Why Western Australia Is The Road Trip State
Western Australia is the largest state on Earth's most isolated continent. It is bigger than all of Western Europe. Its coastline stretches longer than the entire eastern seaboard of the United States. And almost all of it can be reached by road — if you're willing to drive.
The rewards are extraordinary and, crucially, still largely unshared. The Kimberley remains one of the most remote wilderness regions on the planet. The Coral Coast's wildflower bloom draws wildlife that exists nowhere else. The South West's old-growth karri forests and cellar doors rival any European wine route. And the outback's ochre silence is the kind that recalibrates something deep inside you.
This guide covers five of Western Australia's greatest road trip routes — each one with expert notes on distance, difficulty, highlights, and the best time to travel. Whether you're planning a self-drive adventure or joining one of Cooee Tours' guided expeditions, these are the roads worth driving.
Australia's most celebrated coastal drive hugs the Indian Ocean from Perth all the way to Exmouth at the tip of the North West Cape. This is the route that delivers everything Western Australia is celebrated for: impossibly turquoise water, dolphins swimming alongside ferry routes, whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef, and the greatest wildflower bloom on earth erupting across the plains every August to October.
Begin at Lancelin's white sand dunes, swing through the Pinnacles' alien limestone formations at sunrise, fuel up in Geraldton (Western Australia's north-west capital), and then surrender to Shark Bay — a UNESCO World Heritage Area where ancient stromatolites still photosynthesize as they did 3.5 billion years ago. The finale at Ningaloo Reef is worth the entire drive: this is the world's largest fringing reef system, accessible directly from the beach.
- The Pinnacles Desert at sunrise
- Monkey Mia dolphin feeding at dawn
- Swimming with whale sharks at Ningaloo
- Wildflower bloom (Aug–Oct) at its peak
- Shell Beach's billion-shell shoreline
- Blowholes at Quobba Station
- Cape Range National Park gorge walks
- Snorkelling the Murion Islands
This is not a road trip — it is an expedition. The Kimberley is one of the last great wildernesses on Earth: ancient sandstone ranges carved by seasonal flooding into gorges of impossible beauty, freshwater crocodile pools where you can actually swim, and sunsets over Cable Beach that silence conversation for minutes at a time.
The Great Northern Highway route from Broome to Kununurra covers 3,000 kilometres of red-dirt majesty. Plan for at least two weeks. Key stops include the cathedral domes of the Bungle Bungles (Purnululu National Park, UNESCO listed), the ancient Mimbi Caves, and El Questro — a million-acre wilderness station where thermal springs bubble from cliff faces. This is where Australia becomes truly wild.
- Cable Beach sunset at Broome
- Bungle Bungles (Purnululu NP)
- El Questro thermal gorge springs
- Mitchell Falls — a 4-day hike reward
- Freshwater swimming at Bell Gorge
- Lake Argyle at dawn by houseboat
- Aboriginal cultural rock art sites
- Horizontal Falls boat thrill ride
The South West Loop is Western Australia's most curated drive — a scenic circuit through Margaret River wine country, towering karri forests, and a coastline that swings from wild southern ocean surf to sheltered bays of extraordinary turquoise. This is the road trip for those who want world-class wine, gourmet food, dramatic coastal scenery, and the simple satisfaction of a perfectly planned loop.
Leave Perth via Mandurah, stop at Bunbury, then slow right down in Margaret River — a region that produces some of Australia's greatest Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay from boutique estates. Continue south through the Valley of the Giants' ancient tingle trees, whose trunks you can walk right through, and finish in Albany on King George Sound, where the world's last commercial whaling station is now one of Australia's most powerful museums.
- Margaret River wine region tastings
- Cape Leeuwin — where oceans meet
- Valley of the Giants treetop walk
- Boranup karri forest drive
- Hamelin Bay stingray beach
- Elephant Rocks at William Bay
- Albany's Torndirrup NP sea cliffs
- Whale watching at Bremer Bay
If the Great Northern Highway is the Kimberley's main story, the Gibb River Road is the chapter the guides write in their own voices. This legendary 660km unsealed track cuts through the heart of the Kimberley — past cattle stations the size of small countries, and into gorges so beautiful they feel like a kept secret.
A 4WD is essential, and river crossings can close sections after rain even in the dry season. But nothing prepares you for Windjana Gorge's ancient reef walls, Tunnel Creek's bat-filled darkness, and the absolute solitude of Bell Gorge as you drop into cold, clear water surrounded by orange sandstone. The Gibb is not for the unprepared — it is everything for those who come ready.
- Windjana Gorge ancient reef walk
- Tunnel Creek — bat colony cave
- Bell Gorge natural pool
- Manning Gorge two-day walk
- Barnett River Gorge swimming
- El Questro station wilderness
- Emma Gorge thermal springs
- Night skies: no light pollution for 500km
In 1893, a gold rush transformed a remote outback township into one of Australia's most remarkable cities. Today, Kalgoorlie-Boulder still mines gold from the Super Pit — a hole in the earth so vast you can see mining trucks the size of houses from the viewing platform above. The route there from Perth crosses the Avon Valley, slows through the wildflower country around Merredin, and arrives at Wave Rock — a 110-metre granite wave frozen in geological time — before the red dirt proper begins.
Kalgoorlie itself rewards those who linger: the Museum of the Goldfields, Hannan Street's beautifully restored Federation-era pubs, and the historic gold-rush brothel of Hay Street are all frank, fascinating pieces of an Australian history rarely discussed elsewhere. Return via Coolgardie, the ghost town that started it all, and pause at the remarkable Kambalda Nickel Belt salt lakes — pink as flamingos on a clear day.
- Wave Rock at dawn — nature's marvel
- Kalgoorlie Super Pit viewpoint
- Museum of the Goldfields
- Pink salt lakes at Kambalda
- Coolgardie ghost town history
- Outback pub culture: Palace Hotel
- Avon Valley wildflowers in spring
- York — Australia's oldest inland town
Route Comparison at a Glance
| Route | Distance | Duration | Difficulty | Best Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coral Coast (Perth–Exmouth) | 1,200 km | 7–10 days | Aug–Oct Mar–Jun | |
| The Kimberley Highway | 3,000 km | 14–21 days | May–Sep | |
| South West Loop (Perth–Albany) | 700 km | 5–7 days | Year-round | |
| Gibb River Road | 660 km | 7–10 days | May–Oct only | |
| Golden Outback (Perth–Kalgoorlie) | 590 km | 4–5 days | Mar–Nov |
"People ask which WA road trip is the best. I always say: which face of Australia do you need right now? The Coral Coast gives you joy. The Kimberley gives you perspective. The South West gives you pleasure. The Gibb River Road gives you humility. And the Golden Outback gives you history. All of them give you something you didn't know you were missing."
— Sarah McKenzie, WA Road Trip Specialist, Cooee Tours · 11 years guiding Western Australia
- ✓Never leave Perth without a full tank. Many remote WA routes have fuel stops over 300km apart. Carry a jerry can for any Kimberley or Gibb River Road drive.
- ✓A 4WD isn't optional on remote routes. The Gibb River Road and many Kimberley side tracks require a properly equipped high-clearance 4WD with two spare tyres and recovery gear.
- ✓Check road conditions before you go. Main Roads WA (mainroads.wa.gov.au) has real-time closures. The Gibb River Road closes entirely in wet season (Nov–April).
- ✓Register a trip plan for remote travel. Lodge your itinerary with DFES (WA's emergency services) if travelling the Kimberley, Gibb River Road, or Golden Outback alone.
- ✓Book accommodation ahead in peak season. Popular stops like Exmouth, Broome, and El Questro sell out months ahead between July–September. Do not assume walk-in availability.
- ✓A satellite communicator is strongly advised. Mobile coverage disappears north of Geraldton. A Garmin inReach or SPOT device could save your life on remote routes.