Broome

Broome to Perth Journey including the Coral Coast and Karijini National Park

Journey along the coast of Western Australia for these unmissable destinations, whether it is a small trip or part of a bigger journey travelling North will take you along the Coral Coast extending over 1100 kilometres of white beaches and offers the opportunity to swim with whale sharks, dolphins, humpback whales and manta rays.

For the water sport lovers, there are countless opportunities including windsurfing, kitesurfing, diving and snorkeling. If you visit the Coral Coast in Spring, the coast is alive with colourful displays of wildflowers.

If time allows, why not head to Karijini National Park, which is a day drive from Exmouth? Karijini is the jewel of the Pilbara with splendid waterfalls and emerald coloured rock pools.

So what are you waiting for? Start planning your journey with your Crikey!

If you are starting in Perth this trip can be done in reserve.

Leg 1 Broome to 80 Mile Beach 376 kms 4.5 hours

Broome is a compact town to explore and attractions are all within 15 minutes drive.

Must see & do:

• Camel ride on Cable Beach
• Matso’s mango beer brewery
• Fishing
• Whale Watching
• Pearl tour
• Sunset

80 Mile Beach is the place where the majority of people stop to camp – it’s a beautiful beach that you can drive on (not past the high tide mark) and very popular for fishing.

Leg 2 80 Mile Beach to Millstream Chichester National Park 476 kms 6 hours

Millstream Chichester boasts tranquil gorges and hidden rock pools. The most popular site is Python Pool. It is one of the most important aboriginal sites in Australia!

Stay at Miliyanha campground.

Leg 3 Millstream Chichester National Park to Karijini 207 kms 3.5 hours

One of the big attraction of Karijini National Park is its accessibility. Simply walk 50 metres and peer straight into a deep gorge to see waterfalls and rock pools below. There are many walk trails available to further explore the gorges. Karijini’s main highlights are Fortescue Falls, Circular Pool and Fern Pool.

Stay at the Karijini Eco Retreat if you have a 4WD and Safari Camper package or stay at Dales Campsite if you have a 4WD and caravan package.

Leg 4 Karijini National Park to Exmouth and Cape Range 674 kms 8.5 hours

The Ningaloo reef is a long coral reef swarms with turtles, tropical fish, manta rays, humpback whales and even whale sharks. No wonder that Ningaloo Reef is listed as a World Heritage Site! Whether you like snorkeling, diving or swimming, you will not be disappointed!

Cape Range National Park supports a range of unique wildlife habitats from existing ocean reef to ancient reef, rugged limestone, gorges and cave systems. Throughout the park, there are ample opportunities to view wildlife.

You can camp within Cape Range National Park, or in one of the caravan parks in the area, such as Yardie Homestead Caravan Park.

Leg 5 Exmouth and Cape Range to Coral Bay 152 kms 2 hours

In contrast to other locations, the coral reef starts right at the water’s edge. Coral Bay is a very popular holiday destination for Western Australians. It is recommended to book well in advance when traveling during school holidays. This place is a marine paradise where visitors have plenty of activities to choose from: snorkeling, fishing, swimming with whale sharks…You can even visit the reef shark nursery  between October and March, which is only a 20 minutes walk from Main Beach.

Stay at the Coral Bay caravan park.

Leg 6 Coral Bay to Monkey Mia 580 kms 7 hours

Monkey Mia is world-famous for its dolphins. A group of wild bottlenose dolphins come to the shore nearly everyday to be fed by humans.  South of Monkey Mia, you will find Denham and Francois Peron National Park.  This National Park offers diverse experiences, including four-wheel-driving. 50 minutes away from Monkey Mia, you will arrive at Shell Beach, where shells replace the beach sand and stretches over 100 kilometres!

Stay at the RAC caravan park.

Leg 7 Monkey Mia to Kalbarri 397 kms 5 hours

Kalbarri is a popular stop over for people on their way to Shark Bay or Monkey Mia. There are many natural attractions to visit such as Natures Window and the Z-Bend Lookout located in Kalbarri National Park.

The Kalbarri Skywalk  is a fantastic addition to the National Park showcasing stunning views of the Murchison River Gorge. You can also go whale watching as the humpback whale migration happens between May and August.

Stay at the Kalbarri caravan park.

Leg 8 Kalbarri to Cervantes 378 kms 4.5 hours

Cervantes is well-known for its Pinnacles Desert. You can learn all about those strange structures at the Pinnacles Desert Discovery Centre.

Just a kilometre from the town centre lies Lake Thetis, where you can observe stromatolites, most commonly known as “living fossils”. Those have been dated to about 3370 years old! Further north of Cervantes, you will find Sandy Cape, a nice little spot where you swim and watch the sunset.

If you have a 4WD and Safari Camper package you can choose to stay at Sandy Cape, otherwise stay at the RAC Cervantes caravan park if you have a 4WD and caravan package.

Leg 9 Cervantes to Perth 247 kms 3 hours

On the way to Cervantes, stop at Yanchep National Park. This is a great place for the kids, offering a koala viewing area, caves and an Aboriginal experience.

Total kilometres: 3,487
Total travel hours: 44

Travel times are estimated based on an average speed of 80km p/h, the maximum legal speed while towing is 100km p/h and should be adjusted to suit road conditions and weather. The travel times indicated should allow for delays due to road works, traffic, fuel, food and bathroom stops. Travel times and distances are approximate and we recommend using as a guide only, along with a published book or GPS navigational system.

Images: Courtesy of Western Australia