Distance from Perth: 558km (6 hours 4 minutes)
Known for: Beaches. National parks. Coastal scenery.
Hopetoun is a small seaside town in Australia’s Golden Outback and the gateway to the Fitzgerald River National Park. Hopetoun is a great coastal town to overnight, allowing you to rise early to explore the unique wildflowers and fauna of Fitzgerald River National Park, not to mention the dramatic coastal views perfect for whale spotting during winter and spring.
With 20% of Western Australia’s wildflowers found here alone, not to mention the dramatic coastal views, you'll want to spend some time exploring. Fitzgerald River is renowned for its rugged hinterland, coastal scenery and rare plant species, many unique to the park. In spring, the landscape is dotted with colourful wildflowers including banksias, hakeas, bottlebrush, feather flowers, Quaalup bell and many others. Go bushwalking on one of the trails - including to the top of East Mount Barren - and you might spot endangered native animals like the dibbler, a small marsupial which has recently been rediscovered in the park.
