Beyond the city

There are a number of top day trip options available for those using Perth as a base for their holiday. Fremantle is just a 30-minute drive, short train journey, or scenic Swan River cruise away from Perth, and it’s easy to while away hours exploring its well-preserved 19th-century port streetscape or in one of its many eclectic bars and restaurants. Hopping north from Freemantle, visitors will find themselves in Cottesloe, which is one of Perth’s 19 stunning and pristine beaches.

No trip to Perth would be complete without a day at Rottnest Island seeking out its friendly quokkas, a marsupial native to the island. Rottnest is a car-free paradise and can be reached via a 30-minute ferry ride from Fremantle.

Meanwhile, food and wine is often at the heart of a Western Australia holiday, so Perth’s Swan Valley is a must-visit for those keen to try local wines and taste regional food. It’s Western Australia’s oldest wine region and home to wineries, microbreweries, gourmet treats, fresh produce, arts, crafts and beautiful bushlands. When exploring Perth and its surrounds, day-trippers will return to their hotel with full stomachs and happy memories.

Book Western Australia with Gold Medal now!

Gold Medal’s West to East itinerary includes:

• Five nights, room only, at three-star hotel Seashells Scarborough
• Three nights, full board, on an Albany, Anzac, Tree Top Walk and Margaret River extended tour
• Three nights, with breakfast, at four-star hotel Holiday Inn Old Sydney
• One-day tours from Perth, including City Highlights, Fremantle Tram with Swan River Cruise and Grand Rottnest Island Package
• One free night in Perth and a free breakfast in Sydney
• Flight from Perth to Sydney
• Return flights from Heathrow with Cathay Pacific/Qantas and transfers

Prices for this 11-night trip start from £2,189pp, which saves travellers up to £230pp. Offer valid for departures on May 6, 2019. Agents will earn £26 Farebank Rewards (doubled from £13) when they book this package.

Rebecca Oddy, reservations consultant at Gold Medal, says:

“Spending a day on Rottnest Island was one of the best parts of Western Australia for me. When we arrived on the island, there were bicycles waiting for us so we could explore the beaches, landscapes and find the Wadjemup Lighthouse. We had a fresh fish platter lunch washed down with Australian wine at a restaurant called Thomsons Rottnest, which I’d highly recommend.

Then I spent the afternoon trying to get a selfie with a quokka – a must-do Rottnest experience! Back in Perth, I visited Caversham Wildlife Park and finally got to meet a koala and a kangaroo, and also headed to the Swan Valley to sample different wines, cheeses and do some chocolate tasting.”

Added bonus

Agents receive double Farebank Rewards on all Western Australia package bookings (flight plus minimum three nights accommodation) made with Gold Medal between March 1 and April 17.

Watch the Western Australia masterclass with Gold Medal Facebook Live for more information.