Campervan Hire Perth and Fremantle — the West Coast to Ningaloo, 2027 Guide

Perth is the most isolated big city in Australia, so a campervan trip from here is different from the east: fewer towns, longer distances and a coast you often have to yourself. Hire depots are mostly east of the centre, near the airport, and Fremantle, the port town half an hour further on, is a good place for the first night and for a day on Rottnest. There are two directions and two seasons: north in winter, south in summer.

North: the Coral Coast to Ningaloo

Perth to Exmouth is about 1,250 km one way. A return trip needs at least two weeks.

• The Pinnacles (about 200 km, two hours): limestone pillars in the desert of Nambung National Park, at their best just before sunset.
• Kalbarri (about 570 km): the Murchison River gorges, the Skywalk lookout and the Nature's Window rock arch.
• Shark Bay (about 830 km): Shell Beach, made entirely of shells, the stromatolites of Hamelin Pool and the dolphins that come to the shore at Monkey Mia.
• Coral Bay and Exmouth (1,130 and 1,250 km): Ningaloo Reef begins a few strokes from the beach. From March to July you can swim with whale sharks here.

South: Margaret River and Esperance

Margaret River is about 270 km away, three hours' drive: wineries, caves, surf beaches and the jetty at Busselton, almost two kilometres long. Further south are the giant karri forests around Pemberton and the town of Albany. Esperance is about 700 km from Perth; at Lucky Bay in Cape Le Grand National Park, kangaroos lie on the white sand. Allow seven to ten days for a loop of the south-west.

Rottnest: not with the campervan

Visitors cannot take a vehicle to Rottnest Island. The ferry from Fremantle takes about half an hour, and you get around the island by bike. It is home to the quokkas, the small marsupials most people come for.

Distances, fuel and water

• Fuel. North of Geraldton, roadhouses can be more than 200 km apart. Fill up at every one and do not count on the last quarter of the tank.
• Water. Carry several litres of drinking water per person, on top of what is in the campervan's tank.
• Night driving. Kangaroos, emus and cattle come onto the road at dusk. Many hire agreements forbid driving outside towns after dark.
• Road trains. Trucks with three trailers are more than 50 metres long. Overtake only on a long, clear straight.
• Tolls. There are no toll roads in Western Australia.

Where to stay overnight

In Perth and Fremantle you stay at holiday parks. National park campgrounds are booked online; those in Cape Range National Park near Exmouth fill up months ahead in season. Along the main roads there are signposted rest areas where you may stay for up to 24 hours. In the shires of Exmouth and Shark Bay, camping outside designated sites is fined.

When to go

Head north from April to October: the days are warm and dry and the sea is calm. In summer it is often close to 40 °C there, and cyclone season runs from November to April. The south-west is best from October to April; from August to October the wildflowers Western Australia is known for are in bloom.

A campervan in Perth through Crystalium Booker

We are still building our campervan offer in Perth and Fremantle. Send us your dates and group size through the contact page and we will look for a vehicle for you, and keep an eye on the campervans in Fremantle page for new listings. Do you hire out a campervan in or around Perth? List it with us.