Categories > Guides and Tips
Perth to Melbourne Road Trip with Underwater Worlds & Red Dunes!
- Things to Know
- Where to Stay
- The Jetty Resort
- Ceduna Foreshore Hotel Motel
- YHA Apollo Bay Eco
- Where to Eat
- Due South
- Ceduna Oyster Barn
- Maha Restaurant
- Things to Do and See
- Dive deep to explore the aquatic world beneath Busselton Jetty
- Travel to the past and dig up war history at the National Anzac Center
- Swim and hang out with kangaroos at Lucky Bay
- Bird-watch at the Eyre Bird Observatory
- Cast a line at Ceduna Jetty
- Check out the most hardcore flora and fauna at the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden
- Snag the freshest goods at the Adelaide Central Market
- Take on the Great Ocean Walk in Apollo Bay
- Reach for the clouds at the Melbourne Skydeck
Look, if we could do a Perth to Melbourne road trip again, we’d be on the great South Australian coast in a flash. Our bosses might not be happy, but come on; this trip has it all—from an underwater sculpture gallery to Mars-esque dunes.
The best bit? Pfft, that’s barely even half the story. We witnessed roos lounging by the beach, pink cockatoos flexing their rareness, and even Melbourne’s killer 360-degree views.
Let’s not sugarcoat it, though; this odyssey isn’t as easy as your Sunday afternoon stroll. That’s why we’ve put together this guide, so your only concern will be when to have a blast and not where to sleep.
Things to Know
Distance: Around 3,600 km (14 days)
Where to Stay
The Jetty Resort
From thejettyresort
Address: 2 Dempster St, Esperance
Contact Details: +61 8 9071 3333
Check-in: 2 pm
Check-out: 10 am
Pricing: $$
White sands and sprawling beaches made The Jetty Resort a top pick for night one. At $175, their family room fit our bill. It’s a room for 5 decked out with all the essentials, like modern beds, a clean toilet, and air conditioning.
But if you’re loaded, splash out on the Ocean View Spa Suites. These more posh picks have mod cons like plush beds and sleek bathtubs, but the main price is waking up with Esperance Bay out your window or balcony.
If you want to prolong your stay here, check out our Perth to Esperance guide.
Ceduna Foreshore Hotel Motel
From cedunaforeshorehotel
Address: 32 O’Loughlin Terrace
Contact Details: +61 8 8625 2008
Check-in: 2 pm
Check-out: 10 am
Pricing: $$
The Ceduna Foreshore Hotel Motel turned our Oyster Capital stop into a proper treat. Their standard room hit the sweet spot—affordable, spotless, and roomy enough for our group who’d rather not deal with sketchy floors or cracked tiles.
For a bit of uptown flash or a starry-eyed stay, go for the executive or spa suites. Both dish up ocean panoramas and balconies with dining tables, but the latter levels up with a luxe spa bath to soak your travel woes away.
YHA Apollo Bay Eco
From yhaaustralia
Address: 5 Pascoe St
Contact Details: +61 3 5237 7899
Check-in: 4 pm
Check-out: 10 am
Pricing: $
A quick 1-kilometre hop off the Great Ocean Road landed us at YHA Apollo Bay Eco, and honestly, it was the best pit stop we could’ve asked for. It’s steps from the beach, enveloped by greenery, and best of all, not bank-breaking.
Once more, the heated family room got our vote, thanks to its cosy double beds, bunks for the crew, expansive windows, and quality linen. The cherry on top? Waking up to sunlight dancing through the trees outside.
Where to Eat
Due South
From duesouthtavern
Address: 6 Toll Pl. Albany
Contact Details: +61 8 9841 8526
Operating Hours:
- Mon, Wed to Sat – 11 am to 10 pm
- Sun – 11 am to 9 pm
Pricing: $$
Our stomachs were giving us grief on the drive, but luckily, the modern Aussie pub Due South was right along the way. Their steak sandwich tasted fantastic! The dry-aged beef was buttery and umami, while the hearty gravy and smoky buns rounded things out.
Ceduna Oyster Barn
From emmag188
Address: Lot 20 Eyre Hwy
Contact Details: +61 497 085 549
Operating Hours:
- Mon – 11:30 am to 3 pm
- Tue to Fri – 10 am to 7 pm
Pricing: $$
Once we rolled up to Ceduna Oyster Barn, there was only one thing on our minds: whether or not their famous seafood could live up to the hype. The answer? It did, especially those plump oysters that had that briny and buttery goodness that put this town on the map!
Maha Restaurant
From maharestaurant
Address: 21 Bond St
Contact Details: +61 3 9629 5900
Operating Hours: Daily – 12 pm to 3 pm, 6 pm to 10 pm
Pricing: $$$
Shane Delia’s Maha satisfied us with fiery and bold Middle Eastern eats. Sure, it was a splurge, but sometimes you must fork out for the good stuff, which this inventive resto has tons of.
Top of the tuckers here? Definitely their slow-roasted lamb shoulder, probably this spot’s most talked about grub. What we loved about it was the full-bodied umami profile, made more irresistible by the sweet kick of white fig and macadamia sauce.
Things to Do and See
Dive deep to explore the aquatic world beneath Busselton Jetty
From busseltonjettyinc
Address: 17 Foreshore Parade, Busselton
Contact Details: +61 8 9754 0900
Operating Hours: Daily – 9:30 am to 4:30 pm
Skipping Busselton Jetty on a Perth to Melbourne run? Bonkers. The underwater observatory is a must-see, showcasing over 300 marine species—all while keeping your feet dry.
Of course, we couldn’t resist going deep, so we took the plunge into the Underwater Sculpture Park as well. Thirteen eye-popping sculptures, like a bronze mermaid and a colossal stingray, made the dive and walk (you can go the sea-walk route) totally worth it.
Travel to the past and dig up war history at the National Anzac Center
From nationalanzaccentre
Address: 67 Forts Rd
Contact Details: +61 8 6820 3500
Operating Hours: Daily – 9 am to 4 pm
Moments of looking back and reflection completed the trip for us, and we have the National Anzac Centre to thank for that. Perched in the historic Princess Royal Fortress, it’s a cutting-edge museum honouring the bravery of WWII’s Aussie and Kiwi heroes.
From cannons to wartime uniforms, the displays here don’t hold back, and the interactive bit—where you live through a soldier’s journey—also hits. The Pool of Reflection is another must-see, displaying 41,265 names of heroic soldiers.
Swim and hang out with kangaroos at Lucky Bay
From travelonthebrain
Address: Esperance
Lucky Bay’s postcard-perfect white sand and turquoise waves were always a draw for our team. What sealed our detour here, though, were the beach-hopping roos.
Late arvo, the skippers were sprawled on the soft dunes, giving us the best of both worlds—wildlife and natural panoramas all in one. Swimming was also a breeze, as the shallows had calm waters and a sandy floor without annoying rocks.
Bird-watch at the Eyre Bird Observatory
From why_creations_wildlife
Address: Cocklebiddy
Contact Details: +61 8 9039 3450
Operating Hours: Daily – 9 am to 4 pm
Bird fan or not, Eyre Bird Observatory is essential for this Perth to Melbourne road trip. For starters, it’s in the Nuytsland Nature Reserve, so the only sounds you’ll get are birdsong and rustling mallee leaves.
When it comes to flyers, over 10 rare species nest here, with pink cockatoos, rainbow bee-eaters, and Aussie ringnecks as the common sights. Western pygmy possums also reside on the shrubbery, but we weren’t lucky enough to spot one.
Cast a line at Ceduna Jetty
From danoakes_07
Address: 32 O’Loughlin Terrace
Operating Hours: Daily – 24 hours
The 360-metre Ceduna Jetty had us hauling in big catches as if we were Jeremy Wade in his prime. Well, that wasn’t really a surprise, as the water here teemed with King George whiting and salmon on our trip.
Snapper and snook love hanging out too, but you’ll need a boat to chase them down. That’s a luxury we didn’t have that time, so we stuck to dry land, casting our lines and catching that epic Ceduna golden hour instead.
Check out the most hardcore flora and fauna at the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden
Address: 144 Stuart Hwy, Port Augusta
Contact Details: +61 8 8641 9116
Operating Hours:
- Mon – 7:30 am to 5 pm
- Tue to Fri – 9 am to 4 pm
- Sat – 10 am to 4 pm
The Australian Arid Lands Botanic Gardens drew us in with its extreme plant life from the country’s driest spots. Emu bush, saltbush, and native fuchsia spread across 250 hectares of this Mars-like landscape, making for a fascinating break from the coastline views.
Fauna is loving life here as well, especially on the red dunes where we found sleepy lizards and bearded dragons chilling out. There’s even a marine zone on the eastern side often brimming with yellow-billed spoonbills and dolphins!
Snag the freshest goods at the Adelaide Central Market
From adelcentralmarket
Address: 44/60 Gouger St
Contact Details: +61 8 8203 7494
Operating Hours:
- Tue to Thu – 9 am to 5:30 pm
- Fri – 7 am to 9 pm
- Sat – 7 am to 3 pm
Established in 1896, the Adelaide Central Market is one of the oldest in Australia. And since our team is into history and retail therapy, we naturally had to pop over.
Over 80 vendors lined inside and outside the place, offering everything from artisan cheeses to organic fruit and top-tier meats. The cherry on top was the Friday live tunes and wine tastings that turned the market up until the late hours.
Take on the Great Ocean Walk in Apollo Bay
From timeoutmelbourne
Address: Apollo Bay Foreshore Reserve, 100 Great Ocean Rd
Contact Details: +61 131963
Operating Hours: Daily – 24 hours
By the time we hit the Great Ocean Walk, we thought we’d seen it all. Oh, how wrong we were! With sea-blown clifftops, several rockpools, and koalas snoozing in the eucalyptus, this place threw us surprises.
The 12 Apostles were the clear showstopper, no question. These 10 to 20-million-year-old limestone cliffs, with their bold yellow shades and towering peaks, were every bit as impressive as we’d heard.
Reach for the clouds at the Melbourne Skydeck
From melbourneskydeck
Address: 7 Riverside Quay
Contact Details: +61 3 9693 8888
Operating Hours: Daily – 12 pm to 10 pm
Finally, we capped off the trip at the Melbourne Skydeck, towering at 285 metres. Know what that means? This place is the Southern Hemisphere’s highest public viewing point.
Unsurprisingly, most of us took in the 360-degree view of Melbourne’s skyline, though the adventurous ones opted for the more cinematic and high-tech Voyager Theatre. Through award-winning VR, they saw Melbourne’s iconic Yarra River, laneways, and festivals.
