Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day 13th Edition - To Parent Directory

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CHAPTER 9 . PERTH & WESTERN AUSTRALIA
EXPLORING THE STATE
VISITOR INFORMATION The Western Australian Tourism Commission
(WATC) is the official source of information on the state. Its website (www.
westernaustralia.net) provides a good overview, and you may find the Australian
Tourist Commission’s website (www.australia.com), or the Web pages of local
tourism boards (found under “Visitor Information” in each regional section of this
chapter) useful. Private company Visit WA (www.visitwa.com.au) offers an online
tour-planning service.
Also contact the Western Australia Visitor Centre in Perth, which dispenses
information about the state, and makes bookings. See section 1 of this chapter
for information. The Department of Conservation and Land Management
(CALM) has information on national and marine parks at www.calm.wa.gov.au.
WHEN TO GO Perth is blessed with long, dry summers and mild wet winters.
You will want warm gear in the Southwest winters, but temperatures rarely
hit the freezing point.
Much north of Perth, summer is hell, when temperatures can soar up to
120°F (50°C). Avoid these parts from December to March; February is worst.
Winter (June–Aug) in the mid-, northern, and inland reaches of the state is
pleasantly cool, sometimes even hot.
GETTING AROUND Before you plan a motoring tour of this state consider
the distance—it’s three times as big as Texas—and the mostly arid, flat, and
monotonous countryside. The Southwest makes pretty motoring; elsewhere, fly,
unless you want to count sheep in all those vast brown paddocks you will be
whizzing through if you drive.
If you do hit the road, remember that Western Australia is largely devoid of
people, gas stations (so keep the gas tank full), and emergency help. Road trains
and wildlife pose a road threat more so here than in any other state, so avoid
driving at night, dusk, and dawn—all prime animal feeding times. Read the
“Road Conditions & Safety” in section 17 of chapter 2 before setting off.
The Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia (RACWA), 228 Adelaide
Terrace, Perth, WA 6000 (& 13 17 03; www.aaa.asn.au), is a good source of
maps and motoring advice. For a recorded road-condition report, call Main
Roads Western Australia (& 1800/013 314 in Australia).
Skywest (& 1300/660 088 in Australia; www.skywest.com.au) is the state’s
major regional airline, with Qantas (& 13 13 13 in Australia; www.qantas.com.
au) also providing services to smaller centers.
Greyhound Pioneer (& 13 20 30 in Australia) is the only interstate coach
company serving Western Australia. It travels the highway from Adelaide over to
Perth, then up the coast to Broome and across to Darwin; it also travels the
remote inland Newman Highway calling at Outback mining towns.
The only train to Western Australia from outside the state is the Indian
Pacific , from Sydney via Adelaide and Kalgoorlie to Perth (see “Getting
Around Australia” in chapter 2). Inside the state, long-distance trains run only
in the southern third. They are operated by WAGR (& 13 10 53 in Western
Australia, or 08/9326 2000; www.wagr.wa.gov.au) from Perth to Bunbury 2 1 ⁄4
hours south of Perth, Northam an hour or so eastward in the Avon Valley, and
Kalgoorlie. WAGR also runs coach services to the Southwest and the southern
coast.
Motorhomes are not necessary as motels are plentiful, but make good sense
if you plan a long-distance tour. Australia’s biggest motorhome outfit, Britz