Where, What & When: The Ultimate Western Australia Self-Drive Itineraries

A land of dramatic coastlines, striking outback expanses and rich cultural history, Western Australia is worth extending your itinerary for – and what better way to discover it all than on a self-drive journey? Here’s our pick of long-stay itineraries to guide you through the heart of a state as diverse as it is spectacular.

Road Trip from Perth to Albany

Day 1-4: Perth

Start your journey in Australia’s sunniest capital city, Perth / Boorloo. Spend days exploring 19 world-class beaches; Cottesloe Beach is a must-visit for crystal-clear waters while Coogee Beach is ideal for snorkelling. Swim with friendly dolphins in their natural habitat in Rockingham and cruise the Swan River / Derbarl Yerrigan to Swan Valley, the only wine region within an Australian capital city, to sample award-winning wines and artisanal treats.

Day 5–7: The Margaret River Region

Head south to the Margaret River Region, home to some of the world’s most celebrated wineries. Try Vasse Felix, the region’s first vineyard known for premium cabernet sauvignon, and Leeuwin Estate, boasting an award-winning art series chardonnay and rich cellar door experiences.

The nearby Cape to Cape Track takes you past pristine headlands and karri forests, with indulgent food and wine experiences along the way. Visit the longest jetty in the southern hemisphere in Busselton / Undalup and explore the ancient crystal formations of Ngilgi Cave in Yallingup. Don’t miss the surreal Mammoth and Jewel Caves, home to limestone stalagmites and stalactites.

Day 8–10: Esperance & Lucky Bay

Fly to Esperance / Kepa Kurl and dive straight into the crystal-clear waters of Lucky Bay, renowned as Australia’s whitest-sand beach. Take a flight over rainbow lakes, seasonally coloured pink, orange and red by a high salt content. For a high-octane adventure, hire a 4WD and travel along Esperance’s untouched dunes. Wrap up with a cold one at Lucky Bay Brewing Co., where locally inspired craft beers await.

Day 10–12: Great Southern

Enter the Great Southern region and climb Bluff Knoll, Stirling Range National Park’s / Koi Kyeunu-ruff highest peak. Take to the trees in the Valley of the Giants at the Tree Top Walk, a suspended bridge 40 metres high among the forest canopy. If you’re travelling between July and October, you may be treated to one of the world’s largest displays of wildflowers – a 65-kilometre stretch of more than 1,000 species.

In Porongurup National Park, tackle the short climb to Castle Rock’s Granite Skywalk for sweeping mountain views. End in Albany / Kinjarling to visit the National Anzac Centre and marvel at dramatic rock formations at The Gap and Natural Bridge in Torndirrup National Park.

Road Trip from Perth to Ningaloo Reef

Day 1–4: Perth & Rottnest Island

Begin at Kings Park and the Botanic Garden / Kaarta Koomba, one of the world’s largest inner-city parks. Just a 25-minute ferry from Fremantle / Walyup, Rottnest Island / Wadjemup is a car-free paradise famous for white-sand beaches and the happiest animal in the world – the quokka.

Day 4–7: Exmouth & Ningaloo Reef

Fly to Exmouth in under two hours from Perth or drive the Coral Coast Highway. Discover Australia’s largest fringing coral reef and UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef / Nyinggulu, where you can swim alongside gentle whale sharks from March to July. Snorkel at Turquoise Bay, one of Australia’s best beaches, explore the limestone ranges of Cape Range National Park, spot black-footed rock wallabies at Mandu Mandu Gorge and kayak along Yardie Creek.

Day 7–9: Shark Bay & Monkey Mia

Shark Bay / Gathaagudu is home to one of only two stromatolite collections on Earth – living fossils over 3.5 billion years old. Its seagrass banks shelter 11,000 dugongs, while humpback and southern right whales can be spotted offshore. At Monkey Mia, bottlenose dolphins swim into the shallows almost daily for up-close encounters.

Day 9-10: Kalbarri National Park

Peer through nature’s window in Kalbarri National Park / Wurdimarlu, a natural rock arch that frames the Murchison River below. Walk the Kalbarri Skywalk / Kaju Yatka, two jaw-dropping platforms that extend 25 metres over the gorge, for a bird’s-eye view of the cliffs below. Just south of Kalbarri is Hutt Lagoon, a lake with pink, lilac and red hues depending on salinity and season.

Day 11–13: The Pinnacles & Nambung National Park

Rise early to catch the Pinnacles at sunrise – an ideal photo opportunity with thousands of ancient limestone spires rising from the sand. On your return to Perth, stop at Cervantes for a meal of buttery, ocean-fresh lobster at the Lobster Shack, a satisfying send-off to your coastal adventure.

Road Trip from Broome to Kununurra

Day 1: Broome to Derby

Start north in Broome / Rubibi, a pearling town known for vibrant markets and red pindan soil. Don’t miss the sunset over Cable Beach / Walmanyjun, best viewed on camelback. Travel to Derby and take a flight over Horizontal Falls / Garaan-ngaddim to see some of the largest tidal movements in the world force water through narrow cliffs, creating a unique sideways waterfall effect. You’ll also see the thousands of islands that make up the Buccaneer Archipelago.

Day 2: Derby to Windjana Gorge National Park

Trek into Windjana Gorge / Bandilngan to see 100-metre limestone walls rising out of the Lennard River. Nearby, Tunnel Creek / Dimalurru invites you to wade through knee-deep water into the state’s oldest cave system, where you’ll find hidden chambers, sparkling stalactites and ancient Aboriginal rock art.

Day 3: Windjana Gorge National Park to Bell Gorge

Start the day at Lennard Gorge, an oasis with sheer cliffs and waterfalls. Continue to Bell Gorge / Dalmanyi, regarded as one of the Kimberley’s most stunning gorges. Stay the night at Silent Grove campgrounds (open between April and November) or Mount Hart Wilderness Lodge, where you can take to the skies on a guided helicopter tour of the area.

Day 4: Bell Gorge to Manning Gorge

Follow the Gibb River Road and stop at Galvan’s Gorge, a serene spot with lily-filled pools, boab trees and Aboriginal art. At Manning Gorge, hike to a secluded swimming hole beneath a waterfall surrounded by towering rock walls and pandanus trees.

Day 5: Manning Gorge to Drysdale River Station

Detour along Kalumburu Road and stop at Drysdale River Station, an outback hub where you can cast a line on the riverbank or embark on an unforgettable flight with Air Kimberley. Soar above the breathtaking Mitchell Falls / Punamii-Uunpu or marvel at the dramatic coastal canyons of the Prince Regent River.

Day 6–7: Drysdale River Station to Balanggarra Home Valley

Continue to Balanggarra Home Valley Station, where the Cockburn Range dominates the landscape. Watch the range ignite in deep orange at sunset, best enjoyed with a drink in hand at Dusty’s Bar & Grill, an authentic outback haunt.

Day 8: Balanggarra Home Valley to El Questro

Begin with a swim at the Durack River crossing or fish for barramundi at Jack’s Waterhole. Continue to El Questro and cruise Chamberlain Gorge at sunset to spot rock wallabies and ancient Windjana rock art. Unwind in the thermal pools of Zebedee Springs or hike to Emma Gorge.

Day 9–10: El Questro to Kununurra

Travel the final stretch of the Gibb River Road, arriving at Kununurra / Goonoonoorrang to see Lake Argyle, the southern hemisphere’s largest man-made lake. Don’t miss the chance to view the Bungle Bungle Range in the World Heritage-listed Purnululu National Park, a geological masterpiece of ancient sandstone domes striped with orange and black.

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