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Day 01 Arrive in Perth
Spend day shopping at Perth's famous Hay and Murray Street Malls and go wild with factory outlet shopping at Harbourtown, or check out the massive suburban malls like Westfield Carousel in Cannington or Garden City in Booragoon.
Overnight: Perth
Day 02 Perth to Swan Valley
Distance: 24KM, Approx. Travel Time: 25MIN
Drive just 20 minutes north east of Perth city along Great Eastern Highway, and you'll find yourself in the picturesque Swan Valley - Western Australia's oldest wine growing region. Follow the award-winning food and wine trail in Swan Valley. For a copy of the food and wine trail guide, contact the Swan Valley and Eastern Region Visitor Centre (Tel: +618 9379 9400 or Email: visitorcentre@swan.wa.gov.au).
Attractions include Caversham Wildlife Park, Mondo Nougat, Margaret River Chocolate Factory and Sandalford Estate where you can learn to blend your own wine label and savour it with your lunch at Sandalford Estate's 3 course lunch - included in the wine blending course.
Overnight: Perth
Day 03 Perth to Geraldton
Distance: 424KM, Approx. Travel Time: 5HR
Travel north along the Brand Highway through the historic twin towns of Dongara and Port Denison. Continue via Greenough Hamlet, a National Trust town on your way to the port City of Geraldton, also referred to as the 'crayfish capital of the world' because of its multi-million dollar lobster fishing industry. Here you'll sample some of the freshest and most succulent seafood in Western Australia. Gain first-hand insight into the lobster industry by going on a guided tour of a lobster factory (Tour operates only from November to late June).
Overnight: Geraldton
Day 04 Geraldton to Carnarvon
Distance: 478KM, Approx. Travel Time: 5.5HR
Before leaving Geraldton, be sure to visit the HMAS Sydney War Memorial, which provides panoramic views across the town to the Indian Ocean. Geraldton's most striking monument is the beautiful HMAS Sydney Memorial, which commemorates the 1941 loss of the HMAS Sydney and its 645 sailors.
Continue north to the tropical fruit town of Carnarvon, a popular holiday spot. Explore and sample the abundant mango, banana and papaya plantations and the natural spectacle of the coastal blow holes 70kms north of Carnarvon.
Overnight: Carnarvon
 Day 05 Carnarvon to Exmouth
Distance: 367KM, Approx. Travel Time: 4.5HR
Head north to Coral Bay, the southern gateway to the incredible Ningaloo Marine Park. Experience the dazzling underwater coral gardens of Ningaloo Reef just metres from the pristine white shores. Travel north to Exmouth and experience swimming with the world's largest fish, the Whale Shark (seasonal, April to June). From June to October, see humpback and southern right whales cavorting in Exmouth Gulf with their calves or on migration along the coast.
Snorkelling and diving are superb throughout the year, with one of the highlights being the Navy Pier dive. Another is a tour to an offshore reef. The weather is also ideal for relaxing seaside activities like fishing, swimming or simply basking in the golden sunshine.
Overnight: Exmouth
Day 06 Exmouth to Coral Bay
Distance: 152KM, Approx. Travel Time: 2HR
Take a boat cruise or drive through the rugged and ancient landscape of Cape Range National Park, between Exmouth and the west coast, which boasts sweeping gorges and rugged peaks and an array of wildlife and wildflowers in season. 4WD tours start at the town centre.
Coral Bay, 1,200 kilometres north of Perth, is a snorkellers' paradise, with calm, protected waters and hundreds of fish and coral species. Here, the reef spans two kilometres from the shore - an endless source of marine life. To explore deeper waters, take a glass-bottom boat trip or join a snorkelling tour. In deeper water, you're more likely to encounter dugongs, turtles, dolphins and manta rays. Between December and February you might be lucky enough to spot turtles laying their eggs on the beaches in the evening, as well as the resulting hatchlings emerging from nests.
Overnight: Coral Bay
 Day 07 Coral Bay to Monkey Mia
Distance: 564KM, Approx. Travel Time: 6HR
Head South along the Northwest Coastal Highway to the Shark Bay World Heritage Area. As you approach Shark Bay be sure to visit the stromatolites at Hamelin Pool, one of only two places on earth where living marine stromatolites exist. Take a walk along Shell Beach - a beach made up of billions of tiny shells. Further on enjoy breathtaking views from Eagle Bluff.
Overnight: Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort (www.monkeymia.com.au)
Day 08 Monkey Mia
Spend some time at the waters edge this morning where you can encounter the famous Monkey Mia dolphins. Experience more of the marine life that Shark Bay has to offer by taking a wildlife cruise on a catamaran with a local tour operator.
Visit the dolphin information centre for an interpretation of dolphin biology and behavioural patterns, and grab more information on the area's activities and attractions. The centre is open daily from 7am to 4pm, and all proceeds from visitor entry fees go to the Monkey Mia Reserve. Or go on a camel ride by the beach or unwind on a sunset cruise where you can check out the wonders of the marine park. In the evening, enjoy the vivid blaze of Monkey Mia's stunning sky with an 'astronomy' tour (www.monkeymiawildsights.com.au) along the beach and be starstruck by the millions of stars in the sky.
Overnight: Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort (www.monkeymiawildsights.com.au)
Day 09 Monkey Mia to Kalbarri
Distance: 413KM, Approx. Travel Time: 4.5HR
Continue South to the popular coastal town of Kalbarri, situated along the winding banks of the Murchison River and adjacent to the Kalbarri National Park. The Murchison River carves through the rugged gorges of the National Park providing excellent bushwalks and scenic outlooks.
Kalbarri offers breathtaking coastal cliffs and river gorges; whale watching, soft adventure options such as canoeing, abseiling, rock climbing, horse riding, and hiking are available. Pick from the selection of quaint restaurants and enjoy the twinkling stars before retiring for the night. There are many accommodation choices in Kalbarri ranging from caravan parks to beach villas.
Overnight: Kalbarri
 Day 10 Kalbarri
Head to the river for your chance to feed Kalbarri's pelicans, spend the day aboard a fishing tour or simply relax and explore the sights of this unique town and coastline.
Several lookouts are positioned around The Loop to provide different views of the winding gorge below. A key attraction is Nature's Window. Just 400 metres from the carpark, this natural rock arch superbly frames the upstream view. For those eager for adventure, the 8km Loop Walk Trail beginning and ending at Nature's Window, provides an unforgettable gorge experience. Just South of the townsite is the snorkelling paradise Blue Holes. Dozens of rock pools and swimming holes offer protected snorkelling and a beautiful array of marine life. From July to November, the Kalbarri National Park erupts into a lush Garden of Eden where nearly 800 species of wildflowers bloom.
Overnight: Kalbarri
Day 11 Kalbarri to Geraldton
Distance: 152KM, Approx. Travel Time: 2HR
Geraldton's most striking monument is the beautiful HMAS Sydney Memorial, which commemorates the 1941 loss of the HMAS Sydney and its 645 sailors in a World War II naval battle. The beautifully designed memorial features a silver dome of 645 seagulls to represent each sailor lost in the Sydney disaster.
Stroll the boardwalk of Geraldton's new Batavia Coast Marina and stop for a meal at its stylish restaurant. Take a day tour out to the Abrolhos Islands, 70km west of town, with Batavia Coast Air Charter (www.abrolhosbat.com.au); enjoy the scenic flight, dive among corals and bring home an Abrolhos Pearl (www.abrolhospearls.com.au).
Overnight: Geraldton
Day 12 Geraldton to Perth
Distance: 424KM, Approx. Travel Time: 5HR
As you depart Geraldton late morning, take the scenic coastal route Cervantes bound, stopping at the Nambung National Park to experience the mystical Pinnacles Desert, a must see stop for viewing the statuesque limestone pillars up to five metres high, rising out of the sand like ancient ruins, before making the final journey back to Perth. This drive of about 424km should take about 5 hours.
Overnight: Perth
Day 13 Perth to Fremantle
Distance: 30KM, Approx. Travel Time: 30MIN
Dig into Blue Duck's brunch spread and soak in the fresh sea breezes and panoramic view of the Indian Ocean (151 Marine Parade, Cottesloe, Tel: 618 9385 2499). Immerse yourself io the bustling atmosphere of the myriad of shops and cafés along High and South Streets. Head off to the famous Fremantle Markets for more shopping.
Dine alfresco at Cicerello's for some of the freshest seafood in town right on the water. Visit other Fremantle landmarks like the E-shed Markets, Western Australian Maritime Museum. Don't forget to try Michele's Crepe Suzette, a quaint European crepe counter in Fremantle Markets that serves up mouth-watering sweet and savoury crepes. Quell your hunger pangs and drown your thirst at Little Creatures Brewery, a casual dining spot with its own micro-brewery.
Overnight: Perth
Day 14 Perth
Scramble for some last minute shopping and bring back memories of your trip by stocking up on delicacies from The Cheesecake Shop (Shop 5, 375 Roberts Road, Subiaco, Tel: 618 9381 2737).
Depart Perth.
For more information:
www.westernaustralia.com
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