Australia Travel Planner · State

Western Australia for backpackers

Western Australia is the biggest state and the emptiest: more than 2,000 kilometres lie between Perth in the south and the Kimberley in the north. In between you'll find the Margaret River wine region, whale sharks on Ningaloo Reef, dolphins in Shark Bay and red gorges. Here you'll find all 7 places with 74 checked spots, the climate, jobs and the matching road trips.

Capital
Perth
Best time
South October to April, north May to October
Farm work
Carnarvon, Donnybrook, Margaret River
Watch out
Huge distances, plan fuel and water
Places

The 7 places in Western Australia

Perth

Perth is Australia's sunniest big city and the base for Western Australia: beaches with sunsets over the Indian Ocean, quokkas on Rottnest Island, historic Fremantle and high wages.

22 spots

Margaret River

Margaret River is about three hours south of Perth and known for powerful surf, karri forests and more than a hundred wineries.

11 spots

Broome

Broome is the gateway to the Kimberley in the north-west: 22 kilometres of Cable Beach with camel trains at sunset, red cliffs by turquoise water and a full moon that reflects like a staircase on the tidal flats.

9 spots

Esperance

Esperance is on Western Australia's south coast and has some of the whitest beaches in Australia: kangaroos lie on the beach at Lucky Bay, and the Great Ocean Drive winds past turquoise bays.

7 spots

Exmouth & Ningaloo

Ningaloo Reef is a UNESCO World Heritage site that starts right off the beach: swim with whale sharks, drift over coral while snorkelling and see manta rays at Coral Bay.

9 spots

Kimberley

The Kimberley in north-western Australia is one of the world's last true wilderness regions: gorges, waterfalls, striped sandstone domes and hundreds of kilometres of gravel track with no reception.

9 spots

Shark Bay

Shark Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage site on the coast of Western Australia: wild dolphins come to the beach at Monkey Mia in the morning, one beach is made entirely of shells, and some of the oldest life forms on Earth live in Hamelin Pool.

7 spots

All 74 spots at a glance: open the Western Australia map.

Climate

Climate and best time to visit Western Australia

Western Australia has two climate zones. The south around Perth and Margaret River is Mediterranean, with hot, dry summers (December to February, often above 30 degrees) and mild, rainy winters. The north around Broome and the Kimberley is tropical: May to October is the dry season and the best time to visit, November to April the wet season, when roads such as the Gibb River Road are closed. On Ningaloo Reef you can swim with whale sharks from about March to July.

Work

Jobs and farm work in Western Australia

Perth has a good job market in hospitality, construction and services, but doesn't count towards the 88 days. Farm work is available in Carnarvon (vegetables and fruit, mainly May and June), in Donnybrook (apples and pears, April) and at the wineries around Margaret River (vintage from February to April, pruning in winter). In the north, roadhouses and tourism businesses hire during the dry season. Mining jobs exist, but usually only with experience and safety tickets. Check the postcode with Home Affairs before you start a job.

Minimum wage, tax, your rights and the harvest calendar for all of Australia are on Working in Australia.

Road trips

Road trips through Western Australia

Common questions

Western Australia for backpackers: FAQ

What's the best way to get around Western Australia?

With your own car or campervan. There's hardly any public transport, and places are often several hundred kilometres apart, sometimes without a fuel stop.

When is the best time to visit Western Australia?

October to April for the south, May to October for the north with Broome, Exmouth and the Kimberley. To see both, head north in April and be back in the south by October.

Does work in Perth count towards the second visa?

No, Perth isn't one of the regions for the 88 days. Farm work in Carnarvon, Donnybrook or around Margaret River can count; the postcode is what matters.

Next

More states and territories

New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory.

Updated October 2026. Checked against official sources. Whether a job counts towards your second visa is decided by Home Affairs alone, so check with them before you start.