Seek out stories and epic scenery on the Warlu Way
The geography of the Warlu Way is as photogenic as it is diverse. And steeped in culture. Discover the Dreamtime legend of the Warlu, a sea serpent said to have snaked its way through the Pilbara region of Australia’s North West, carving out the epic landscape you’ll trace along any iteration of this magical journey. Explore the ancient landscape linking Broome with Exmouth through coastal and inland sections, and along the Manuwarra Red Dog Highway and East Pilbara Geoheritage Route, where you’ll see towering rock faces, wild coastlines, stunning sunsets, plunging gorges, soaring red ranges and sapphire seas and views that stretch on forever. Download the free Warlu Way travel app so you can choose between one of the self-drive itineraries that allow for either a return trip or a one-way adventure. You could spend an entire day sifting sand through your toes at Eighty Mile Beach or the Mackerel Islands, exploring the ancient Aboriginal rock art of the Pilbara region in Murujuga National Park (which has more than 1 million petroglyphs), or kayaking in the blue-green waters of Nhanggangunha (Deep Reach Pool), where the spirit serpent is said to live. Carve off to Karijini National Park to see hidden waterholes and gorges as gnarled and weathered as time amid one of the oldest landscapes on the planet. The park lies at the heart of the Warlu Way, where the Yindjibarndi have roamed for thousands of years. Fans of the film Red Dog should detour to Dampier to snap a selfie in front of the statue dedicated to the kelpie that travelled across the Pilbara and inspired a movie of the same name.
DISTANCE: The Warlu Way is almost 3000 kilometres in full and can also be explored in sections via its four interconnected routes. Karijini Eco Retreat. STAY: