14 Day Perth to Broome Road Trip

Sightseeing 1: The Pinnacles Desert

Located within Geraldton’s Nambung National Park, you’ll find The Pinnacles Desert. This amazing landscape was created around 30,000 years ago when the sea level receded, and pillars made from limestone and seashells were revealed! This is undoubtedly one of the most awe-inspiring places on Earth, and definitely worth a visit as you enter Geraldton.

Sightseeing 2: Leaning Trees

One of the most visited attractions along the road to Geraldton, the Leaning Trees are River Gum Trees that have grown almost entirely horizontally due to their exposure to constant strong winds. This is a great place to stop and take some photographs as well as stretch your legs after a long journey.

Sightseeing 1: Pink Lake

Pink Lake sits along the route from Geraldton to Kalbarri, and while day two doesn’t see the longest amount of time on the road, stopping to see this natural wonder is an absolute must. The lake gets its pink colour from the Dunaliella salina algae that are abundant within, and depending on the time of year you visit, the colour ranges from bubble gum pink to scarlet red.

Sightseeing 2: Kalbarri National Park

One of the best things about spending so little time on the road on day 2 of your Perth to Broome road trip is that it affords you the opportunity to explore Kalbarri National Park. There are loads of different walking trails here, including a super short 800m loop to Nature’s Window. You’ll also be able to enjoy some incredible views from the picnic areas as well as views of the Murchison River from the Hawks Head Trail.

Sightseeing 1: Shell Beach

About halfway along your trip to Shark Bay, you’ll encounter Shell Beach. This is another excellent place to stop and relax if you need a break from driving, and it’s also one of the only places on Earth where the entire shore is covered in shells, so it’s definitely worth a visit for this alone. You can also take a quick dip in the ocean to cool off, which is also hypersaline, making for a fun floating experience!

Sightseeing 2: Denham

Denham will be the first stop you come across as you enter Shark Bay, and it’s a wonderful place to explore if you’re looking for shops or a place to eat. There are multiple restaurants in this coastal town, most of which serve some of the finest seafood you could ever wish for. There are also safe swimming beaches here too, along with a golf course. So, if you’re looking to end your drive on day three with some activities, Denham is the place to be.

Having spent three days driving across 944km, you’ll likely want a break from behind the wheel, and Francois Peron National Park is a great place to explore, get back to nature, and take in some fresh air. Here, you’ll find a mixture of white sandy beaches and swimming holes, as well as opportunities for fishing, kayaking, and snorkelling.

There are plenty of picnic areas within Francois Peron National Park, as well as some designated gas BBQs close to Big Lagoon. You’ll also find campgrounds here, giving you the perfect place to rest for the night and admire the starry night sky before you hit the road on day 5.

Sightseeing 1: Monkey Mia

As you head towards Coral Bay, you’ll encounter Monkey Mia about 30 minutes along the road. While this isn’t the greatest distance from where you set out, it’s definitely worth visiting if you’re a wildlife lover, as it is considered one of the best places in Australia for spotting wild dolphins. There’s a plethora of other marine life you can spot from the beaches and lookouts at Monkey Mia too, including sharks, turtles, rays, and dugongs.

Sightseeing 2: Coral Bay Beach

Time your journey right and, as you enter Coral Bay, you can head to the beach and enjoy the sun setting over the ocean – a perfect way to end a day on the road. Of course, you can always arrive way ahead of sunset too, and enjoy relaxing on the sandy beach and cooling off in the beautiful blue waters. This is also an excellent location for snorkelling and water sports, and there are plenty of cafes and restaurants in the surrounding area to rest and refuel ahead of the next leg of your journey.

Sightseeing 1: Town Beach

A much shorter day on the road, one of the first places you’ll encounter as you enter Exmouth is Town Beach. This is a wonderful place to spend the day with your family or simply relaxing and sunbathing. The ocean views here are incredible and certainly Instagram-worthy. You can also enjoy a swim in the ocean ahead of a meal in one of the nearby restaurants.

Sightseeing 2: Vlamingh Head Lighthouse

Are you looking for the very best ocean views as you head from Perth to Broome? Then, you definitely need to stop at Exmouth’s Vlamingh Head Lighthouse. Here, you’ll be treated to panoramic ocean views as well as incredible views of Exmouth itself, and it’s also an amazing place to watch the sunset. The night skies here are clear too, making it one of the best places to do some stargazing on your road trip.

Sightseeing 1: Turquoise Bay

It can be tempting to power through straight to Karijini as you hit the halfway point of your road trip, but we recommend taking the 1 hour trip to Cape Range National Park and spending most of your day exploring this incredible place. One of the highlights here is Turquoise Bay, which offers incredible snorkelling opportunities and the chance to get up close and personal with reef sharks, turtles, and hundreds of species of fish.

Sightseeing 2: Mandu Mandu Gorge

For those who would prefer to stay dry, Cape Range National Park is also home to the amazing Mandu Mandu Gorge. This is a 3km walking trail that runs in a loop and offers the opportunity to explore the surrounding wildlife, take in some incredible views of the national park, and generally unwind for the day.

Sightseeing 1: Tom Price

You’ll be grateful for your day at Cape Range National Park, as day 8 of your 14 day road trip from Perth to Broome will see you spending 8 hours on the road. This is also one of the less exciting parts of the trip, with very little to stop and see along the way. One place you should visit, however, is Tom Price.

Sitting at 747 meters above sea level, Tom Price is the highest town in Western Australia and is a great place to stop and gather supplies ahead of your journey through Karijini National Park. You’ll also find a visitor centre here, where you’ll be able to pick up a map of Karijini National Park along with information and advice on where to visit.

A large portion of your road trip will take you across the 1500km expanse of Karijini National Park. Here, you’ll find loads of walking trails to explore on each of the five days you’ll spend making your way across the park, and we’ve included one beauty spot that you should visit on each day.

On your first day in the national park, we recommend heading to Hamersley Gorge. This is one of the most beautiful places you’ll ever visit, and the different rock textures, patterns, and colours that create this gorge really do need to be seen to be believed. You’ll also be able to enjoy a wild swim in the gorge, which is perfect for cooling off on a hot day.

As you head further into the national park on day 9 of your journey, we recommend taking the time to visit both Joffre and Knox Gorges. They are a little harder to reach than some others and are marked as “Class 5 Trails”, but the small waterfalls and incredible rock formations they contain are certainly worth the effort if you’re able.

Slightly easier to reach than Joffre and Knox Gorges, the Oxer and Junction Pool Lookouts are a 30-minute hike that offer unparalleled views of Hancock Gorge. The area itself also features breathtaking deep canyons formed from red rock, and rock climbing is permitted here as well.

Your penultimate day in Karijini National Park will see you encounter the Weano and Hancock Gorges along the road. Both of these gorges are filled with beautiful, crystal clear water that is ideal for cooling off following the hike it takes to reach them. As with the Joffre and Knox Gorges, the trails to both Weano and Hancock Gorges are Class 5 Trails, so make sure you’re confident hiking before taking them on.

A wonderful place to spend your penultimate day in Karijini National Park, Dales Gorge lies at the end of an easy 2km trail and is also the starting point of several other walking trails throughout the park. One of these trails will take you to Fortescue Falls, which, if time permits, is another idyllic place to visit before you leave Kariijni the following day.

The second-highest mountain in Western Australia, Mount Bruce offers you a challenge on your final day in Karijini National Park. Of course, you don’t have to climb right to the top, and there are several walking trails you can explore depending on your skill levels and available time frame. The easiest is Marandoo View, which is just 500 metres from the Mt Bruce car park and offers views over Marandoo Mine. Or, if you’re feeling a little more adventurous, follow the Honey Hakea Trail straight onto Mt Bruce Summit Trail.

Sightseeing 1: Dalgety House Museum

About halfway through your trip towards Eighty Mile Beach, you’ll reach the town of Port Hedland. Here, you’ll find the Dalgety House Museum, which is a great place to stop and explore if you would like to learn more about the town’s history, including how the town was reoccupied following the plagues and droughts of 1867. There are several shops in Port Hedland as well, making it an ideal place to stop if you’re short on supplies.

Sightseeing 2: Eighty Mile Beach

As you come to the penultimate day of your journey, Eighty Mile Beach offers respite in the form of restaurants, bars, and a picturesque place to watch the sunset. You’ll also find powered and unpowered campsites in the Eighty Mile Beach Caravan Park, making it easy to find a quiet, relaxing place to spend the night before your last day on the road.

Sightseeing 1: Port Smith Lagoon

Halfway along the road from Eighty Mile Beach to Broome, you’ll find the incredibly beautiful Port Smith Lagoon. This is an ideal place to stop for an hour and stretch your legs, or if you’re not in a rush, cool off in the waters or enjoy a spot of fishing. There are a few walking trails here that allow you to explore the lagoon within your own time frame, and if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you can enjoy a spot of kayaking or paddle boarding.

Sightseeing 2: Cable Beach

How better to end your 14 day adventure than relaxing on Cable Beach’s beautiful sandy shores or exploring its blue waters? For the more adventurous, or if you’re looking to end your road trip with a truly unforgettable experience, camel rides along Cable Beach can also be booked. This is a wonderful place to watch the sunset as well, marking the end of the road trip of a lifetime.

While you can combine the different parts of the Perth to Broome road trip to make a shorter journey, we hope that our 14-day itinerary has inspired you to take some more time and enjoy everything the road has to offer. From beautiful beaches to wild spaces, there’s so much to explore that it really is worth taking the extra time to make memories and feel refreshed at the end of your trip.

Of course, to enjoy this road trip to its fullest, you’ll need a campervan. Talk to the team of experts at Travellers Autobarn about hiring a campervan for your Perth road trip, and you’ll get a free online quote. Or, if you’re after some more Perth road trip ideas, take a look here.