Best-ever Aussie road trip
From the beaches of Perth to the reefs of Exmouth, LUCY E. COUSINS reveals five reasons why this 1250km drive is the journey of a lifetime
1.You’ll find National Parks galore!
From the strange obelisk shapes of the Pinnacles, three hours’ drive from Perth, to the stunning coastline of the Cape Range National Park near Exmouth, each park is incredibly well looked after with new facilities and modern boardwalks. Don’t miss Kalbarri National Park, which offers magnificent views over red rock landscapes similar to the Grand Canyon. You can buy a single holiday park pass (dpaw.wa.gov.au) for $44 for a vehicle of up to 12 people, which allows you to visit as many parks as you like for a four-week period!
2.You’ll meet quirky characters & have one-of-a-kind experiences
If you love a good photo opportunity, don’t miss the Big Prawn in Exmouth. And remember to stop off at the pink lake near Kalbarri on your way north to visit the fascinating “living fossils” – the Hamelin Pool stromatolites – the oldest and largest living fossils in the world! They look like coral but are really relatives of organisms that lived on Earth 3500 million years ago, well before dinosaurs! And between remote roadhousess and old pubs with dazzling ocean views, you’ll meet lots of friendly locals on this trip.
3.There are some weird & wonderful places to stay
Whether you want to splurge or save, you won’t be short of unique accommodation options as you travell north. You could eco-glamp at luxury Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef (salsalis.com.au,au, from $750 per night including meals, ls, drinks and excursions such as snorkelling and kayaking on the reef). Or visit Hamelin Pool Telegraph Station, which apart from being a living museum also offers powered sites for caravans (hamelinpoolcaravanpark.com, from $20 per night). For a fun experience, stay at Big River Ranch (bigriverranch.net, from $28 per night), a working farm that offers a farm stay with horseriding.
4.It’s dotted with gorgeous deserted beaches
Perth alone has more than 20km of coastline but as you drive north, the beaches become more beautiful and less crowded. Just outside Perth, Jurien Bay has dazzlingly white sand and turquoise-blue water. Just don’t forget your sunnies – it’s so bright, it’ll take your eyes a few minutes to adjust! Shell Beach, about 45km from Denham, is also worth a stop. Further north, outside Exmouth, you’ll find calm, rippling waves, clear-blue water and campsites with million-dollar views at Cape Range National Park.
5.You can swim with whale sharks & dolphins
Not only will you see plenty of wildlife on land – think rock wallabies, osprey and lots of red kangaroos – but you’ll also be able to swim alongside friendly marine life. In Monkey nkey Mia, dolphins whiz past you in the water within metres. Furtherher north at Ningaloo Reef, youu can swim with whale sharksks from April to July. These gentle giants of the sea can grow up to 18m long – and they’re just as curious about you as you are about them!