Perth to Exmouth Loop via Karijini

Pinnacles, Nambung National Park

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.
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.

Kalbarri Skywalk, Kalbarri National Park

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.

Hamelin Pool Marine Nature Reserve, Shark Bay, Western Australia

If you want to break up the drive, Hamelin Pool has a museum and boardwalk over the stromatolites. Interesting history and the tea rooms do meals and a fantastic Devonshire Tea.

▲ Camping could be in either Denham Township or Monkey Mia.

Monkey Mia, Western Australia

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.

Fifty minutes away from Monkey Mia, you will arrive at Shell Beach, where shells replace the beach sand and stretches over 100 kilometres!

Coral Bay, Western Australia

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 travelling 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 with the option of powered and unpowered sites.

Cape Range National Park, Turquoise Bay, Western Australia

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.

Karijini National Park, Western Australia

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.

Road through the Pilbara

A long drive.

Get an early start and see how far you get! At the very least you should get to Mount Magnet, but if you can get to Paynes Find or further it will make the last day a lot easier.

Road to Mount Magnet, Western Australia

Total kilometres: 3,857
Total travel hours: 42.5
Travel times are estimated based on an average speed of 80km p/h and should, 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 Rebina Criddle