We started our 12 days in Western Australia with one goal: proving that “money returns, time doesn’t”. What we ended up with was a two-part holiday—the gorgeous chaos of the campervan contrasted with the structured thrill of city day trips.
The Campervan Chapter: Reality Hits Early
Our adventure began with a sharp lesson: you need to expect delays. Our scheduled 9:00 AM campervan pick-up was pushed back, and it honestly sank our ambitious plans. We had to make a tough call at Busselton: ditch the planned sunset and Observatory tour to prioritise the essential grocery run.
The biggest joy was watching the landscape change daily: taking the train ride out on the Busselton Jetty, breathing the cool air inside Ngilgi Cave, and seeing the pure delight of the kids feeding animals at Big Valley Margaret River Campsite.
The final drive on Day 6 involved one last stop: we squeezed in our planned Vasse Felix winery visit just before starting the long 3.5 to 4-hour haul back to Perth.
The Perth Sprint: High Drama and Essential Wisdom
Days 7 through 12 were a high-energy sprint from our Perth base.
Our Day 7 focused solely on the pick-you-own strawberry farm. Later, the vintage train ride we planned at Whiteman Park wasn’t operating, but turns out, the vintage tram ride was a brilliant substitute!
Rottnest Island was pure adrenaline. I’ll be honest—there was serious drama. We missed both our outbound AND return ferries, but the relief when we caught the next one was immense! Be prepared: the bumpy ferry ride required attention. For parents, the hop on and off buses were a total game-changer for exploring the island with young children.
Our trip finished with final errands. We drove past the Blue Boat House and the Containbow, realising we didn’t need to stop for photos.
Our final piece of wisdom?
If you need a tax refund, the counter is after you clear immigration at the airport so do factor in time needed to clear immigrations.