With the Western Australian state borders still closed, people currently residing in this beautiful part of the world have to look to their own doorstep if they want to go on a holiday. Thankfully, this isn’t the worst place to be stuck. This blog post outlines a stunning trip up north in only 10 days, from Perth to Exmouth and back, which Liam and I did a couple of months ago.
First stop: Gladstone Bay
Distance 800 km from Perth; driving time: 8.5 hours (estimate at least 9-10 with breaks)
Gladstone Bay is a great place to to break up the trip to Exmouth. The campground is situated 6 km down a dirt track from the highway and it’s first come first serve (i.e. no bookings). We were a bit worried initially about not getting a spot but there’s lots of space. It’s featuring flushable toilets as well as an artisan camp shower. The perfect place for some peace and quiet near the ocean, there is literally nothing but desert, sea and sky. It’s a wonderful place for star gazing at night and there’s a bay for taking out a boat but no beach as such.
Liam and I staid for two nights, but in hindsight, we would have only staid for one to get to Exmouth faster. Saying that, if I was only after chilling on the campsite with a book, this would be my go-to place.
Read more about Gladstone Bay here
Second stop: Exmouth & Turquoise Bay
Distance 500 km from Gladstone Bay (1300 km from Perth); driving time: 5-6 hours from Gladstone Bay
Exmouth is a small resort town on Western Australia’s North West Cape and the perfect place to explore the nearby Ningaloo Marine Park with its coral reefs, colourful fish and migratory whale sharks. Also very close by, the Cape Range National Park has kangaroos, sheer cliffs and red, rocky gorges.
We staid at the cute and cosy Ned’s campground north of the town of Exmouth. It’s small with only nine sites and the beach is only fifty metres through the dunes. Even though the sites aren’t very big and neighbouring sites are quiet close to each other, it’s a special place. It features facilities (toilets) it’s very close to various beautiful bays in the area, the lighthouse, overlooking the sea for miles, as well as the Cape Range National Park.
We staid here for two nights, but in hindsight, we’d definitely do at least one or two more for there is a lot to see and do in this area.
On the way to our next destination, we stopped over at Turquoise Bay, 60 km and less than 1 hour drive from Exmouth. This is a truly mesmerizing snorkling spot with crystal-clear waters and an abundance of underwater life. For me personally the greatest feature is that you can enjoy all of this beauty right from the beach, i.e. no expensive tours needed. Only make sure to get there early since as from noon at the latest, the car park and beach is packed.
Read more about Exmouth and Turquoise Bay here
Third stop: Winderabandi Point and Coral Bay
Distance 110 km from Exmouth; driving time: 2-3 hours
Accessible by 4WD only!
A truly off-the-beaten-track experience, Winderabandi Point is a long way from the main road. The best way to access is via Yardie Creek Road, but that’s only if the creek isn’t filled with water. We took the safer (but more annoying) way about an hour via the highway and then, 50 km of dirt road to our destination, which took us around 2 hours.
It’s all worth it though for the campsite stretches for kilometres along the ocean front, with camping spots nestled in between the dunes. Our site was on the beach, with plenty of space and the ocean right in front of us. It’s a windy affair but beautiful and serene all the same. The campsite is dog-friendly and many people tow their boat all the way. The bay itself is a sanctuary so fishing isn’t allowed off the boat – only on shore – unless you’re passed the sanctuary borders. But the wildlife is jaw-dropping, we saw turtles, dolphins, colourful fish and coral reefs off the boat. It’s mandatory to have a portable or fitted toilet for there are no facilities at all.
We staid here for 2 days, which is fine because there isn’t much to do but to relax in and next to the ocean. Saying that you could easily just hang around here for a week.
On the way to our next destination, we stopped at Coral Bay, which is, just like Turquoise Bay, a wonderful snorkling spot. The coral reefs are easy to reach for swimmers directly off the beach.
Read more about Winderabandi Point here
Fourth stop: Kalbarri
Distance: 800 km from Winderabandi Point; driving time: 8.5 hours (estimate at least 9-10 with breaks)
Kalbarri is a little resort town tucked in between the ocean and the Murchison River. Aside from beautiful beaches and boating opportunities on the river, Kalbarri is home to the cliffs and gorges of the Kalbarri National Park, preserving the inland desert regions of red and white striped Tumblagooda sandstone.
There are many activities on offer in Kalbarri, aside from visiting the national park: The Blue Holes, just a few kilometres out of town, are rock pools off the coast and perfect for snorkelling. The river is tidal since it’s fed by ocean water from one side and rain water inland, and from the boat, you can admire the gorges of the outer ranges of the national park and the abundant bird life. Pelican feeding can be witnessed for free every morning at 8:45 am and there are many whale watching tours too.
Just an hour south of Kalbarri is the beautiful Hutt Lagoon or Pink Lake and many more beautiful beaches. We staid here two nights but will come back without a doubt, even though it wasn’t our first time anyway. Kalbarri warrants its own trip too, and only a six-hour drive from Perth, is an easier undertaking than the longer roadtrip.
