Travel Information

The Kennedy Ranges are spectacular at sunrise

DriveWA is a revolutionary travel information website that gives you access to create your own personalised itinerary, maps, driving directions and detailed information about the sites, experiences and natural wonders of Western Australia.

We hope these pages will help you to easily plan your great Western Australian escape.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Time Zone
There are three time zones in Australia with Western Australia operating on Western Standard Time (AWST), GMT + 8 hours (+ 9 hours in summer/day light savings).

Shopping & Banking
Standard business opening hours are from 9am til 5pm, Monday to Saturday however often closed on Sundays.

Tipping is not custom in Western Australia however it is acceptable to leave a small amount of change if you feel you have received outstanding service.

Banks are generally open from 9.30am til 4.00pm Monday to Thursday and 9.30am til 5.00pm on Fridays. They are most often closed on weekends however some banks found in suburban areas may remain open later on Thursday evenings and on Saturday mornings.

Quarantine
No matter whether arriving in Western Australia by road, rail, sea or air you are required to declare any items that might breach Western Australian quarantine laws. It is best to keep a ‘if in doubt, declare it’ policy and present any items you are not certain about. For example:

Nuts
Seeds
Fruit and vegetable (fresh or dried)
Plants and flowers
Honey
Animals and introduced birds
Previously used fruit and vegetable containers

Aboriginal Land Permits

More and more often people are being invited onto regional Aboriginal land areas to see some of Western Australia’s most untouched landscapes whilst also learning more about the local Aboriginal communities and cultures. In order to enter and traverse these lands you are required to submit an application (at no charge) to the Aboriginal Lands Trust located within the Department of Indigenous Affairs. You will be asked to follow designated routes to help maintain the privacy of the Aboriginal communities, preserve their heritage and culture, protect the natural environment and for you own personal safety. Should you wish to venture off the assigned route you will need to apply directly to the resident Aboriginal communities.

Public and School Holidays in Western Australia

It must be noted that the dates for public and school holidays may vary from state to state in Australia. The following outlines the holidays in Western Australia for 2008.

Public Holidays in Western Australia for 2008
New Year's Day - Tuesday 1 January
Australia Day - Monday 28 January
Labour Day - Monday 3 March
Good Friday - Friday 21 March
Easter Monday - Monday 24 March
ANZAC Day - Friday 25 April
Foundation Day - Monday 2 June
Queen's Birthday - Monday 29 September
Christmas Day - Thursday 25 December
Boxing Day - Friday 26 December

Western Australian School Holidays for 2008
Autumn - 12 April to 28 April 2008
Winter - 5 July to 21 July 2008
Spring - 27 September to 13 October 2008
Summer - 18 December to 2 February 2009