September school holidays. A perfect time to head down under.
Why is it a prefect time to head down under in September?
Well, September is the start of spring in Australia. The weather would be cool but not too cold, and sunny but not too hot. It would seldom rain, and you can see wildflowers starting to bloom!
During the December school holidays, it will be summer time and we already have that season in Singapore. All. Year. Round.
During the March school holidays, it will be the start of autumn, still quite warm, and rainy days will be more frequent.
During the June school holidays, it will be winter. And winter in Perth will be mostly cold and wet. It rarely snows in Perth.
So, that is why the best time to go to Perth is during the September school holidays!
Day 1
We flew with Scoot to Perth Australia.
The flight time was about 5 hours and 15 minutes. We left Singapore at about 2pm and reached Perth at about 8pm.
There is no time difference between Singapore and Perth even though they are almost 4,000 km apart. This is because they are barely 5 degrees apart from a longitudinal perspective. To understand that better, let's just say it is because science and geography.
We booked a room at Crowne Plaza Hotel, a 20-minute taxi ride away from Perth Airport. It has a good location, with a big field and a playground right outside, with a clear view of the Swan River. The room is clean and comfy. And the hotel staff are really friendly!
We had a little walk around the area and found a couple of convenient stores nearby. Then we had an early night.
Day 2
We rented a car from Bayswater Hire Cars. It is located right behind our hotel.
Car rental is also available at the airport, and it will be more convenient. However, car rent shops in the city are cheaper.
Road trip to Cervantes
We were headed to have lunch at the Lobster Shack in Cervantes.
Along the way, we saw the clouds against the blue skies, and the wildflowers bloom.
It was about a 2-hour drive from our hotel. We set out at 10am and reached there very, very hungry!
Finally, we arrived at the Lobster Shack! Lobster and seafood were awesome!
After we had our lunch, we headed outside to see a lovely view of the beach.
The Lobster Shack also provides a close up encounter with the Western Rock Lobster. Visitors can board their fishing vessel, to experience a day in the life of lobster fishermen. You can also see how the lobsters are processed in the factory and packaged up to be sent live to destinations all over the world.
Our planned next stop was the Lancelin Sand Dunes. However, unfortunately, when we reached there, it started to rain very heavily.
We were so disappointed, especially the kids. They were so excited to play in the giant sand pit, and also try the sand-boarding! Well, maybe next time!
Next stop. The Pinnacles
The Pinnacles Dessert is located at Nambung National Park. Fortunately, when we arrived there, the heavy rain has stopped. The view was simply breathtaking! It surely made up for the disappointment we felt after missing out on the Lancelin Sand Dunes.
Day 3
Check-out from Crowne Plaza Perth
We spent time playing and running at the big field and playground at Langley Park, which is right in front of the hotel. The weather was awesome, beautiful blue skies with little white clouds!
The Blue Boat House
Before we headed out on our long road trip, we made a pit stop at one of the most famous photo-spot in Perth! The famous blue boat house!
There really wasn't anything much around the area. Literally it was just the jetty and the boat house. Plus a queue of people waiting to get their photos taken with the iconic landmark. Not much of an activity really. Just a pit stop along the road if you have time.
Road trip to Margaret River
It takes about a 3 to 4 hours to drive to Margaret River from Perth City Centre.
We will be staying there for the remainder of our trip. The lovely spring backdrop accompanied us along the drive. We even spotted a rainbow!
Margaret River Resort
We reached our destination! It is a huge place! A loft apartment with 3 bedrooms, a living room, a dining room, a kitchen, a parking space, and a balcony. The kids were so excited! They asked why our house wasn't as big as that! And they asked if we could buy a house like that in Singapore. Well, we just told them that we hope when they grow up, one day they might be able to afford a house like that in Singapore, because we have already grown up, and we couldn't afford it!
The town of Margaret River
We explored the town a little bit. There were shops, restaurants and supermarkets near our apartment. We did a little shopping and bought frozen dinner from Coles Supermarket, and had dinner in our "big house".
Day 4
Hamelin Bay
Hamelin Bay is a beautiful beach which is famous for stingrays swimming by the shoreline. It is a ray sanctuary zone, and all the rays in that area are protected. During the summer, you can swim with the rays! But it was too cold for a swim when we were there, so we just watched them swim with the waves. We also climbed up the cliff side to catch a better view of the beach.
Jewel Cave
Jewel Cave is one of the biggest caves in Western Australia that you can visit. You can see crystal creations which took thousands of years to form.
Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse
As the tallest lighthouse on mainland Australia, Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse is a must-see attraction in Your Margaret River Region.This historic lighthouse is situated just south of Augusta, at the tip of a spectacular peninsula - where the Southern and Indian Oceans meet - the most south-westerly point of Australia.
The last ones there...
Because all the friendly staff said their goodbyes to us while we were taking some photos at the carpark, and they all left for the day. That was when we realised we were the only ones at that moment in time at the most south-westerly point of Australia!
Day 5
Fun at the farms!
There are many farms to visit at Margaret River. We went to the Wonky Windmill Farm and Eco Park. We got to see, feed and even touch farm animals. It was very interesting for city kids from Singapore to experience life at the farm.
Vegetarian lunch!
We had lunch at the farm! Bread and crackers with olives, and pumpkin soup. All homegrown in the farm! We couldn't believe a vegetarian meal could fill us up! It was delicious and filling!
Fruits picking!
We picked fruits, kids had a chance to pick the low-hanging fruits themselves. And we were served the fresh fruits right there at the farm! Refreshing!
Fun activities for kids!
There is a big sand pit with many sand toys to keep the kids busy. Also a big field area where they can play football or just run around. We spent quite some time there, just hanging out and playing. It was a great experience for the whole family!
Chocolate shopping!
The Margaret River Chocolate Co. offers some of the best chocolate products in Australia! So many choices, great for souvenirs to bring back home!
Day 6
The Bird Park
Eagle Heritage. Up close and personal with birds of prey! Very informative presentation of these beautiful native birds! Worth a visit!
Maze, puzzles and games!
You can have lunch while trying to figure out how to solve puzzles!
The maze
There were 4 towers at the corners of the maze. The aim of the game is to go up to all 4 towers. It wasn't an easy feat! We got stuck multiple times! But we made it all the way through the 4 towers, albeit much slower than we expected!
Outdoor play area
Nature playground. After completing the maze, we played at the big garden with huge tree branches and roots. Great activity to try to go around not stepping on the ground!
Day 7
Road trip from Margaret River to Fremantle
It was about a 3 hour drive.
It was lunch time when we arrived. We were hungry! And we saw West Australia's No 1 Fish 'N' Chips! So we had to try it! The restaurant had a long big fish tank, with some of the live sea creatures on display.
Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour
The beach. A lovely place for long walks and maybe even a swim (if its not too cold). Very chill and relax vibe. We actually just chilled and relaxed here for the end of our trip!
It was time to go back to Perth City Centre, a 40-minute drive from Fremantle, to return the car, and get a taxi to the airport.
Goodbye, Perth! You have been wonderful!