World City Guide

Getting There By Road

Traffic in Australia drives on the left side of the road and highways are numbered, although are more commonly known by name. By law, drivers and passengers must wear seatbelts or incur a fine of A$150. Unless otherwise indicated, the speed limit in Western Australia for metropolitan areas is 50kph (31mph), while on motorways the speed limit is 110kph (68mph). Speeding fines range from A$50 to A$350. The maximum legal blood to alcohol ratio for driving is 0.05%, which is enforced with random breath tests and severely punished. Driving through a red light incurs a fine of A$150.

The minimum age for driving is 16 years. Foreign driving licences are valid for up to one year – an International Driving Permit is recommended for longer visits. Insurance for temporarily imported overseas motor vehicles is generally not available, although RACWA does offer a tourist insurance policy (excluding left-hand drive vehicles). Outback Western Australia is extremely dry and hot for most of the year and drivers planning to cross desert areas are advised to take a large supply of drinking water.

The Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia – RACWA (tel: (08) 9421 4444; website: www.rac.com.au) provides further information.

Emergency breakdown service:
Royal Automobile Club 131 111

Routes to the city: The main routes into Perth are the Great Eastern Highway 94 (from Fremantle and Kalgoorlie-Boulder), Wanneroo Road (from Geraldton), the Southwestern Highway 20 (from Bunbury) and the Albany Highway 30 (from Albany). People driving direct from Adelaide, Melbourne or Sydney travel via Kalgoorie on the Great Eastern Highway.

Approximate driving times to Perth: From Geraldton – 4.5 hours; from Kalgoorlie – 6 hours; Adelaide – 24 hours; Melbourne – 31 hours; from Bunbury – 1.5 hours; from Albany – 4 hours; from Sydney – 37 hours 30 minutes.

Coach services: The main coach operators are Greyhound (tel: 132 030; website: www.greyhound.com.au) and West Australian Government Railways (tel: 131 053; website: www.wagr.wa.gov.au). Destinations are varied and include Esperance, Geraldton, Mukinbudin, Albany, Bunbury and Collie. Services arrive at the East Perth Terminal, Summers Street, East Perth (tel: (08) 9326 2222). South West Coach Lines (tel: (08) 9324 2333) depart from the Perth City Busport, 3 Mounts Bay Road, to Bunbury and Margaret River.