Albany to Hopetoun road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops
The distance from Albany to Hopetoun is 342km, with a driving time of around 3h37m. But you can extend that with visits to some of Western Australia’s spectacular white sand beaches…
The Albany to Hopetoun road trip takes you from the most historic city in Western Australia to the best base for Fitzgerald River National Park.
Albany is the main town on WA’s south coast, and offers plenty of tourist attractions, including the historic whaling station at Frenchmans Bay and the National Anzac Centre war museum.
You can also use Albany as the base for tours, whether a Mount Barker wine tasting tour or a guided climb to the Granite Skywalk in Porongurup National Park.
To find the best Albany accommodation, head here. For Hopetoun accommodation deals, hunt here.
This guide is designed to help travellers plan their perfect Albany to Hopetoun road trip itinerary.
Albany to Hopetoun distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Albany to Hopetoun is 342km. That makes for a driving time of around three hours and 37 minutes.
This will be longer if you choose to make detours to the impressive beaches to the east of Albany. Gull Rock Beach in Gull Rock National Park, Nanarup Beach, Little Beach in the Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve and Bettys Beach are all lovely.
9 activities and attractions to book in Albany
- Tasting tour around the Mount Barker wineries.
- Summit to sea Segway adventure.
- Wildlife and coastal scenery cruise.
- Half day Albany history and heritage tour.
- Food and wine tasting tour around the Denmark wine region.
- Visit to the Historic Whaling Station.
- Mobile-friendly ticket for the National Anzac Centre.
- Guided tour to the Granite Skywalk in Porongurup National Park.
- Half day tour around Albany’s natural wonders – including The Gap.
In Albany, attractions worth checking out include the old whaling station at Discovery Bay, plus the Gap, the Blowholes and the Natural Bridge in Torndirrup National Park. There’s also the National Anzac Centre, Dog Rock, Little Beach, Middleton Beach and the Padre White Lookout on Mount Clarence.
Albany accommodation
The top Albany accommodation choices are…
- For waterfront location: Hilton Garden Inn.
- For budget travellers: 1849 Backpackers Hotel.
- For families: Big4 Middleton Beach Holiday Park.
- For quality apartments with kitchens: Pelicans Albany.
- To be near Middleton Beach: Albany Holiday Units.
Albany to Hopetoun drive: Albany to Wellstead
Leaving the city along the South Coast Highway, the quickest Albany to Hopetoun driving route passes the Bakers Junction Nature Reserve and heads through the small town of Kalgan.
Later on, you’ll pass birdwatching hotspot Lake Pleasant View. The turn-offs for Cheyne Beach and Hassell Beach are a little further along.
The South Coast Highway itself passes through the rather weird Hassell National Park. This is essentially 43km of protected woodland either side of the road. There are no visitor facilities – it is designed to be a drive-through experience.
Albany to Hopetoun road trip: A Bremer Bay detour
After a fuel stop at Wellstead, the Palinup Nature Reserve offers free camping and wildflowers. The right turn down the Borden-Bremer Bay Road comes shortly afterwards. This is worth taking if you want to visit killer whale hotspot Bremer Bay.
Things to do in Bremer Bay include orca-watching tours from Fishery Beach. There are several other beaches to enjoy – Foster Beach is long, Bremer Beach has big white dunes behind it and Trigelow Beach is the finest option in the western section of Fitzgerald River National Park.
Click through to the next section: Jerramungup and Ravensthorpe.