Perth to Albany road trip: Distance, drive time and attractions

The Perth to Albany drive in Western Australia is 413km long if you go straight down the Albany Highway. By car, that’s a driving time of around four hours and 38 minutes. But you’re far better off seeing South-West WA on a longer Perth to Albany road trip itinerary.

This guide is aimed at travellers planning a Perth to Albany road trip through Western Australia.

Albany is one of the most appealing towns in Western Australia. Albany curves around King George Sound. Reasons to visit Albany include whale-watching tours, the National Anzac Centre and Discovery Bay. The latter looks at the old whaling industry inside the former Cheynes Beach Whaling Station.

Book in advance for the best deals on Albany accommodation.
and sort out top albany tours, experiences and museum entry.

Cheynes Beach Whaling Station - now Discovery Bay - in Frenchmans Bay, Albany, south west Western Australia — The old Cheynes Beach Whaling Station in Frenchmans Bay, Albany is now Discovery Bay. It’s one of the best museums in Western Australia, and covers Australia’s whaling industry. Photo by David Whitley Australia Travel Questions

Albany may look reasonably close to Perth on the map, but it’s a slog to get there along the Albany Highway. The highway, also known as State Route 30, connects Albany to the Western Australian state capital, but it’s a pretty boring drive.

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.

Perth to Albany distance and driving time

The driving distance from Perth to Albany along the Albany Highway is 413km. That means a Perth to Albany driving time of four hours and 38 minutes. Another alternative is to fly to Albany, then hire a car once there, but most visitors will drive from Perth.

5 great day trips from Perth – make your visit special

Rottnest Island ferry transfer – with bike hire and snorkelling gear. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Pinnacles desert – with koalas 🐨 and sandboarding.
Wave Rock day tour – with wildflowers & Aboriginal culture.
Margaret River wineries experience 🍷 – with tastings, caves & Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse.
Full day Swan Valley wine tour 🍷– with lunch.

The best places to stay in Perth

You can check out deals on a wide range of Perth accommodation options. But these are some of the best choices.

The swankiest address in town: COMO The Treasury.
The cool, fun one in the centre of the action: The Alex.
For quality apartments next to Kings Park: Quest Kings Park.
For quality apartments by the beach: Seashells Scarborough.
On a backpacker budget: Spinners Hostel.

Very few tourists are going to tackle the full Perth to Albany distance in one stint. If you’re looking for good places to break the direct Perth to Albany road trip, they’re unfortunately stacked towards the beginning and end of the drive. The Jarrahdale State Forest and Youraling State Forest near Perth are half-decent bets for a walk. And, near Albany, the Stirling Range National Park and Porongurup National Park offer wildflowers and scrambling over massive granite outcrops. Top walks in the Stirling Range include the one to the top of Bluff Knoll.

Perth to Albany drive attractions: Great Southern wine region

The Great Southern wine region also stretches around Albany. There are several good cellar doors around Mount Barker, at the northern edge of the Porongurups.

However, Kojonup makes a good break in the middle of the journey. The Kodja Place cultural centre gives an insight into local Aboriginal lifestyles, beliefs and customs.

Perth to Albany road trip via Margaret River

For visitors to Australia – particularly second time visitors – it’s far more likely that they’ll visit Albany as part of a wider road trip. The south-western corner of WA is ideally primed for such a road trip, starting by driving from Perth to Margaret River. A one week to ten day itinerary can slowly make its way round to Albany. Then, at the end, blast up the Albany Highway back to Perth.

What to book in Bunbury – 5 fabulous experiences.

Koombana Bay dolphin-watching cruise – the dolphins live in the bay, so you’ll definitely see them.
Geographe region wine tours – explore boutique wineries in the up-and-coming region.
Swimming with dolphins. They’re wild – this is not a dodgy aquarium experience.
Forest, wine and brewery day tours.
Dolphin Discovery Centre entrance tickets.

Stops along the way for such an itinerary can include several unusual experiences. Try swimming with dolphins from the Dolphin Discovery Centre in Bunbury, and undersea helmet walks in Busselton. Then maybe move on to Margaret River cave tours, wine-tasting at Cullen Wines and meeting stingrays in the shallows at Hamelin Bay.

From Margaret River to Albany are several natural attractions. These include the climbing trees around Pemberton, the Valley of the Giants near Denmark and Greens Pool in the William Bay National Park. You can also enjoy quality Australian craft beers at the Boston Brewery in Denmark.

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.

DON’T MISS OUT! 9 fabulous Perth experiences to book today ✅

✅ See the Rottnest Island quokkas the smart way – with a ferry and bike package.
✅ Be amazed by the abundant wildlife – on a dolphin, penguin and sealion cruise.
✅ See clear night skies in a moon-like desert – on a Pinnacles stargazing experience.
✅ Indulge in chocolate, cheese & premium wines – on a Swan Valley food and wine tour.
✅ See the city sunset from the water – on a Swan River dinner cruise.
✅ Watch gold being melted and poured – on a Perth Mint gold tour.
✅ Combine nature with imperious city views – on Kings Park Segway tour.
✅ Face your fears and get the thrill of your life on a – on a 15,000ft skydive.
✅ Find all the best hidden hangouts – on a small bar and street art tour.