In partnership with
What do big dreams and Western Australia have in common? Both are boundless. Discover surreal landscapes that seem to defy reality, enjoy fine wine and scrumptious gourmet food, and meet the locals on this delightful 19-day road trip.
Western Australia road trip overview
This 19-day Western Australia road trip starts in Perth and ends in Exmouth. Spend your first few days in Australia’s sunniest capital city before venturing down the southwestern coastline to the Margaret River Region. Then, you’ll journey back to Perth (Boorloo) and north to the Coral Coast. Get ready for white sand beaches, cosmic coral reefs, Martian-like landscapes and wildlife watching. The road trip tapers off in Exmouth (Warnangoora), a jump off point for Ningaloo Reef (Nyinggulu) and Cape Range National Park. If that’s not enough, continue to Karijini National Park.
Our top tip? Take as much time as you can. With so much untouched wilderness to discover, there’s a freedom in staying as long as you’d like, wherever you’d like.
Red Bluff, Kalbarri National Park | Wurdimarlu
Days 1-3: Perth to Busselton
Welcome to Western Australia! Spend your first few days exploring the dreamy city of Perth where you can do it all (or nothing at all). Since you’ll soon be roaming untouched wilderness, we recommend embracing the city life. On your first day, check out Elizabeth Quay (Gumap) in Perth’s CBD, a dazzling precinct on the shores of the Swan River (Derbarl Yerrigan). For sunset, venture to Kings Park and Botanic Garden (Kaarta Koomba) for panoramic views of the twinkling city skyline.
Day two, ferry on over to Rottnest Island (Wadjemup) to lounge on sugar sand beaches and come face-to-snout with Australia’s quirkiest marsupial, the quokka. For a bit of adventure, head out on a cycling, snorkelling, hiking or wildlife-watching excursion. If you prefer to stay Perthside, simply spend day two hopping between Perth’s best beaches like Cottesloe, City Beach and Scarborough.
On day three, drive down to Busselton (Undalup), home to a 1.8 kilometre jetty with a family-friendly jetty train. It also happens to be one of the region’s best scuba dive sites, where you can blow bubbles and search for sea creatures hiding in the coral-encrusted pylons.
Perth City | Boorloo
Days 4-7: Busselton to Margaret River
Buzz down from Busselton to the Margaret River Region, where caves, world-class surf breaks, wineries and gourmet food awaits. The friendly town of Margaret River hosts an array of restaurants, cafes, shops and accommodation options, making it a prime pick as a home base for your few days here.
If you’re up for adventure, surf at Main Break, the iconic wave breaking just off Prevelly Beach. Listen to water drip from the stalactites of an ancient cave, like Mammoth Cave, Jewel Cave or Lake Cave. If you have a few days to trek, walk the 123-kilometre-long dreamscape Cape to Cape track from Cape Leeuwin to Cape Naturaliste.
To combine adventure with wine and gourmet food tasting, book a kayaking, mountain biking and wine tasting tour with Surf N Dirt Adventure Tours. There are over 100 cellar doors in the region, producing a quarter of Australia’s wines.
Busselton Jetty | Undalup
Days 8-9: Margaret River to Perth
Start early and cruise back towards Perth, stopping in the exciting city of Fremantle. Fremantle (Walyalup), or ‘Freo’ as the residents call it, is where you’ll find heritage sites, eclectic shops and galleries galore. Plan your trip here around the Fremantle Markets, a lively market that’s been part of the city for over a century. After that, grab a cold beer from the local micro-brewery, Little Creatures.
On day nine, jaunt from winery to winery in Swan Valley, the only wine region within capital city limits. Come hungry to enjoy gourmet delights like artisan cheese, chocolate, nougat and honey.
Fraser Gallop Winery, Margaret River Region
Day 10: Perth to Jurien Bay
It’s time to make your way towards Western Australia’s ethereal outback. On your way to Jurien Bay, go sandboarding on the cloud-white sand dunes of Lancelin (Wangaree). Then, continue to Nambung National Park, home to the otherworldly limestone Pinnacles strewn across amber sands.
Spend your afternoon in Jurien Bay, a laid-back coastal town where curious Australian sea lions often cruise by snorkellers in the wild.
The Pinnacles, Nambung National Park
Day 11: Jurien Bay to Geraldton
If you’re dreaming of driving among wildflowers, the stretch of road from Jurien Bay to Geraldton is one of the top places in Australia for blooming views. The best time to see this kaleidoscope of colour on the way to and surrounding Geraldton (Jambinu) is around September to October, while August reveals fields of golden canola flowers.
Stop in Geraldton and learn about maritime history at the Museum of Geraldton and pay a visit to the Point Moore Lighthouse. If you’ve got a few extra days, venture to the Abrolhos Islands 80 kilometres offshore from Geraldton and go scuba diving at the Batavia shipwreck.
Coalseam Conservation Park, The Wheatbelt
Days 12-13: Geraldton to Kalbarri
Venture towards Kalbarri and get ready for geological wonders ahead. Along the way, stop at Hutt Lagoon, a pink body of water that varies in hue from pastel to bright bubblegum depending on the time of day and year.
Once in Kalbarri, dramatic views await near Kalbarri National Park’s 400-million-year-old river gorges. This is an impeccable place to hike through landscapes sculpted by millions of years of history. Over on the ocean side of Kalbarri, cliff walks make for a prime place to watch for humpback whales who glide past the coast from June to November.
Kalbarri National Park | Wurdimarlu
Day 14: Kalbarri to Monkey Mia
Don’t miss grabbing a hot coffee and quirky souvenir from Billabong Roadhouse on your way from Kalbarri to Monkey Mia. In Shark Bay (Gutharraguda), peer through the shallow waters for dugongs, dolphins and sea turtles. Look inland for emus and kangaroos. At Monkey Mia, witness the Parks and Wildlife Service’s wild dolphin experience where Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins frolic over for a fishy snack.
Monkey Mia, Shark Bay World Heritage Area | Gutharraguda
Day 15: Monkey Mia to Coral Bay
Swap your shoes for snorkelling fins and spend your day exploring the underwater wonderland of Coral Bay. Clear waters on the southern edge of Ningaloo Reef make it easy to spot marine life like sea turtles, manta rays, eagle rays and eels swimming in between technicolour coral gardens. If you’d prefer to explore the deeper blue, there are plenty of fishing, sailing, whale watching and kayaking tours to enjoy.
Coral Bay
Days 16-19: Coral Bay to Exmouth
Welcome to the heart of the Ningaloo Reef, one of the largest fringing coral reefs in the world. With Exmouth as your base, spend the tail end of your road trip adventuring on both land and sea.
For inland exploring, rumble over to Cape Range National Park in a four wheel drive or take to the red dirt trails by foot. See the park’s red cliffs from the water while searching for rock wallabies on a cruise across Yardie Creek. For a cool down, dip your toes into the aptly named waters of Turquoise Bay.
Ningaloo Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is just a few fin kicks away from the shoreline. Out in the blue, swim with whale sharks and manta rays. Over the reef, admire the marine wonderland home to over 500 species of fish and 200 species of coral.
If you’ve got more time, venture inland to Karijini National Park for wildlife watching, tranquil swimming holes, impressive rock gorges and colours you can’t capture with a camera.
Ningaloo Reef | Nyinggulu
Discover more things to see and do in Western Australia at WesternAustralia.com
