DARWIN or PERTH area with teenagers?

[wawa]

We are planning to visit Australia in December, and would welcome any CONSTRUCTIVE opinions on these two destinations please. Family with kids 12-18 years old, like nature, rivers, coast, culture. Will hire vehicle and prepared to drive distances.
Ideas on which area would suit and why? Good, reasonably-priced places to stay? Websites giving possible itineraries?
Many thanks! 

[mum 2-2]

My children are much younger and we have not been to Darwin but would recommend Perth to anyone and everyone!
We love it there, and heaps to do. We have stayed in Fremantle which we enjoyed but have for the last 4 visits stayed in the Margaret River region, staying in Busselton, Dunsborough and Margaret River town. Its a 3-4hour drive from the airport so a car is necessary.

Happy travels:-)

[lazylady]

Lazy OP.... going to Darwin in December is the dumbest thing to do. Hot, rain, mozzies, poisonous jellyfish galore. Have you no google? Never heard of Lonely Planet? For excellent itineraries? And Tripadvisor maybe? For tips and reviews on hotels?
Comon', google woman!

[OP]

Gosh, you're scary Lazylady...

[lazylady]

oh, come on... i was only kidding and being CONSTRUCTIVE as per your request. the first thing i would do if i travelled somewhere is suss out the weather/season and no i would not ask that on an expat site

[OP]

Lucky you to be such a confident and well-travelled expat...we arrived in Singapore 6 months ago with no previous experience of world travel. No experience of expat life either. Several busy kids and not a lot of time to get on the computer, so just wondered if there was someone who had already done such a trip who could help me out and save me precious time. That was all. This site was recommended to me. Maybe I asked all the wrong questions. Will now attempt to turf sullen teens off the computer and search for myself.

[good call]

Will now attempt to turf sullen teens off the computer and search for myself.

Best idea yet

Been here 6 months and still have no confidence or experience?  And no time to do a quick google search but plenty to spend on here writing stroppy and self-pitying replies?

[OP]

Thankyou Mum 2+2 for your helpful comments by the way 

[lazylady]

you poor, poor woman. life is hard.

[lazylady]

Anyway... think we teased you enough now!
Just go to the Lonely Planet and type in Perth.
You'll find whatever you need there.
And if you get a hardcopy of the book (or send one of your teenagers to a bookstore) you'll see that there are itineraries in there too.
For each regions, 1, 2 or 3 weeks.
Ta. Wawa.

[To:wawa]

No, you didn't ask all the wrong questions,we've all been in your shoes at some time. I think I may have asked questions here too before my first trip to Perth and that was after about 6 years in Singapore. It was also my third trip to Oz although my first to Western Australia.

Wherever you choose I hope you enjoy.