places in W.A.

Sounds like a good trip. The kids should love it particularly if they like the outdoors.
A couple of questions which should help with answers.
Do you want to spend much time in Perth or our coastal cities?
What time of the year as the Pilbara/Kimberley can get warmish.
and do wish to include dirt roads and some easy/medium/hard off road destinations.
Cheers

Hi guys, on your way up the west coast perhaps plan a stop at kalbarri. You can do various things to keep all age groups happy. Sand boarding, 4wd tag along tour of murchison station, wagoe beach quad bike tour and murchison river canoe tour are all highly recommended. There are the gorges to hike or abseil, and some not too shabby fishing opportunities. Whale watching also available depending on time of year. Have fun. Doc

We just love the Kimberleys as I'm sure most reading these threads would agree. To really enjoy in my opinion you may need to tent some spots if your caravans are not true off roaders.

Karajini... as long as you go down into the gorges. All along the south coast.... cape arid, esperance, waychinicup, Albany ,Yeagarup ect. Exmouth,Yardie creek, coral bay ect. So much good touring you won't want to go back!

You'll barely have time to get to the west coast and back :O. Particularly travelling with little ones, you cannot expect them to sit still for long days of driving. Wanting to go north as well is just too much.

Is the time of year set? This will dictate which area to focus on.

Do your group like the outback, or towns? The coast on the inland? Scenery or activities?

Shay Gap
Karijini
Esperance

Hi Guys,
Although quite expensive the Whale Shark tours from Exmouth are worth considering. Extremely professional and swimming with Whale Sharks is quite an experience. Although some criticise the dolphin feeding at Monkey Mia these days it is extremely well organised and educational. Great for the kids.
Hamelin Station, now run by Bush Heritage, is a great place to stay. Although there are no powered sites the facilities are absolutely first rate and from here you can make the full day trip to Steep Point, without caravans.
Kalbarri with its "Nature's Window" and much more is a must. Morel's fruit and vegetable store near the Wintersun CV park in Carnarvon is a great for dried fruit, such as mango and fantastic fruit ice creams.
The drive through Milstream NP is quite dramatic. Karijini NP is well worth a visit.
For a bit of extra excitement for the kids travelling the Rio Tinto railway service road to Tom Price is the way to get close to the 2 km long trains that travel the route. You do need a permit to travel on this road which can be obtained online or at the Karatha Visitors Centre.
For those who like to look back on aspects of times past a visit to the restored town of Gwalia is well worth it. Here you can see the make shift housing that 19th and early 20th century pioneers built and lived in.
Further north the Gibb River Road is worth doing. However, it depends on your caravan as although the dirt road is well maintained it is still rough in places.
Along the Gibb RR you will find El Questro station. Definately worth staying there for a few day.
Lake Argyle is not to be missed. Take a boat tour. We really enjoyed it.
Mitchell Plateau and the associated Mitchell Falls is worth visiting, however the Mitchell Plateau road is not maintained so it is very rough and not suitable for caravans of any sort.
Mornington Wildlife Conservancy off the GRR is also worth investigating as we really enjoyed our stay there.
Purnululu NP is outstanding. You do need to pre-book however to ensure you get a spot.
If you are travelling in peak season you will be joining thousands of others with the same idea. Thus space in caravan parks is hard to find.Places like Broome get booked out so book early if you want to stay close to Cable Beach.Kununurra was extremely busy when we were there in August 2013.

7 Weeks It took us 7 months from Derby to Perth and we didnt see everything.

I would think you are being overly ambitious and would spend more time driving place to place than doing any sightseeing.

Perhaps rethink the distance and do the southern part and keep the north for when you have more time to enjoy it at a leisurely pace.

I tend to agree with others, 7 weeks won't cut it.... Wife and I did basically from around Canberra, to Perth and back in 8weeks, and that wasn't long enough..
On way over headed down Eyre peninsula for maybe a week, then straight across to Perth for maybe 5 nights.
From Perth down through Margaret River, Augusta, Albany through to Esperence, didn't even get to Cape Arid.. Straight back across to Fowlers Bay for a couple of days, Clare, on to Hay, and home.. Best not to rush, put the brakes on, stop and enjoy, better to have a good look at some, than a rushed look at a lot.. That ain't a relaxing holiday.. Enjoy what ever you decide.. Cheers Odog

If you only have 7 weeks then pick out some of the places people have suggested and not stay too long in one place.
Back when we worked we used get 2 weeks off twice a year. The winter 2 , we used to hook up the van and drive for 4 days to Broome stay for a week and then back home to busselton.
I know 5,000 ks in a fortnight, but if we didn't do it we stayed home.
Enjoy whatever you do.
Rob

I would highly recommend the whaling station at Albany for a trip back into history and it's a nice little town. Wave rock is a sight to behold, Pemberton for ride a steam train if it is running at the time, eating fish and chips at one of the many restaurants at Fremantle on the boardwalk overlooking the marina. Cervantes to visit the Pinnacles is amazing, Monkey mia to see the dolphins, Coral Bay is a great place to stay and have a swim or snorkel they may still do fish feeding in the afternoon which is an experience, Broome go to cable beach for the sunset and see camels walking down the beach.