4 Days Perth to Esperance via Hopetoun Itinerary

🗓️ Day 3: Esperance + Cape Le Grand National Park

• Distance: ~100–130 km (return trip)

• Overnight: 🛏️ Esperance

✅ Things to See & Do

Location

Activity

• Great Ocean Drive Loop

  Stop at Twilight Beach, Blue Haven, Rotary Lookout

• Cape Le Grand NP

  Visit Lucky Bay (kangaroos on the beach!)

• Hellfire Bay & Thistle Cove

  Picnic or swim

• Frenchman Peak Hike

  Optional short hike

• Esperance

  Relax, dine, or check out local shops

⛽ Fuel Stops

• Top-up in Esperance ⛽

🚻 Toilet Stops

• Lucky Bay & Hellfire Bay Campgrounds 🚻

• Twilight Beach 🚻

• Esperance Waterfront 🚻

☀️ 4 Days Perth to Esperance Road Trip

Here is your Perth to Esperance 4-Day Return Road Trip Itinerary including:

✅ Things to see and do
⛽ Fuel stops
🚻 Public toilets
🛏️ 1 night in Hopetoun
🗓️ Perfect for families or self-drive explorers

🚗 Overview

• Trip Duration: 4 Days / 3 Nights

• Total Distance: ~1,450 km round trip

• Drive Type: 2WD-friendly

• Best Time to Go: Sept–April (spring wildflowers, summer beaches)

🗓️ Day 1: Perth → Hyden → Hopetoun

• Distance: ~540 km (6.5–7 hrs driving)

• Overnight: 🛏️ Hopetoun

🔁 Route:

Perth → Brookton → Corrigin → Hyden → Lake King → Ravensthorpe → Hopetoun

✅ Things to See & Do

Stop

Activity

• Brookton

  Morning coffee stop, heritage architecture walk

• Corrigin

  Dog Cemetery (quirky roadside stop)

• Hyden

  Visit Wave Rock, Hippo’s Yawn, Mulka’s Cave (rock art)

• Lake King

  Scenic salt lakes (quick photo stop)

• Ravensthorpe

  Yummylicious Candy Shack

• Hopetoun

  Sunset walk along the foreshore or at Barrens Beach

⛽ Fuel Stops

• Perth (start full)

• Brookton Roadhouse ⛽

• Hyden IGA/Liberty Fuel ⛽

• Lake King General Store ⛽

• Ravensthorpe BP ⛽

• Hopetoun Ampol ⛽

🚻 Toilet Stops

• Brookton Rest Stop / Roadhouse 🚻

• Corrigin Public Toilets (near town centre) 🚻

• Hyden Wave Rock Parking Area 🚻

• Lake King Rest Area 🚻

• Hopetoun Foreshore Public Toilets 🚻

🗓️ Day 2: Hopetoun → Fitzgerald River NP → Esperance

• Distance: ~270 km (via Hamersley Drive and South Coast Highway)

• Overnight: 🛏️ Esperance

✅ Things to See & Do

Stop

Activity

• Hamersley Drive

  Scenic drive into Fitzgerald River National Park

• Barrens Beach

  Quiet, clean beach with cliffs

• East Mt Barren

  Short but rewarding hike with ocean views

• Four Mile Beach

  Picnic and relax

• Ravensthorpe (optional)

  Lunch stop or museum visit

• Esperance

  Walk Tanker Jetty, dine at Taylor St Quarters

⛽ Fuel Stops

• Hopetoun Ampol ⛽

• Ravensthorpe BP (optional) ⛽

• Esperance (multiple options) ⛽

🚻 Toilet Stops

• Fitzgerald River NP Day Use Areas 🚻

• Ravensthorpe Visitor Centre 🚻

• Esperance Waterfront Toilets (Taylor St Jetty) 🚻

🌐 Book with These Trusted Travel Links

🛫 Flights & Transport

• Cheap Flights

• Expedia Flights

• 12Go Transport

• DiscoverCars Rental

• RentalCars

🏨 Stays

• Booking.com

• Agoda

• Hostelworld

🎟️ Attractions & Tours

• KL City Tours

• Theme Park Tickets

• Cultural Tours

📱 eSIM & Insurance

• Airalo eSIM

• Travel Insurance

• Nomad Medical – SafetyWing

🔐 VPN & Privacy

• Surfshark VPN

• Incogni – Protect Your Data

🎥 Follow Us on YouTube

👉 Family Awara

Visit: www.awaraglobal.com for more free guides!

🛑 Disclaimer

Some links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!

Enjoy Your Trip!

Powered by Awara Global – Next Level Adventures

© All rights reserved @ Awara Global

🗓️ Day 4: Esperance to Perth via Tin Horse Highway

Distance: ~750 km
Driving Time: ~8.5 hours
Recommended Overnight Stop (Optional): Kulin or Hyden

🛣️ Route Overview:

Esperance → Ravensthorpe → Lake Grace → Kulin (Tin Horse Highway) → Hyden (Wave Rock Optional) → Corrigin → Brookton → Perth

🧭 Key Highlights

• 🐴 Tin Horse Highway – A stretch of road with hilarious life-size horse sculptures made by locals.

• 🌊 Wave Rock (optional detour from Kulin via Hyden)

• 🧂 Lake Grace – Salt lakes, wildflowers (spring), inland history

• 🌾 Scenic Wheatbelt drive with quirky Aussie character

🛑 Detailed Itinerary

🚗 Start: Esperance

• Fuel Up: Multiple stations in town

• Toilets: Taylor Street Jetty public toilets

• Optional Early Stop: Lucky Bay or Twilight Cove if you missed them earlier

⛽ Esperance → Ravensthorpe (187 km – 2 hrs)

• Stop for fuel & snacks

• Toilets: Ravensthorpe Visitor Centre

• Quick activity: Ravensthorpe Silos Art mural

⛽ Ravensthorpe → Lake Grace (185 km – 2 hrs)

• Fuel: BP Lake Grace

• Toilets: Main Street Toilets

• Things to Do:

  • Lake Grace Lookout (view of massive salt lakes)

  • Inland Mission Hospital Museum

🚘 Lake Grace → Kulin (66 km – 45 mins)

• Lunch or coffee stop at the Kulin Community Cafe

• Toilets: Kulin Aquatic Centre or Town Hall area

🐴 Tin Horse Highway – Kulin to Jilakin Rock (~15 km one-way)

• Drive the Tin Horse Highway Loop just outside Kulin on the way to Jilakin Rock & Jilakin Lake

• Photo ops with dozens of funny, creative tin horses!

🏞️ Optional:

• Climb Jilakin Rock for views of the surrounding wheatbelt

➕ Optional Detour: Wave Rock (Hyden) (Kulin → Hyden: 1 hr / 71 km)

• If you missed it earlier, now’s your chance

• Visit:

  • Wave Rock

  • Hippo’s Yawn

  • Mulka’s Cave

• Toilets & fuel available at Hyden

🛣️ From Kulin/Hyden → Perth via Corrigin

Kulin → Corrigin 50 km 30 mins Corrigin Dog Cemetery 🐶

Corrigin → Brookton 85 km 1 hr Fuel + bakery

Brookton → Perth 140 km 1 hr 45m Final stretch

⛽ Fuel Stops Summary

• Esperance✅Start full tank

• Ravensthorpe✅Major fuel stop

• Lake Grace✅BP or Liberty

• Kulin✅Shell Kulin

• Hyden (optional)✅Wave Rock Visitor Park Fuel

• Brookton✅Final top-up before Perth

🚻 Toilet Stops Summary

• Esperance: Esplanade

• Ravensthorpe: Visitor Centre

• Lake Grace: Town Centre

• Kulin: Aquatic Centre / Town Hall

• Corrigin: Rest Area or Bakery

• Brookton: Roadhouse

• Perth: Numerous locations

🏕️ Accommodation Options (if staying overnight)

Location

Where to Stay

• Kulin - Kulin Hotel or Caravan Park Cabins

• Hyden - Wave Rock Motel or Caravan Park

• Lake Grace - Lake Grace Saltbush Inn or Motel

📸 Quick Photo Spots

• 🐴 Tin Horse Highway sculptures

• 🧂 Lake Grace salt flats

• 🐶 Corrigin Dog Cemetery

• 🌅 Jilakin Rock

• 🌊 Wave Rock (if detouring)

🛣️ General Travel Tips

1. Start Early

• Begin your drive by 6:00 AM or 7:00 AM to make the most of daylight and give kids time to nap during the drive.

• Early morning is also cooler and safer for long drives.

2. Break the Trip into Chunks

• Don’t try to power through. Plan 2–3 stops (like Ravensthorpe, Wave Rock, Brookton).

• Use breaks for toilet stops, snacks, and walks to keep kids refreshed.

3. Fuel Up in Major Towns

• Fuel stations get sparse between Esperance and Perth.

• Top-up in Esperance, Ravensthorpe or Hyden, and again in Brookton or Beverley.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Kid-Friendly Tips

4. Entertainment for the Car

• Load tablets or devices with movies, audiobooks, or games.

• Have a music playlist with kid-friendly tunes or road trip sing-alongs.

• Printable road trip games like bingo, "I Spy", or scavenger hunts help break boredom.

5. Snacks & Drinks

• Pack a cooler bag with fruit, sandwiches, crackers, and water.

• Avoid too much sugar early to avoid car chaos.

6. Comfort Essentials

• Bring neck pillows, small blankets, sunshades, and tissues or wipes.

• Dress kids in comfy clothes and have a change of clothes handy.

🏞️ Safety & Road Tips

7. Watch for Wildlife

• Early mornings and evenings are peak times for kangaroos. Be extra cautious on rural roads.

• Keep headlights on for better visibility even during the day in forested areas.

8. Mobile Coverage

• Mobile signal drops around Hyden and parts of the Wheatbelt.

• Download offline maps (Google Maps or Maps.me) before you leave Esperance.

9. Vehicle Check

• Check tyre pressure, spare tyre, oil, and coolant before you leave.

• Carry water and basic first aid.

🏕️ Family Road Trip & Camping Packing List – Western Australia Edition

🚗 VEHICLE ESSENTIALS

• ✅ Car manual, insurance, and registration

• ✅ Full fuel tank + jerry can (especially remote areas)

• ✅ Spare tyre, jack & tools

• ✅ Tyre pressure gauge

• ✅ Jumper leads

• ✅ Engine oil & coolant

• ✅ Windscreen washer fluid

• ✅ First aid kit

• ✅ WA road atlas / offline maps (WikiCamps or Hema app)

• ✅ Car phone charger & mount

• ✅ UHF radio (if off-grid)

🏕️ CAMPING GEAR

• ⛺ Family tent + mallet + pegs

• 🛏️ Sleeping bags + mats or air mattresses

• 🧺 Ground tarp + shade tarp

• 🪑 Camp chairs & fold-out table

• 🔦 Headlamps, torches, and spare batteries

• 🔋 Portable power bank or battery station

• 💧 20L+ water container (for drinking/cooking)

• 🔥 Camp stove + fuel / firewood (check local fire bans)

• 🍽️ Cooking gear: pot, pan, kettle, utensils, knives, chopping board

• 🍽️ Plates, bowls, mugs, cutlery (reusable)

• 🧽 Washing-up tub, dish soap, sponge, drying cloth

• 🎒 Daypacks for hikes

• 🏕️ Campsite lights or fairy lights (for comfort)

🍳 FOOD & COOKING

• 🥫 Non-perishable food (pasta, rice, tuna, baked beans)

• 🥩 Cooler / esky with ice or fridge

• 🍎 Snacks for the road (muesli bars, trail mix, fruit)

• ☕ Tea/coffee + sugar + milk powder

• 🧂 Salt, pepper, spices, oil

• 🍴 Ziplock bags + containers for leftovers

• 🗑️ Garbage bags (always take rubbish with you)

• 🧃 Refillable water bottles

🧼 PERSONAL ITEMS

• 🧴 Sunscreen + insect repellent

• 🧻 Toilet paper + wet wipes

• 🚿 Biodegradable soap/shampoo

• 🧼 Hand sanitiser

• 🪥 Toothbrush & toothpaste

• 🧼 Towel (quick-dry recommended)

• 👕 Clothes for hot days + layers for cold nights

• 🧢 Hat + sunglasses

• 👟 Hiking shoes + flip-flops

• 👶 Nappies, wipes, baby formula (if applicable)

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 KIDS’ STUFF

• 🎒 Travel games, activity books, crayons

• 📚 Books / audiobooks for long drives

• 🧸 Favourite toys or comfort items

• 🛏️ Portable cot or sleeping pad (for toddlers)

• 🧢 Sunhats + rashies for the beach

• 🛁 Baby wipes, bibs, and snacks in easy reach

• 🚼 Baby carrier / stroller (if needed)

🧯 SAFETY & EMERGENCY

• 🚑 First aid kit (child-safe + antihistamines)

• 🐍 Snake bandage (inland bush)

• 🕷️ Bug spray

• 📞 Emergency contact list

• 📍 Download Emergency+ App

• 🚫 Check fire bans / park closures (DFES WA or Parks WA)

📸 EXTRAS & FUN

• 📷 Camera / GoPro + charger

• 🎶 Playlist + car games (I Spy, WA trivia, etc.)

• 🎣 Fishing gear (if coastal)

• 🏄 Beach gear – towels, boogie boards, snorkel

• 🌌 Star map or stargazing app for outback skies

• 🪁 Kite / ball / frisbee

• 📱 Downloaded kids movies or shows

🗑️ LEAVE NO TRACE CHECKLIST

• ✅ Rubbish bags

• ✅ Eco soap

• ✅ Reusable water bottles & cups

• ✅ No plastic cutlery or disposable plates

• ✅ Take only photos, leave only footprints

Download Free Guides