28th Dec – Wife arrives in Perth
Day 1 = Sun Rise at Kings Park, Lunch at Hillarys Boat Harbour – heaps to choose from
Day 2 = Lunch at Fishermans Harbour Fremantle Mews Road– Cicerello's, Kailis, Joe’s Fish Shack, CharChar Bull, there is heaps to choose from there
30 Dec – Depart Perth
Pth to Dongara / Port Denison – Via Indian Ocean Drive (Wanneroo Rd) 351Kms north of Pth
You have Lancelin, Cervantes, Jurien Bay, Green Head, Leeman all nice coastal towns worth a look at with great Fish and Chip Shops
Dinner at “The Priory” at Pt Denison / Dongara – great feed, and cheap as well & a visit to the Bakery a must, then on to Geraldton
Or
Pth – Dongara / Port Denison & Geraldton Via Brand Hwy – not much, apart from 1/2way Mill House – Warradarge you have to drive through Dongara to get the rest of the way to Gerro
30th 31st Dec – Geraldton 2 nights
Sun set from the HMAS Sydney II Memorial is a must, plenty of good food places, some more $$ than others
Stop at Port Gregory or Kalbarri on the way north
Also swing into Shark Bay – Denham (Monkey Mia – for the Dolphin Feeding) Hamlin Pool for the Stromatolites, Shell Beach, just for a look see
1st 2nd Jan – Carnarvon 2 nights
Carnarvon Space Museum, Morel’s Orchard for fresh fruit & Veggies, fresh (frozen) Seafood on Binning Rd – Seafood Plant
Great Feed at “The Gascoyne” on Olivia Tce as well as “The Gateway Motel” on the main drag
3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th Road to Port Headland
(20mins, and you have seen Pt Hedland, apart from B I G ships, not much else (oh and Iron Ore…….))
The Esplanade used to do a great feed
I would suggest stopping in at Coral Bay, Exmouth, Karratha, Dampier (lock car doors going through Chrystal Palace – Roebourne) on your way to Pt Hedland
7th, 8th 9th 10th, 11th, 12th,Road to Newman
Instead of driving back down Gt Northern Hwy to go to Newman, I would suggest
Marble Bar (2hrs from Pt Hedland) then Nullagine (another 2 hrs)then on to Newman (another 2 hrs)
Then head for Auski Roadhouse (tourist Village) on the edge of Karijini National Park (2 hrs)
Then head back (2hrs) to Newman, then on to Meekatharra (4.5hrs from Newman)
But you have Kumarina & Capricorn Roadhouses for stops…………
Meeka to Mt Magnet is 2hrs, but you can stop in Cue, as well as Lake Austin
Mt Magnet to Wubin – 3.5hrs, not much in Wubin, but plenty to see historically on the way
Wubin to New Norcia – 1.5hrs, you can stop in Dalwallinu for a look see
New Norcia has a lot of history there, and a freaking great Pub for a Monastery Town
Then your only 1.5/2hrs from Perth………….
14th 15th to Margaret River
Perth to Margs is only about 3 & bit hours, but you can stop at Bunbury if you want (why I don’t know, but its interesting)
Busselton, Dunsborough, Yallingup & Gracetown are nice
If you go that way, you will travel on Caves Rd – awesome drive it is
In between Cowaramup & Margs is the Chocolate Factory, and the Cheese Factory – yummo
On the other side of Margs, on cnr Rosa Brook Rd is the Yahava Coffee factory
16th 17th Margs to Albany – my pick would be Margs, Nannup, Manjimup, Pemberton, Walpole, Denmark then Albany, very scenic, very pretty country side
From Albany I would then head to Hyden (Wave Rock) (4hrs) then on to Esperance (4hrs) but stop in Ravensthorpe – nice café there
Esperance to Kal is about 4.5 hrs, but then you have to turn around and head back to Norseman to head east……..
but I would also go to Coolgardie while you were there, lots to see believe it or not
As you can see, my stomach guides me on where to stop