Going on a road trip in Western Australia? Make the journey enjoyable and stress-free with these road trip packing essentials!
Embarking upon an extended road trip around Australia is a dream, harboured by many. Although most people are only able to take the short trip to the Eastern capital cities of Melbourne, Sydney, or Brisbane, you will miss out on the adventure of a lifetime if you do not experience the endless stretches of deserted coastline (and discover the incredible food and wine) of Western Australia.
Whether traveling solo or as a couple, a good old-fashioned road trip from WA’s rugged northern region, to the lush forests of Australia’s South West will be one of the most memorable journeys of your life. But with Western Australia boasting the largest area of any Australian state (over 2.5 million square kilometers), you will need to be prepared with all the essentials before venturing away from its urban areas.
To get your brain started, here is a list of some road trip must-haves that you should pack to make your road trip journey in Western Australia safe, pleasant, and stress-free.
Emergency Roadside Car Kit
When you are going on a long road trip, it is prudent to ensure you have everything needed to keep your vehicle in top running condition. Ensure your vehicle has been serviced appropriately and have any overdue items seen prior to embarking on a big trip. This will all vary depending on the vehicle (and if you are towing a caravan or camper), however, the following list is a reasonable starting point to consider:
- At least one full-size spare tyre for your vehicle and anything you are towing.
- Current driver’s license, vehicle registration, and insurance.
- Owner’s manual.
- Fluids (water, transmission fluid, and oil, etc.)
- Jumper cables or a jump starter pack.
- An offroad recovery kit if you intend to venture away from paved roads.
- Flashlight and/or Head Torch.
- Extra spare car key.
First Aid Kit and Painkillers
Although the weather of Western Australia is generally amazing, it is still possible to feel sick or have an accident during a trip. With this in mind, don’t forget to pack basic non-prescription drugs and your essential medicines with the first aid kits to handle any emergency. For longer road trips, consider seeing your Doctor and receiving scripts prior to your departure.
Chargers, Headphones, and Boredom-Saving Entertainment
Pack additional portable chargers, music, and headphones to ensure you can keep the smartphone charged and the music pumping! For those even longer car rides, it pays to be entertained. Bring along reading materials (books or magazines), download your favourite podcasts ahead of time, and pack those trivia card games to test each others’ knowledge along the way. Because as most seasoned travelers would know, ‘Eye Spy With My Little Eye‘ can get real old, pretty quick.
Sunglasses, Hats, and Sunscreen
As you will be spending most of the time outside and mostly by the Indian Ocean (a scenic ocean detour is a must!) your skin and eyes will need good protection. Keep a hat (hopefully an Akubra!), UVA/UVB sunglasses, and broad-spectrum sunscreen (SPF30, SPF50, SPF50+) on you at all times. Remember, Australia’s sun is harsh and unforgiving, even on cloudy days.
I recommend purchasing sun protection products (suited to Australia’s climate) from the Cancer Council Shop. Cancer Council is the leading cancer charity in Australia, and every purchase of Cancer Council products helps to fund cancer research, advocacy, and services. Their products can be found in all Australian supermarkets, pharmacies, and online.
Sitting on my Tesalate Towel in Margaret River.
Sand Free Beach Towel
A trip to some of Australia’s best swimming beaches deserves a suitable, high-quality beach towel. On that note, it is important to pick beach towels that are made of microfiber, sand-resistant, and lightweight.
Sand Free Beach Towels by Tesalate are hands down the best option for beach outings in Western Australia. They are super-stylish, double-sided, lightweight, and absorbent, with a range of colours and patterns to choose from. But an even better reason is that they are sand-resistant. Thanks to their patent-pending AbsorbLite™ fabric, Tesalate towels are purpose-engineered for sand to slip off easily following rapid drying. This means no more sand getting in the car! Rejoice!
I also love that they are multi-purpose. Apart from using it at the beach as a towel or cover-up, you can also use Tesalate sand-free towels for your workouts, yoga, and backyard picnics. Some even use them as home decor as accents and blankets. And because it’s so fast-drying, compact, and light, it can also be used hiking and camping. All that in one towel? Now that’s worth packing for your road trip!
Posing with the Tesalate “Into The Wild” towel.
Water Bottle and Carry-All (Backpack)
You will quickly discover that Western Australia has the most diverse landscape to explore on foot, with its dramatic gorges and swaths of wilderness. Stay safe and hydrated with a water bottle on you at all times while enjoying the dynamic scenery. A hands-free, water-resistant backpack (or ‘bum bag’) can help carry the water bottle, plus all your smaller essentials while shielding them from the weather. For longer hikes, invest in a hydration pack (‘drink bag’) to stay alert, safe, and hydrated.
Apps for Map, Traffic, Camping, and Other Arrangements
Western Australia is a huge state. When you are traveling from one spot to another you will be needing help with directions, traffic, and accommodation. To make everything easier there are a huge variety of apps that can help plan your journey and keep track of your bookings. A personal recommendation would be the WikCamps Australia app. My partner and I used WikiCamps when we did our ‘big lap’ road trip around Australia back in 2018. It really helped us locate the best free camp spots around Australia with minimal hiccups. Read more about our road trip travels on my other website, The Dirty Drifters.
General Essentials
Besides the above-mentioned stuff, it’s also advised to pack multi-purpose baby wipes (even if you don’t have a baby, these are great for freshening up on-the-go), disinfectant cleaning wipes, perfume, cologne, and deodorant (staying on top of hygiene is important), hand sanitisers, lip balms, warm clothes (for those surprisingly colder nights), neck pillows, more water bottles, some non-perishable foods, and of course a fancy camera to capture the indescribable beauty of Western Australia.
Enjoy, and have fun!
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Disclaimer: This article is sponsored by Tesalate Towels, Australia’s original creator and leader in sand-free beach towels. They kindly sent me their Into the Wild Towel for Two for review, and I have not looked back since! It’s a great towel, easy to pack away, and genuinely is part of my road trip packing essentials. Plus, the compliments I get on it don’t hurt either. Thanks for reading!
Thank you for my towel, Tesalate!
