Western Australia Self-Drive – Perth to Broome – Authentic Australian Scenery

First Day, Perth to Geraldton. Highlight: the Pinnacles Desert and sand dunes
Our journey began in Perth, heading north along less-travelled routes. As soon as you leave Perth behind, you quickly find yourself in the wilderness. Today, you’ll mainly see Australian Bush and stunning sand dunes.

The first stop was the amazing Pinnacles Desert. It took about 2 hours to drive here, making it a perfect halfway stop. Upon arrival, I recommend taking the 4 km loop drive around the Pinnacles before visiting the Pinnacles Discovery Centre. There are also walks and a lookout accessible from the centre.

Next, we head to Geraldton, a larger port city, for an overnight stop. Before or after dinner, take a short walk along the marina – we recommend dining seaside at Skeeta’s restaurant. It gets busy, so reserving a table in advance is advisable.

Hint: Consider taking a short side trip after visiting the Pinnacles and enjoying lunch at the Lobster Shack in Cervantes.

Day two, Geraldton to Denham. Highlight: the Red Sand and the Indian Ocean.
Before leaving Geraldton the next day, we also visited the HMAS Sydney II Memorial for a stunning view of the city. Located in the city centre and only a few minutes’ drive from the accommodation.

The trip continued north along the Indian Ocean Drive. Today, you’ll enjoy the constantly changing scenery, from lush green farmlands to red bushland, and finally back to the coast with turquoise waters.

We stopped for a morning coffee break at the historic town of Northampton, only a little less than an hour from Geraldton. Our recommendation is the bakery, which offers sweet and savoury delights.

For lunch, we stopped at the Overlander Roadhouse, just before turning to Monkey Mia. Alternatively, there is the Billabong Roadhouse, located 30km south. Both serve traditional Aussie-style roadhouse meals, coffee, and drinks.

The final stretch of the drive along the breathtaking Shark Bay World Heritage Drive provides spectacular views of the Australian Bush and the beautiful lagoons of the Indian Ocean. This route brought us to the coast and the beach town of Denham, where we stayed for two nights.

Tip: From Shark Bay Road, consider a quick detour to Stromatolites at Hamelin Pool. These are regarded as the planet’s most diverse, plentiful, and extensive living marine examples of their kind. Be sure to check the current status of the boardwalk, as it is undergoing repairs.

Day Three, Monkey Mia
From Denham, it’s only about a half-hour drive to Monkey Mia. The area is famous for its wild dolphins that come close to the shore. Park rangers feed these dolphins, and the best time to see them is around sunrise, from 7:45 am. However, the Dolphins will visit the shore between 7.45 and 12.00, and there are three feeding and information sessions. Tickets can be purchased online or at the gate on arrival.

In addition to dolphins, there were green turtles and pelicans on the shore. We arrived just after sunrise, waited for the dolphins, and then had breakfast at the restaurant by the waterfront. Coffee is also available from early.

After breakfast, we took a short walk into nature, where you can observe stunning Western Australian colours: turquoise sea, blue sky, and red and white sand.

Hint: During your stay at Denham, consider dining at The Old Pearler Restaurant. It’s a small establishment that fills up quickly each night, so it’s advisable to make a reservation early. Note that it only offers dinner.

Day Four, Denham to Carnarvon
Once again, the scenery shifted as we left the World Heritage Area and the bush behind, revealing the red desert. Today’s drive was just 3.5 hours, and roughly halfway, there’s a roadhouse where you can stop for morning tea or coffee.

We arrived in Carnarvon around lunchtime, and check-in wasn’t available yet, leaving time for a meal in town and a visit to the Space and Science Museum at Carnarvon.

The Space and Science Museum was a pleasant surprise. It highlighted how crucial Carnarvon was in early space and moon missions. Although not large, it is well-maintained and operated by volunteers.

Tip: If you have time, drive north from Carnarvon and see the Quobba Blowholes. The Blowholes perform best when the tide is surging, so it is important to plan ahead.

Day Five, Carnarvon to Coral Bay (or Exmouth)
Today’s drive took us to Coral Bay, famous for whale sharks that visit the Ningaloo Reef from March to June. Book a snorkelling trip to see the largest fish in the world. Other tours include Manta Ray cruises, scenic flights, and reef trips.

The drive took us only 2.5 hours, allowing us to visit Exmouth as well on the same day.

Exmouth is a little farther than Coral Bay and offers amazing reef tours as well. Towns are small, and accommodation options are limited, so it is good to book well in advance during the season.

Tip: Treat yourself to a few days at the all-inclusive luxury glamping experience at Sal Salis in Exmouth. It’s a truly unique way to see the Ningaloo Reef and offers a perfect halfway point to relax during your drive.

Days Six to Ten, Coral Bay, Exmouth and the Ningaloo Reef
We spent half a week at the coast because there are plenty of activities. It is a beautiful location where you can relax as well. Accommodation options range from hotels and caravan parks with cabins to glamping tents. There is something for everyone, but it is advisable to book early.

Also visit Charles Knife Canyon, located in Cape Range National Park, south of Exmouth.

If you are in Coral Bay, visit Bill’s restaurant for lunch or dinner. If you are in Exmouth, there are plenty of food options, including the Whalebone Brewing Company, which offers very good pizzas.

Tip: You can visit Exmouth without a car since there are daily flights from Perth. We can arrange your transfers and tours during your stay in the town.

Day Eleven, Coral Bay to Port Hedland
Today’s drive was long, and our drive started early. The drive took us 7 hours plus stops along the way.

Today’s drive took us through the outback, where the scenery constantly changes. We saw fascinating hills and mountains, red sand, and mining activity.

This part of Western Australia is well known for its minerals and mines. We encountered increasingly long “Road Trains”, consisting of 3 or 4 trailers, which transport minerals from the mines to the ports at Port Hedland.

Closer to Port Hedland, there are train tracks capable of accommodating trains that stretch for many kilometres. The scale of the mining operations and export activities is truly impressive.

Tip: It’s helpful to break the drive into 2 to 3-hour segments when roadhouses are available, as the distances between towns are long. There are also some accommodation options along the route if you have time and would like to break-up the trip.

Day Twelve, Port Hedland to Broome
The final stretch of the Perth to Broome drive was also lengthy, approx. 7 hours. However, there are some spots along the route where you could break the journey if desired.

This part of the region is extremely remote, with hardly any towns—just desert and bushland. The road is very straight, and often the end isn’t visible.

Closer to Broome, we began to see some farming areas and cattle stations. It’s a fascinating drive through the wilderness, where sometimes you can go hours without seeing another car.

In Broome, our destination was Cable Beach, where most of the accommodation options are located. Cable Beach is well known for sunset camel rides on the beach, Dinosaur Footprints and amazing sunsets over the Indian Ocean. It’s a great place to finish the drive!

Tip: Around the halfway point, you’ll find the Sandfire Roadhouse, which is the only place to stop for petrol, food, and drinks, as there are no other options along the route.

Prepare for the drive:
It’s advisable to bring snacks and plenty of water when driving, as services are limited along the route. There aren’t many roadhouses on the main highways, and most amenities are found in towns located a short distance from the main road.

Make sure to fill up on petrol in every larger town you visit or at roadhouses along your route. It’s wise to be prepared, as some areas might be hundreds of kilometres (often 250km to 300km) between petrol stations.

Always watch out for wildlife. For example, kangaroos, emus, cows, goats and sheep roam freely in the outback, where there are no fences. Kangaroos are mostly active around sunrise and sunset, but some stray animals may move during the day as well. Avoid driving in the dark.

Add at least two extra hours to your estimated driving time to cover stops such as rest breaks, coffee or lunch breaks, and sightseeing attractions. Including this additional time helps create a more realistic and reliable schedule.