Perth Holiday - Any Suggestions/Advice/Tips?

Dear all,
I am bringing my family to perth on 1 aug till 5 aug. Have booked Mountsbay Waters, c/i 1 aug and c/o 4 Aug. Plan to have a night of farm stay in swan valley area. Any recommendation?
 


Hi Mike,

U can try The River Retreat. It's v. serene & tranquil place, coz SV itself is countryside & also a wine producing region, so almost all accomodations there are similar in nature.

They have 2, 3 & 4 bedroom cottages to suit individual needs, so ideal for couples to families. The cottages are simple but nice & equipped with all amenities & neccessities. It has a fully equipped kitchen too so u can cook if u do not like dining out. There's also a children's playground, swimming pool, a swing under a tree & a few farm animals like horse, pigs, sheeps & chickens where ur kid can have a chance to feed them on request. There's also night time entertainment & performance shows like Didge After Dark, Ripping Yarns & the new Outback show, all of which are great entertainment programmes for the whole family.

If u're keen, can visit their website at www.theriverretreat.com.au to find out more. Hope this helps!
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Hi,

I am bring my daughter 26 months to perth! Actually i am quite worried about the flight! It's our first family trip. Don't know how to entertain her. We will be there for 5D 4N in late Aug. Will it be very cold?

As it will be winter alot of things will be closed
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We have booked a hotel near Hay street, should be convenient right? Any good petting zoos we can visit? Should take taxi or rent a car? Any other places that are children friendly? Sorry for all these questions.

Will really appreciate any help. Thanx!
 
Hi Smurferoos,

U can bring 1 or 2 of her favorite toys onboard the plane to keep her occupied. If u're flying by SQ, u can also ask for the kid's activity pack from the flight attendant(if they do not give out to u). It contains some drawing pads, coloring books & pencils, soft toys..etc to entertain children, so will be handy to keep them occupied for awhile =)

Weather in late Aug will be cooling cos it's springtime, so no worries. Temp ranges bet 18-21 degrees (plus & minus), so just dress in layers & bring along jackets/windbreakers when u're going out in case of chill factor. Springtime is also a gd time to catch the beautiful wild flowers in bloom. And u can see them right at the heart of King's Park
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Will u be going to Swan Valley? If so, u can visit Caversham Wildlife Park. It's a great place for kids to get up close & personal with different farm animals & different species of wildlife, like kangaroos, koalas, horses, cows, sheeps.. etc. There, they'll have a chance to feed, hold & cuddle them. Will be a great experience.

U can also go for the The Swan Valley Wagon Trial & join in the different varieties of half/full day tours for an adventure ride onboard horse wagons. Will be a different experience for the family.

Further down from Perth, u can also visit fruit orchards like Raeburn Orchard at Armadale for a free & easy tour on ur own. There, u can get a chance to see the workers harvesting the fruits in season, like apples, pears & pessimons. In addition, they also sell lovely homemade fruit ice creams & sorbets, dried fruits, nuts, preserves, local honey, Margaret River Chocolates, nougat & fruit candy..etc to pamper ur tastebuds. Or if u prefer, u & ur kids can have a go at handpicking some seasonal fruits at The Old Goldfields at Donnybrook if u're planning to travel south. Either one, it's an interesting experience for both adults & children alike.

For some fun out at sea, u can bring ur kid for the Dolphin Watch/Swim Tour at Rockingham (just 35 mins drive from Perth), where they'll get to see & interact with wild bottlenose dolphins. My gal had a great time there. In adittion, u'll also hv a chance get a chance to try some tasty rare black mussels onboard too.

Further down at Busselton, there's also the famous Busselton Jetty which extends 2km out into the Indian Ocean. Walking on, it leads u to an underwater observatory at the end where u get to see different species of marine life deep down in the sea below. If u find walking tiring, just hop onboard the jetty train for a cool & relaxing ride out. Kids will love it too!

Last but not least, there's also a Tumbulgum Farm located at Mundijong, just 40 mins drive from Perth. There's plenty of activities u can do there..like watching & participating in sheep shearing, milking cow, hayride, tasting traditional billy tea, BBQ lunch.. etc. Also an interesting place to be for the whole family.

To find out more abt these places, u can visit their websites at:

1) Caversham Wildlife Park- www.cavershamwildlife.com.au
2) Swan Valley Wagon Trial - www.swanvalleywa.com
3) Old GoldFields - www.oldgoldfields.com.au
4) Raeburn Orchard - www.visitarmadale.com.au/orchards.php
5) Rockingham Dolphins - www.dolphins.com.au
6) Busselton Jetty - www.busseltonjetty.com.au
7) Tumbulgum Farm - www.tumbulgumfarm.com.au

Lastly, if u need any further info abt other places or attractions, can always visit www.westernaustralia.com. There's also distance charts & an online interactive map to help u plan out ur routes in advance, so v. useful!

Hope this helps!
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Oh yes, self-drive is still the best way explore Oz cos it's more interesting & relaxing, especially with a kid u can go at ur own pace & time at ur own convenience, without having to worry abt waiting for cabs (not cheap either) or rushing/missing the next train/bus & having to squeeze with the crowd at times, esp. during peak hrs. With a car, ur kid can also rest/take a nap when she's tired at her own comfort & u can also stop for any emergency toilet break when there's a need.

Also, when you self drive, you can stop at the many scenic look-outs as & when u like, take a few photos of the place there as the views can be really awesome. U can also go venture to places which are off the beaten track and less touristy, all at ur own pace & time. Overall, self-drive is definitely more enjoyable
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Dear Claerwen,

Thank you so much for your tip. I really want to go for the dolphin watch, but i think they are close as it is winter time
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Actually plan to go penguin island as well as the theme park, but all close...but thanx to your tips, i have more things to do now.....now i am worried that i don't have enough time
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hahaha...btw, any good factory outlet there other than habourtown?

You really know perth so well!! I am impressed! We are not taking SQ as they are fully booked!! So we have to go by qantas...sigh....

Yeah, we will be driving round, but to get around in the city area, i think walk or the free bus system can do right?

Thanx again...
 
Hi Smurferoos,
Which exact date are u going? The Dolphin Watch Tour starts from 1 Sep, so if u're still there by then.. u can still go for it. In fact, late Aug is v. close to springtime which starts in Sep.. so u can say it's already the beginning. And most parks & attractions will be opened by then
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Harbourtown is the only factory outlet complex in Perth & u shldn't miss it if u're into designer brands & planning for some heavy duty shopping, cos prices there can be slashed up to 70%, some even 90% for some brands so u can get really gd bargains. Outside of Perth city, there're also individual factory outlet shops in the suburb of Osborne Park, usually DFO's. So if hv time, can also pop to hv a look.

And yes, the city itself can be explored on foot so it saves u the hassle of driving ard looking for parking space, which can be difficult at times, esp. in the city centre where's it's v. crowded. If u're tired of walking, u can also take their free transport CAT bus to travel ard, v. convenient =)

Btw, if u're going to Swan Valley.. do not miss out places like The Margaret River Chocolate Factory if u're a chocolate lover, Oggies Ice Cream cafe - where they sell delicious hand-made ice-cream & also, Edgecombe Bros- for their wines & unique home-made jams & marmalades & spices..etc. Oh yes, u must try their passionfruit butter jam too.. it's really unique & u can't find it elsewhere. I bought quite a few bottles bk for my family & friends & they all say it's gd. The muscat wine is also very cheap.

With so many places to see, I'm sure u're gonna have a great time there!
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Hi Claerwen,

I am leaving on the 26th Aug and will be coming back by 30th Aug, so no luck with the dolphin and the theme park! If only we go 1 week later..

but nevermind, it means more time for me!! hahaha...yes i will definitely go to harbourtown! Ok if i have time i will fo to Osborne park too
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yeah i read that the CAT system very good, ok i will take it when i am exploring around the city.

Yes will be going to swanvalley. And of cos i will go to the chocolate factory and the ice cream cafe!! WOw sounds so yummy that i want to go now!!
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And i will buy jams too
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Thanx so so much for your advice. really appreciate it alot.

Do you think it's wort driving to FRemantle?
 
Smurferoos,
No worries, just sharing what I know =)

Fremantle is abt 45-50mins drive from Perth City, it's not far. Definitely a must visit for the famous & yummy Fish & Chips @ Cicerellos. The seafood there like prawns & lobsters are also v. fresh! After a nice meal, u can also pop by the nearby E-shed & Fremantle markets to get some souvenirs bk. They have quite a variety of stores there selling products like T-shirts, local artwork, honey, macadamias & nougats..etc
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Hi Claerwen,

Is it faster to take a ship to fremantle instead of a car? I am staying at Sheraton hotel, is the location good?

I am sorry to be asking so many questions.
 
Hi Smurferoos,
Sorry for the late reply. Me just came back from my Cameron Highlands trip on Sunday =)

Fremantle is actually a city located south of Perth, abt 45 mins drive away so it's v. near. It's not an island by itself so u can't take a ferry there.. unless u're going to Rottnest Island, then u'll have to take a ferry over from Fremantle
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Sheraton Hotel is located near the Swan River, abt 10mins walk to the city centre. Views wld be better there & it's also not as congested as compared to staying in the city centre. Getting out of the city will also be faster since it's nearer to the highways. But of cos, it's not as convenient as staying right at the heart of the city where shopping & dining is just ard the corner, with minimal walking. It also saves u the hassle of driving ard & looking for a parking space cos it can be quite difficult to get one since it's usually quite crowded.
 
Hi Claerwen,

Thank you so much for your advice, I think I will take a cab there, should be faster.

Yeah I am still thinking of the hotel, any good hotel to recommend?

So how's your trip to Cameron? Did you bring your kids along? Was it fun?
 
Hi Smurferoos,
U can consider Mont Clare Apt at Hay St. It's located right at the city centre & close to all shopping & dining outlets. There's also a 24x7 supermarket called Carlton Fresh ard the corner from the apartment, just 5mins walk away so v. convenient. They sell fresh meats & veges there too so will be good if u intend to do some cooking.

Aaron All Suites @ Victoria Ave is also another gd choice. But I think the parking slots shld hv been fully booked by now cos they hv only abt 3-4 slots for in-house guests. Usually, u hv to prebook it at least 2-3mths before ur trip in order to secure a slot. So if u hv a car, u might hv to park it elsewhere which is more cumbersome. But if u're still keen, u can still email & chk with them though, just in case =)

Yup, brought my gal & my parents along too. Overall, was a very enjoyable trip. CH is a v. beautiful & relaxing place. Nice cool climate & v. fresh air up in the highlands. Visited the tea plantations, waterfalls, vege & fruit farms there, as well a chance to pick some fresh yummy strawberries back home.. so was a really great experience. The food there was also nice & v. cheap. Wld definitely go back there again
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Wat abt u? Hv u been to CH b4?
 
Hi claerwen,

Thanx for all the info, we are not looking at an apartment, cos i don't intend to cook at all...very lazy hor, cos my daughter already 2 years plus so will feed her outside food...

I think i will stick to Sheraton, cos they will give me a higer floor room and it is part of the family package. so ok lor, I will only drive for 1 day, so it's ok...

CH, really so nice, ok maybe my next trip, so you parents went with you, so nice, you can have some couple time too i guess....nope i haven't been to CH, but given your strong recommendation, maybe i will.

ANyway i will be leaving next sun, when i get back i will tell you more about it.

Thanx so much for all the information...
 
Dophina,
The power points are standard across Oz. It's either a slanted 2 or 3 pin plug. For this, u can just purchase a travel universal adaptor from any hardware store. If u need to use more than 1 power point simultaneously, u can just get a 3-way power plug & connect it to the universal adaptor
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Dophina,
The power points are standard across Oz. It's either a slanted 2 or 3 pin plug. For this, u can just purchase a travel universal adaptor from any hardware store. If u need to use more than 1 power point simultaneously, u can just get a 3-way power plug & connect it to the universal adaptor
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hi claerwen and other girls who have provided valuable infor for my Perth Trip,
Thanks for all yr help and advices. I am back Spore and truly enjoyed my trip.
But is really siong to bring a toddler along.
Thanks Again
 
Oscar,

Glad to hear that you enjoy your trip. How is the weather over Perth?

I'm looking forward to my trip in September. Counting down now...
 
Dophina,
No prob. Hva great trip ya!
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Oscar,
Glad u enjoyed ur trip
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Yup bringing a kid along is never easy, esp. an active toddler. But it's definitely a great family getaway & it's also a gd experience cos u learn from this so will be more prepared for future trips & know how to handle them =)
 
Hello to all,

I am planning my perth trip now for Oct, will be going with hubby and 2 year old son.

We intend to drive to Margaret River and possibly drive to Albany. Anyone has done that? Any insight of attractions not to be missed along this road trip?

Also, have anyone goes to Monkey Mia?

Cheers!
 
Just to share,

For those traveling to Perth, the W.A Perth Museum in the city is a must to see!! There are many interesting things inside, and entry is by donation ($2).
 
Hi Vanessa,

The drive down from MR to Albany is a long but beautiful one. Walpole, Denmark & Albany regions all offer incredible hinterland & coastal sceneries & they each have their own unique attractions worth a visit if u have more time to spare. Some places u can visit along this journey incl. Valley of the Giants Tree Top walk at Walpole, Denmark's William Bay, Lavendar & Berry Farm in Pemberton as well as the Windfarm in Albany. The sceneries along the coastline there is really awesome!
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Hi Claerwen,

Thanx for all your advice, i just came back from perth!
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The weather is really quite cold and there is drizzle practically everyday, but still my family and i enjoy the trip very much! Lucky for me, my daughter slept 1.5-2 hours on the plane, so it was quite ok to entertain her!

But she fell sick on the 3rd day, so we were stuck in the hotel room, and she doesn't really like the food there too, but she simply adore the Cavasham Wildlife park! She can't stop feeding and playing with the kangeroo!The people there were very friendly too, they open up some of the cage that house koala bear just for us to pet and photograph, in addition, one of them even send us to the chocolate factory( we didn't drive). So it is a must go for parents who are bringing kids who love animals
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Thanx again Claerwen for all your advice, perth is really a very child friendly place and suitable for family fun! Thanx!!
 
Hi Smurferoos,
Welcome back! Glad to hear u've enjoyed ur trip! Hope ur gal is ok now. And dun say tt ya, I'm only sharing what I know
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Yup, Caversham is definitely a great place to be for kids. It's just like a big animal playground for them. My gal had a great time there too.. feeding & playing with the kangaroos, the different farm animals & also taking photos with the koalas, wombats & a chance to pet & cuddle them. Was a really great experience. She even wanted to bring them home haha.

So where else did u go besides Caversham? Did u visit Fremantle too?
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Hi,

As my daughter was sick, we were confined to the hotel room for 1 whole day, so we have to cancel our plans for Fremantle...sigh...

We went to the chocolate factory and some wineries, harbour town (great shopping), swanbell towers, king's park and of cos perth city and northbridge. That's about it, very lousy hor....most of the time we are looking for food to feed my daughter. maybe it's my first trip overseas with my daughter, so i more kan cheong and not so relax, hopefully our next trip i will relax more....

thinking of going to HK for my next trip...
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Smurferoos,

Ya, usually 1st overseas trip with kids u wun know what to expect so bound to hv some hiccups here & there. But at least u learn from this experience & will be more prepared for future trips. It's also a good thing
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Going to bring my gal to perth this end sept. will like to know if a car seat is a must driving in perth? my gal will be ard 15mths when we go there. But she doesnt like to sit in the car seat even in SG. so was wondering if the laws are strict and necessary to lug the car seat there.
 
Mezzo17,

Yes, carseat is a must. You can rent a carseat from the car rental.. Pretty cheap price. We rented one for $20plus AUD for 1 wk.
 
Hidora,
thks for the info. Guess no choice i have to lug my carseat there then. Am renting car from hertz and child car seat rental is AUD $10 per day so will cost me ard AUD $90 for 9 days of car rental so i think its more worthwhile for me to lug the car seat there.
 
Hi Mezzo,

Hertz is actually quite ex. U might wanna consider other rental firms like Budget, M2000 or Bayswater which costs only between $3-5 per day for a child safety seat. They also provide much cheaper rental rates as compared to other rental companies. For Budget, they also offer a much wider range of protection (coverage areas) at a very low rate
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Claerwen,
For the car rental companies mentioned, do they allow car pick-up from the airport? Cos upon arrival at Perth airport will drive straight down to Albany. Cos i think i enquire from Budget and they charge a fee for picking up the car from the airport.
 
Hi Claerwen,
Will be bringing my then 15mth old girl to perth, any gd place to suggest that you think we shouldnt miss? We will be self-driving to Albany, staying over at margret river and back to perth city over 9 days. Do you think this is abit ambitious with my little one?
 
Mezzo,

Yup, Budget do allow pick-up & drop-off from the airport, so it's hassle free. Generally, all rental companies will charge a minimum fee for all pick-up & drop-off at the airport cos they still need to deliver the car back to their main branch upon return, so there's definitely an admin fee involved
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As for places to visit in Perth, I've actually listed quite a few above & also in previous posts arhived May 4 & Jul 4, so just scroll up further & chk them out =)

As for travelling south, as long as u plan out ur itinerary well & ensure u make logical stops along the way, there's no issue at all. It all depends on how much time u have & what u planned to do & see. Denmark, Walpole, MR & Albany regions all offer incredible hinterland & coastal sceneries & they each have their own unique attractions worth a visit if u have more time to spare. So if u like nature & scenery walks, u can prob plan some time to stay over at these places. Otherwise, just prob. concentrate on Perth & Fremantle regions & then plan another trip to the southwest another time. Afterall, Oz is a big place with lotsa things to see & do.. so it's not possible to take in everything in one trip unless u have a long holiday.. so really have to be selective
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Hi,

I'm back from my trip. Thanks for all the information provided as I managed to visit all the places which I have listed out on my previous post and even visited some of the places that I did not plan to.
 
Hi Dophina

Wow , u managed to visit all the places you planned.... amazing!!

Trust you had a good time. Any recommendation of food or anything to share with us.

I hv booked all my accomodation. Will hv to book my car soon... the promotion now is still for rental till 31 oct. I am gg 3rd week Nov.
 
Thanks Gapple.

I wouldn't be able to recommend any food as we cooked almost every meals or just eat bread for breakfast.

If you are going to Swan Valley, I would recommend you to buy nougats from Mondo Nougat Factory and you can find Windarra Honey at 5 George Street, West Swan which is rather near Swan Valley Margaret River Chocolate Factory. Passionfruit Butter Jam from Edgecombe Bros but must keep in fridge, so I did not buy back home. Just have it there for breakfast.

Did not manage to see any dophin at Bunbury Dophin Discovery Centre even though I make two trips down. Can try your luck if you are going.
 
Gapple,

Dun worry, the Passionfruit Butter Jam will not spoil during ur trip back to Singapore. It can actually last quite a few hrs outside the fridge in cool weather. So just pack & cushion them well & store into ur check-in luggage. The cold temperature onboard the plane will keep them fresh. When u reach home, just put them back in the fridge. We actually bought a few bottles home for our friends & relatives & they all like it alot cos of the unique taste. A friend of mine even went to purchase a few more bottles bk during her trip there later
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As for Dolphins, u might wanna chkout the Rockingham Dolphin Watch Tour I've told u abt. We saw quite a few of them during the 2hrs tour & a few of them even came up to interact with us. Was really an experience, esp. for my gal. If u hv more time to spare, u can even join their Penguin & Sealion tour
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As for food, if u're visiting Fremantle, u hv to try the famous & yummy Fish & Chips @ Cicerellos. The seafood there like prawns, calamaris & lobsters are extremely fresh too!

At Swan Valley, besides Egdecombe Bros & the Nougat Factory, there's also an Oggies Ice Cream cafe, where they sell delicious hand-made ice-cream. They have quite a few exotic flavors to choose from & they all taste good too. Also, the Margaret River Chocolate Factory is a must visit too if u're a chocolate lover.

In Perth, there's actually quite a few restaurants in Northbridge with a good mix of international cuisine. If u're sick of western food & like to eat duck, u can prob try out Good Fortune Roast Duck House along William St (next to a Auto Master Carpk). We're not duck fans ourselves but a lot of my frens who likes duck told me it's really gd & a must-try if u're there.

At Murray St, there's a Miss Maud Hotel which serves delicious buffet breakfast, lunch & dinner as well a wide range of cakes & pastries (www.missmaud.com.au). There's also a Pier 70 restaurant cum cafe at Aarons Hotel on Pier St which serves delicious meals at affordable prices. And if u're looking for a quick & cheap meal, there's a cafe along Victoria Ave just beside Aaron All Suites Hotel (where we stayed) which serves fully cooked breakfast & many other snacks like sandwiches & drinks.

Hope it helps!
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Claerwen,

I really love the passionfruit jam but I did not buy it back to S'pore becos Swan Valley is my first stop. At least I bought a bottle to share with my friends for breakfast the next day. I also bought some jams from Cape Lavender in Margaret River which has lavender in it.

Oggies Ice Cream is very delicious but serving is big if you order it with waffles, so I had it as lunch.

Gapple, have you planned your itinerary? May I know which part of WA are you going? I'm planning to visit WA again next year and this time I will go down Albany.
 
The agent finally issued airtickets for us for our Perth trip on 3nd week of Nov. Need you advice on the following:
1. We are taking qantas. Do you know if I can take the stroller all the way to the plane instead of checking in?
2. We are staying Perth Ambassador Hotel for 2 nights. Anyone stayed there before could advice if there are food outlets nearby or recommendation of activities to do at night? (I check out most shopping centres close at 5pm)
3. What time is usually sunset?
4. Anyone knows if it is worthwhile to go to Kings Park after 5pm? Any activities?
5. We will be driving south to Margaret river, thus intend to go for Dolphin watch in Bunbury but not swim with Dolphin as son is only 2 yr old. Must we make reservation in advance?

Cheers!
 
Dophina,

Yup, the serving is bigger but it's standard Aussie size. We ordered the cup ones instead cos serving is slightly smaller. For lunch, we had pasta & sandwiches. Actually, food portion in Oz & US are generally larger cos they're catering to the local appetite. Just like the Fish & chips there. The serving of the fries are usually larger than the fish itself..
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hi mommies,

could i ask if you have any recommendations for accomodation in margaret river? will need to stay there for 4 days with 2 toddlers and a quick scan of MR seems so daunting because there's just so many accomodaion!!

MTIA

harriet
 
Hi Dophina, Claerwen, Thank you so much for the info.

Dophina, I am gg south to albany.
Day 1 - Perth
Day 2 - Albany
Day 3 & 4 - Margaret River
Day 5-7 - Perth / Fremantle


harriet - u can try Vintage accomodation. My friend highly recommended it, she say is very very clean.
http://www.vintagesmargaretriver.com.au/
 
Hi llyn,

I book a F&E package in Nov and had Goodearth Hotel Perth as the acommodation.
ANyone know how is this hotel?
 
Hi sunkids

I have stayed @ Goodearth b4..It is basic but quite clean. location-wise, it is in the middle of the city so convieninet. Are you driving? The car park is very small so sometime cannot get a place to park.
hope this helps. Enjoy ur trip!
 


hi sunnygirl,

i m not driving. it is just a short trip and inpromtu may drive. I m thinking upgrade to one bedroom and rather than the studio. Which type of room do u stay previously?
 
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