To anybody that has done the WA Coastline

[MarkVS]

Our family are planning to take 4-6 weeks off to do the WA coastline. Fly into Perth, hire, drive up the coastline, and then fly out of Broome.

One of the things we are considering in planning, is whether we hire a 4WD with camping equiment (tent, kitchen/fridge in back of car) etc. , or hire a motor home and do in a little more luxury.

For those that have done that stretch, how much do you miss out on by not having a 4WD ? Would we see most of what needs to be seen, or would the 4WD really give us some access to great locations that makes it worthwhile ?

Any help appreciated.

Mark.   

[austastar]

Hi,
  we went up as far as Kalbarie in a 2wd Toyota Dyna camper truck.
There were lots of places we wouldn't go because of lack of recovery gear and lack of 4wd and low range, but it was not a major drama, there is so much to see, you will never see all of it in one trip any way.
Don't forget most of the modern motor homes are built on a truck chassis, and you can take them off road if the ground is firm - do watch the rear overhang though. The hire companies may take a dim view of anything too far from a constructed and gazetted road.
cheers

[Carlisle Rogers]

Mark,

Just got back from there a couple of months ago...beautiful part of the world. Much of it is 2WD, but then you have places like Steep Point, Dirk Hartog Island, Red Bluff (my favourite), and further north places like Ningaloo Station. You could head to most of them (except Steep Point) in 2WD vehicles, but I remember passing hire vans on roads like the dirt road up to Gnaraloo Station and these poor people would be creeping over the corrugations at 10kph, getting their dentures shaken out of their mouths...
So yeah, depends on how far you're willing to push the motor home...for us, getting to where the motor homes can't is half the point. 
Carlisle

Our family are planning to take 4-6 weeks off to do the WA coastline. Fly into Perth, hire, drive up the coastline, and then fly out of Broome.

One of the things we are considering in planning, is whether we hire a 4WD with camping equiment (tent, kitchen/fridge in back of car) etc. , or hire a motor home and do in a little more luxury.

For those that have done that stretch, how much do you miss out on by not having a 4WD ? Would we see most of what needs to be seen, or would the 4WD really give us some access to great locations that makes it worthwhile ?

Any help appreciated.

Mark.

[MarkVS]

Carlisle,

"for us, getting to where the motor homes can't is half the point."

good point ............... We aren't taking our camper, as over and back from Brisbane would in essence be 'doing the trip' and we don't have the time for that as yet. But we do know it is a part that we want to do sooner 

We're also tossing around if we should try and get some extra time off (daughter out of school) and do Perth to Darwin over 2 months..in which case we would definately be hiring the 4WD and camping gear. But we're not sure about that yet.

Mark
 

[Yampire100]

You have to do Coral Bay near Exmouth stand in knee deep water and have giant north west snapper swim between your legs , our fave spot in WA

[Rotgut]

Why not compromise and hire a 4wd and a good quality camper trailer? Best of both worlds...

[gadgetman]

G'Day Mark.  If you have never been over here before, it is likely that you will see enough in a 2WD.  If you have never been to say Coral Bay or Exmouth, you will probably find you end up staying there  a lot longer than you expect (it's that sort of place) which means less time elsewhere.  The coastal stations north of Carnarvon require 4WD but as important is the time taken to get in and out.  In 4 to 6 weeks, you will be hard pressed to see a lot of remote 4WD areas as well as the usual holiday haunts.   We ran into a family from Melbourne at Coral Bay last year who were doing what you are planning.  They had a 4 berth motor home and were having a great time. They were struggling to see everything in about five weeks. Good luck in whatever you decide.