway from Nannup to Bridgetown, Bridgetown Jarrah Park is a delightful spot to stop and stroll along walking tracks through magnificent woods. In spring, the park is carpeted with multi-coloured wildflowers and for those who’ve packed a tent into their hire car, overnight camping is available. Bridgetown itself gained official “Historic Town” status from the National Trust of Australia in 2000 and is charming and cultural town with a rich heritage of fine old buildings which rewards exploration.
Coolgardie to Laverton: the goldfields of Western Australia
This is not merely one of the greatest great scenic drives in Western Australia; it is also a true adventure through the history, landmarks and natural beauty of this iconic gold-producing region at the very heart of Western Australia. This remarkable 965-kilometre scenic drive, which should be given at least three to five days, begins at the historic and well-preserved gold-rush town of Coolgardie and winds its way through many highlights including the ephemeral salt lake, Lake Ballard, where a number of Anthony Gormley statues rise eerily from the lake bed; the impressive and man-made Niagara Dam; the unique and quaint Outback town of Kookynie and the gold-mining ghost-towns of Gwalia and Leonara where visitors can still try their luck at a spot of prospecting or explore the fascinating cemeteries which were the final resting places of the original gold prospectors. Typically ending at the welcoming, culturally and historically rich town of Laverton, this great scenic drive through one of the world’s most famous areas of gold production encompasses ever-changing landscapes of wildflower fields and outback scrubland, eucalyptus forests, lakes and rivers, and offers wonderful opportunities to spot the wildlife that occupies these varied habitats. Known as the Golden Quest Discovery Trail, this great scenic drive in Western Australia is, by itself, reason enough to hire a car in Western Australia and hit the road to experience the adventure of a lifetime.
