Western Australia Road Trip: Our Favourite 2-Week Itinerary

Here’s the full route before we get into the detail of each stop:

• Day 1 to 2: Perth
• Day 3 to 4: Cervantes and the Pinnacles
• Day 5 to 6: Geraldton and Kalbarri National Park
• Day 7 to 8: Shark Bay and Monkey Mia
• Day 9 to 10: Coral Bay and Ningaloo Reef
• Day 11 to 12: Exmouth and Cape Range National Park
• Day 13 to 14: The return leg to Perth, via Carnarvon and Geraldton

Total driving distance for the round trip sits at around 2,600 km, spread across seven legs and fourteen days. Nothing on this route needs a 4WD to complete (more on that below), and there’s enough breathing room built into each stop that you’re not simply driving from one campsite to the next and calling it a holiday.

Day 1 to 2: Perth

Distance: 0 km (this is your pickup and settling-in day)

Pick your camper up in the morning and give yourself the rest of day one to get comfortable with it before you’re out on the open road. Work out where everything lives, do a supermarket run, and get a feel for how the van handles before you’re navigating anything more remote. Perth itself is worth a proper look too. It’s an easy, walkable city with a genuinely lovely stretch of coastline right on its doorstep, so there’s no reason to rush through it just to get north a day earlier.

What to do?

Kings Park and Botanic Garden One of the largest inner-city parks in the world, and the best view of Perth you’ll get without paying for it. Go for sunset if you can. The whole skyline lights up against the Swan River, and it sets the tone nicely for what’s ahead.

Cottesloe Beach Perth’s most iconic beach and a good spot to remind yourself what you’re about to spend two weeks chasing more of. Go for an early swim before the day heats up, when the water’s calmest and the crowds haven’t arrived yet.

Fremantle Twenty-five minutes south of the city, Fremantle has weekend markets, old maritime buildings, and a genuinely good food and coffee scene. It’s worth half a day on its own, and a decent warm-up for the smaller, more relaxed towns you’ll be passing through further north.

Scarborough Beach Livelier than Cottesloe, with a beachfront strip of bars and restaurants. A good spot for an evening drink before an early start north the next day.

Elizabeth Quay A newer stretch of Perth’s waterfront, good for an evening walk if you’re staying central. It’s a small addition to the day, but a pleasant one if you’ve got the time.

Where to eat?

Cicerello’s, Fremantle A Fremantle institution sitting right on the harbour. Classic fish and chips, and the outdoor seating over the water is worth the queue that tends to build up around lunchtime.

Bib and Tucker, Bicton Set right on the river with genuinely great views. It’s a bit more of a sit-down meal than a quick bite, and worth it if you want one proper dinner out before you’re cooking in the van for the next fortnight.

Mary Street Bakery, Highgate A well-loved Perth bakery and cafe, good for breakfast or a coffee stop on your way through the city. Get there early if you want a table on the weekend.

Where to stay?

RAC Perth Holiday Park Close to the airport and an easy pickup point if you’re flying into Perth, with full facilities and easy campervan access.

BIG4 Swan Valley Oasis Holiday Park Twenty minutes from the CBD in Perth’s wine region, with a relaxed feel and plenty of space to get your bearings before heading north.

What to know: Pick up your van early in the day if you can, and don’t skip the walkthrough with the rental team. Ask specifically about the water tank, grey water, and gas bottle if it’s your first time in a camper. It’ll save you a headache further down the road.

RatPack tip: On my own lap I made the mistake of leaving Perth on the same afternoon I picked the van up, which meant my first real drive was also my first time reversing into a campsite in the dark. Give yourself the full first day in Perth. You’ll thank yourself when you’re pulling into Cervantes rested rather than rattled.

Day 3 to 4: Cervantes and the Pinnacles

Distance: 200 km (around 2.5 hours from Perth)

This is where the trip starts to feel like Western Australia properly. The drive north takes you past Lancelin’s towering white sand dunes before dropping you into Cervantes, a tiny fishing town that happens to sit right next to one of the strangest landscapes in the country.

What to do?

Pinnacles Desert, Nambung National Park Thousands of limestone pillars rise out of yellow sand, some over three metres tall. Go early morning or late afternoon. The light does something to the shadows that makes the whole place feel otherworldly, and you’ll dodge the worst of the heat while you’re at it.

Lancelin sand dunes Some of the tallest white sand dunes in Australia, and a proper stop for sandboarding if you’re up for it. Boards can be hired in town, and it’s worth the twenty minutes it takes to get the hang of it.

Hangover Bay A sheltered, family-friendly snorkelling spot just south of Cervantes with clear, calm water. A good place to cool off after a morning walking the dunes.

Jurien Bay A quieter coastal town a short drive north of Cervantes, worth a stop for a walk along the jetty and a look at the marine park. It’s a good counterpoint to the busier Pinnacles crowds.

Where to eat?

Lobster Shack, Cervantes The reason a lot of people stop in Cervantes at all. Watch the day’s catch come in from the factory viewing deck, then eat it fresh. The lobster roll is the one to get.

Cervantes Bakery Simple, solid, and exactly what you want after a morning out on the dunes. Grab something before you head into the Pinnacles for the afternoon.

Where to stay?

Cervantes Pinnacles Caravan Park Right in town, walking distance to the water, with full hookups for campervans. Book ahead if you’re travelling during school holidays.

Jurien Bay Tourist Park A quieter alternative if you’d rather base yourself slightly further north, with a bit more space between sites.

What to know: The road into the Pinnacles is unsealed but fine for a standard campervan in dry conditions, so there’s no need for a 4WD here. Fuel up in Cervantes before continuing, as options thin out noticeably further north.

RatPack tip: Most people do the Pinnacles loop drive and leave. Park up and walk out into the formations instead, on foot, away from the car park. It’s a five-minute change of plan that makes the whole place feel a lot bigger and a lot stranger than it does from behind a windscreen.

Day 5 to 6: Geraldton and Kalbarri National Park

Distance: Cervantes to Geraldton, around 220 km (2.5 hours); Geraldton to Kalbarri, a further 150 km (1.5 to 2 hours)

Geraldton is a proper regional city with a genuinely moving war memorial, then Kalbarri hands you some of the best gorge scenery in the state. This is a two-stop day pairing, so budget your time accordingly: Geraldton in the morning, on to Kalbarri by early afternoon. The landscape changes noticeably on this leg too, from Geraldton’s working coastline to the deep red gorge country around the Murchison River, which is a good sign of what’s still to come further north.

What to do?

HMAS Sydney II Memorial, Geraldton A striking, quiet memorial on Mount Scott overlooking the city, dedicated to the 645 lives lost when HMAS Sydney was sunk in 1941. It’s worth the stop even if you’re not usually one for memorials.

Point Moore Lighthouse A distinctive red and white striped lighthouse right on the Geraldton coast. A quick photo stop on your way through town.

Nature’s Window, Kalbarri National Park The most photographed spot in the park, and for good reason. It’s a natural rock frame looking out over a bend in the Murchison River, and getting there early will help you beat the tour groups.

Z-Bend and Hawks Head lookouts Two more gorge lookouts nearby, each giving a different angle on the river system. Z-Bend has a steeper walk down if you want to get closer to the water, while Hawks Head suits a quicker stop.

Rainbow Jungle Parrot Breeding Centre, Kalbarri A smaller, lower-key stop if you’ve got a spare hour and want something a little different from the gorges.

Where to eat?

Skeetas Cafe, Geraldton A local favourite for breakfast and coffee before you push on to Kalbarri.

Finlay’s Fresh Fish BBQ, Kalbarri An outdoor, communal-table seafood barbecue that’s become a Kalbarri institution. Casual, fresh, and exactly the vibe of the town.

The Grass Tree Café, Kalbarri A relaxed daytime option if you want something quick between gorge walks.

Where to stay?

Sunset Beach Holiday Park, Geraldton Beachfront, with full facilities and a good option if you want to overnight in Geraldton before continuing on.

Kalbarri Tudor Holiday Park Central, campervan-friendly, and close enough to walk into town for dinner.

What to know: Kalbarri’s gorge walks are best done in the cooler part of the day. Some of the tracks have limited shade, and the heat builds quickly by late morning in the warmer months.

RatPack tip: Nature’s Window gets busy by mid-morning, especially with tour buses coming up from Geraldton. If you can manage it, drive straight there first thing rather than stopping in Geraldton on the way through, then double back to the memorial and the lighthouse once the light’s harsher and the gorge crowds have thinned out.

Day 7 to 8: Shark Bay and Monkey Mia

Distance: Kalbarri to Denham, around 400 km (4.5 to 5 hours)

This is the longest driving day of the trip, so treat it as a driving day rather than trying to squeeze in stops along the way. Fill up before you leave Kalbarri, and take a proper break at one of the roadhouses en route. Billabong Roadhouse is the obvious one, roughly halfway.

What to do?

Monkey Mia dolphin experience Wild dolphins have been coming into this exact stretch of beach for decades, and the early-morning interaction, run by park rangers rather than sold as a paid extra, is the main reason people make the drive out here. Get there for the first feeding session of the morning.

Shell Beach A beach made entirely of tiny white shells, packed so densely in places they’ve formed a kind of natural cement underfoot. It’s genuinely unlike anywhere else on this route.

Hamelin Pool Stromatolites Living fossils, and some of the oldest life forms on Earth, still growing in the shallows here. A short boardwalk lets you look down at them without disturbing them.

Eagle Bluff A dramatic red cliff lookout where you can often spot sharks, rays, and turtles in the water below without getting anywhere near it.

Ocean Park Aquarium, Denham A small, well-run aquarium if you want a closer look at some of the marine life you might spot from the boardwalks and lookouts nearby.

Where to eat?

The Old Pearler Restaurant, Denham Built from shell blocks, and one of the more memorable dining rooms you’ll eat in on this trip. Seafood-focused, and worth booking ahead in peak season.

Monkey Mia Yacht Charter and Bar A relaxed spot for a sunset drink after the morning’s dolphin encounter.

Bough Shed Restaurant, Monkey Mia Right on the beach where the dolphins come in, and a convenient option if you’re staying at the resort itself.

Where to stay?

RAC Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort Right on the beach where the dolphins come in, with powered sites for campervans. Booking ahead is worth it in peak season given the location.

Denham Seaside Tourist Village A quieter, more budget-friendly base in Denham itself, a short drive from Monkey Mia.

What to know: Francois Peron National Park sits nearby and is genuinely worth a look, but the deeper sections require a 4WD and tyre deflation. The entrance road and Peron Homestead are accessible in a standard van, so don’t push further into the park without the right vehicle for it.

RatPack tip: The ranger-led dolphin talk on the beach before the first feeding is worth arriving early for. It’s easy to treat the whole thing as a quick photo stop and head straight off to breakfast, but the context they give about the individual dolphins that come in changes how you see the whole encounter.

Day 9 to 10: Coral Bay and Ningaloo Reef

Distance: Denham to Coral Bay, around 370 km (4.5 to 5 hours) via the Overlander Roadhouse

Another solid driving day, but the reward at the other end is one of the best in the country: reef you can snorkel straight off the beach, no boat required. Coral Bay is small, low-key, and built entirely around the water, so once you’re parked up there’s genuinely very little reason to get back in the van until it’s time to head on to Exmouth.

What to do?

Snorkel Bill’s Bay Ningaloo Reef sits so close to shore here that you can wade out and be snorkelling over coral within minutes. Bill’s Bay is the calmest, most accessible entry point in town.

Glass-bottom boat or manta ray tour If you want to see more of the reef without getting wet, or want a real shot at swimming alongside manta rays, a half-day tour from Coral Bay is worth the spend.

Coral Bay sunset Simple, but genuinely one of the better sunsets on this whole route. Grab a drink and watch it from the beach rather than rushing straight to dinner.

Point Maud A quieter snorkel spot a little further along the beach from Bill’s Bay, worth trying if the main bay feels busy.

Where to eat?

Bill’s Bar and Restaurant, Coral Bay The social hub of the town, with solid pub-style food and a spot right on the water.

Fins Cafe, Coral Bay A relaxed daytime option for coffee and something quick between snorkels.

Ningaloo Reef Resort café Handy if you’re staying nearby and want breakfast sorted before an early snorkel or tour.

Where to stay?

Ningaloo Coral Bay Holiday Park Central and campervan-friendly, an easy walk to the main beach and Bill’s Bay.

Bayview Coral Bay Caravan Park A quieter alternative a short walk further from the main strip, good if you’d rather have a bit more distance from the town centre.

What to know: Coral Bay is small and popular. Book your site ahead, especially over school holidays and the whale shark season (roughly March to July), when the town fills up fast.

RatPack tip: Bring your own snorkel gear if you’ve got it. There’s plenty for hire in town, but Bill’s Bay is shallow and calm enough that you can genuinely just wade in from the beach whenever the mood strikes, and having your own gear on hand means you’re not stuck waiting around a hire desk to make the most of it.

Day 11 to 12: Exmouth and Cape Range National Park

Distance: Coral Bay to Exmouth, around 150 km (2 hours)

Exmouth is your northernmost point on this itinerary, and it’s worth the full two days. Cape Range National Park sits right on the town’s doorstep, and the reef here is, if anything, even more accessible than Coral Bay’s. Between the reef on the western side of the cape and the dry, rugged gorge country on the eastern side, this stop packs in more variety in two days than almost anywhere else on the route.

What to do?

Turquoise Bay One of the best drift snorkels in the country. Get in at the top of the bay and let the current carry you gently over the reef before walking back up the beach to go again.

Yardie Creek A gorge cruise or a walk along the rim, with a good chance of spotting black-footed rock wallabies on the cliffs above the water.

Vlamingh Head Lighthouse A short drive out to the tip of the cape, with sweeping views over both the reef and the Exmouth Gulf. Good for sunset if you time it right.

Charles Knife Canyon A scenic drive and lookout on the eastern side of the range, giving a completely different, drier, red-rock view of the landscape compared to the beaches on the western side.

Whale shark or humpback whale tour (seasonal) Whale sharks generally run from around March to July, humpbacks later in the year. Check current timing before booking, as it does shift a little year to year.

Ningaloo Centre, Exmouth A small visitor and interpretive centre worth a quick stop if you want some context on the reef before you get in the water.

Where to eat?

Whalers Restaurant, Exmouth A proper sit-down dinner option, with a menu leaning into local seafood.

Froth Craft Brewery, Exmouth A relaxed spot for a beer and a feed after a day in the water.

Social Bar and Grill, Exmouth A solid, unfussy option if you want something quick and casual on your last night in town.

Where to stay?

Discovery Parks, Exmouth Cape Full facilities and an easy base for exploring both the town and the national park.

Yardie Homestead Caravan Park Set inside Cape Range National Park itself, meaning shorter drives to Turquoise Bay and Yardie Creek, at the cost of being a bit further from town amenities.

What to know: This is your turnaround point. If you’ve got more time up your sleeve, Karijini National Park, Broome, and the Kimberley all extend naturally from here. See the section below on stretching the trip further if that’s tempting.

RatPack tip: Turquoise Bay’s drift snorkel only works properly if you get in at the northern end and let the current do the work. Plenty of people jump in at the wrong spot, fight the current the whole way, and come out convinced the reef here isn’t as good as everyone says. Get the entry point right and it’s one of the best snorkels of the whole trip.

Day 13 to 14: The return leg to Perth

Distance: Exmouth to Geraldton via Carnarvon, around 700 km (7.5 to 8 hours), then Geraldton to Perth, around 420 km (4.5 hours)

Exmouth to Perth in one hit is over 1,250 km and not something we’d recommend attempting in a campervan. Breaking the return over two days via Carnarvon and Geraldton keeps each driving day manageable, and gives you one more night on the road before handing the keys back.

What to do?

Carnarvon A good halfway break, known for its fruit and vegetable plantations and the One Mile Jetty. Worth stretching your legs here rather than driving straight through.

Miaboolya Beach, Carnarvon A quiet local beach if you want a swim to break up the drive rather than pushing straight on.

Greenough Historic Hamlet A cluster of preserved 1860s buildings just south of Geraldton, worth a quick stop if you’ve got half an hour to spare on the final approach into Perth.

Where to eat?

Wintersun Bakery, Carnarvon A solid pit stop for something fresh before you’re back on the road.

Port Hotel, Carnarvon A relaxed option for a proper sit-down meal if you’re overnighting in town.

Where to stay?

Carnarvon Tourist Precinct A practical, well-located overnight stop for the halfway point of your return drive, with full facilities.

What to know: Fuel up before leaving Carnarvon, and try not to schedule your final Geraldton-to-Perth leg for late in the day. You’ll want daylight for the wildlife-heavy stretch of highway south of Geraldton, which we cover in more detail below.

RatPack tip: The drive back always feels faster than the drive out, mostly because you already know what’s coming. Resist the urge to push straight through on the last day just to get it over with. A short stop somewhere quiet, even just a roadside lookout you skipped on the way up, is a better way to end the trip than watching the odometer for the last two hundred kilometres.

Two weeks is the sweet spot for this route, but it flexes well in both directions.

If you’ve only got 7 to 10 days, cut the loop back at Kalbarri or Shark Bay rather than pushing all the way to Exmouth. You’ll still get the gorges, the dolphins, and Shell Beach, without the longer driving days further north. It’s a genuinely satisfying shorter version rather than a compromise on the trip, and it means you can spend a bit longer at each stop instead of rushing between them.

If you’ve got three weeks or more, keep going north from Exmouth. Karijini National Park is a worthwhile detour inland if you don’t mind some unsealed roads and are comfortable with a 4WD for the deeper gorges. From there, the Gibb River Road and Broome extend the trip into a proper top-end adventure, though at that point you’re looking at a different itinerary altogether, closer to our Perth to Darwin road trip guide. Either direction, the core two weeks above still stands as the backbone of the trip. You’re simply trimming it back or building on top of it.

Whichever version you’re planning, resist the urge to add extra stops without adding extra days to match. The itinerary above is deliberately paced so that each leg leaves room to enjoy the destination properly rather than just photograph it on the way through. Stretching the same fourteen days across more stops tends to produce a trip that feels rushed everywhere rather than relaxed anywhere, which rather defeats the point of doing this in a campervan in the first place.

Western Australia’s north and south behave almost like different countries when it comes to climate, and this route crosses both, so it’s worth planning around that rather than treating the whole state as one climate zone.

Autumn and winter (April to September) is the sweet spot for the Perth to Exmouth route. Temperatures up north are comfortable rather than punishing, whale shark season runs through the middle of this window, and you’ll avoid the cyclone risk that affects the northwest coast in summer.

Spring (September to November) is also solid, particularly if you want to catch wildflower season inland around Kalbarri, though the north starts warming up again by late spring and the comfortable window narrows.

Summer (December to February) is genuinely tough up north. Expect high heat, humidity, and the possibility of cyclone activity affecting roads and campsites around Exmouth and Coral Bay. It’s more manageable down around Perth and the south west, but it’s not the season we’d recommend for this particular route given how much time you’ll spend north of Geraldton.

Whatever time of year you’re travelling, keep an eye on regional weather warnings as you go. Conditions can shift faster than you’d expect this far from the city, and it costs nothing to check before you set off each morning.

It’s worth noting the seasons work differently for Perth itself compared to the northern half of the route. Perth’s summer (December to February) is genuinely pleasant, warm and dry rather than oppressive, so if your trip has to fall in the warmer months, consider spending more time around Perth and the southern legs of the route and less time pushing all the way to Exmouth, where the same season is a much harder proposition altogether.

The good news is this entire itinerary, as written, is achievable in a standard 2WD campervan. Every stop listed above, from the Pinnacles through to Kalbarri’s main lookouts, Monkey Mia, Coral Bay, and Exmouth and Cape Range, sits on sealed roads or well-maintained gravel that a 2WD handles without any trouble.

Where a 4WD comes in is if you want to go further off the main route: the deeper sections of Francois Peron National Park near Shark Bay, some of the more remote tracks within Cape Range, or anything extending towards Karijini and the Kimberley. If none of that’s on your list, save the extra cost and stick with a 2WD campervan. It’s the more comfortable, more fuel-efficient choice for this particular route, and there’s genuinely nothing on the core itinerary it can’t handle.

It’s also worth thinking about size alongside drivetrain. A slightly smaller, easier-to-manoeuvre campervan tends to suit this route better than a larger motorhome, mostly because some of the caravan park entrances and national park car parks along the way, particularly around Kalbarri and Cape Range, are tighter than what you’ll find on the east coast’s bigger tourist routes. If you’re not sure what size suits your group and your comfort with driving, that’s exactly the kind of thing we help sort out before you book, rather than something you need to work out on your own.

The distances on this route are bigger than most of the country, and the roads get quieter the further north you go. A few things worth building into your plan before you leave Perth.

Avoid driving at dawn and dusk. This is when kangaroos, emus, and other wildlife are most active near the roads, and they’re hardest to see in low light. Aim to have your driving done before dusk where possible, and build your daily schedule around that rather than around it.

Set a realistic daily driving limit. Somewhere around 400 to 500 km is a sensible ceiling for a comfortable day in a campervan on these roads. A couple of legs on this itinerary sit close to that limit, so don’t stack extra sightseeing on top without adjusting your timing elsewhere.

Check road conditions before you leave each town. Unsealed sections and national park access roads can close after rain. It only takes a few minutes at the local visitor centre or online before setting off, and it’s a habit worth keeping the whole way through the trip.

Build in fatigue breaks. The long, straight stretches between towns are genuinely more tiring than they look, even when the driving itself feels easy. Stop every couple of hours, even just for ten minutes, to reset before you push on.

Have a plan for disrupted plans. Roadhouses along this route are useful not just for fuel but as a fallback if weather or road closures throw your schedule off. If a section ahead is closed, it’s almost always better to wait it out at the nearest town than to try an alternate route you don’t know, particularly in the more remote stretches north of Carnarvon.

Once you’re north of Geraldton, the towns space out and the roadhouses in between become genuinely important stops rather than just photo opportunities on the way through.

Fuel up early and often. Don’t let your tank drop below half between towns. Roadhouse fuel is more expensive than in the cities, but running out isn’t an option out here, and it’s not worth the risk to save a few dollars.

Stock up on groceries in the bigger towns. Geraldton and Carnarvon are your best options for a proper supermarket shop. Smaller towns like Cervantes and Denham have general stores, but the range and pricing reflect how remote they are.

Carry more drinking water than you think you’ll need. It’s a straightforward habit to get into for any remote Australian driving, and one worth sticking to on this route specifically given the distances involved.

Download offline maps before you leave Perth. Mobile reception drops out for long stretches, particularly between Kalbarri and Shark Bay, and again north of Carnarvon. Have your route saved before you lose signal, not after. For more detail on staying connected out here, our guide to remote internet in Australia is worth a read before you go.

Tell someone your rough plan. Even a simple message to a friend or family member noting which town you’re heading to and roughly when you expect to arrive is a sensible habit on a route with this much distance between mobile coverage. It costs nothing and means someone knows where to start looking if plans genuinely go sideways.

This route is well set up for campervan travel, with a genuine mix of accommodation types depending on your budget and how much you want in the way of facilities.

Caravan parks and holiday parks are your most reliable option, and the ones we’ve recommended throughout this itinerary. Expect powered sites, hot showers, and dump points, all of which matter more the further you get from a proper town.

National park campgrounds exist within Cape Range and a handful of other spots along the route, and they’re a genuinely beautiful way to camp, but facilities are basic and sites often need booking well ahead, particularly in peak season.

Free or low-cost camping is available in pockets along this route, but don’t assume you can pull up anywhere. A lot of what looks like open space is either private land or specifically not permitted for overnight stays, so check before you settle in for the night. Our guide on free camping in Australia covers how to find and use these spots properly.

As a general rule of thumb, book your accommodation further ahead the further north and the busier the season. Perth and Geraldton are flexible enough that turning up without a booking is usually fine outside peak weeks, but Coral Bay, Monkey Mia, and Exmouth get genuinely tight from around April through October, and leaving it to chance can mean a longer detour to find a site than you’d like at the end of a long driving day.

A good chunk of the best stops on this route sit inside national parks, including Nambung (the Pinnacles), Kalbarri, Cape Range, and Francois Peron. Each of these charges a per-vehicle entry fee, and if you’re visiting more than a couple of parks, a WA Parks Pass from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions is usually the better value option over paying individually at each gate.

Camping within national parks, including at Yardie Homestead and other sites near Cape Range, often needs to be booked ahead through the department’s park stay system, particularly from around April through October when the whole route is at its busiest. Check current fees and booking requirements directly through their website before you leave, since these are updated from time to time and it’s better to plan around the current numbers than last year’s.

It’s worth doing this piece of planning before you leave Perth rather than at the gate of each park. Some of the busier campgrounds, particularly around Cape Range, do book out ahead in the peak winter months, and turning up without a reservation can mean backtracking to a caravan park in town instead of camping inside the park itself.

A shorter checklist than you might expect, but each item earns its place on this particular route.

• Sun protection: Hats, sunscreen, sunnies. The WA sun is stronger than it looks, even in the cooler months.
• Layered clothing: Coastal towns can be breezy in the evenings even when the days are warm, and it gets properly cool inland overnight.
• Snacks and extra water: More than you’d pack for a shorter trip, given the distances between towns.
• Offline maps and a paper backup: Reception isn’t reliable for long stretches of this route.
• Reusable bags: Handy for the Lobster Shack, local markets, and anything else you pick up along the way.
• First-aid kit and basic tools: Sensible for any remote Australian driving, and genuinely worth having on this route specifically.

For the full list we run through before every trip, our campervan packing list covers everything else worth throwing in before you leave.

One thing worth adding specifically for this route: a proper set of snorkel gear if you’ve got it, or a plan to hire it early in the trip rather than waiting until you’re already in Coral Bay or Exmouth. Given how much of this itinerary revolves around getting in the water, it’s worth sorting before you need it rather than during a busy peak-season morning at the hire counter.

Ready to get moving on your Western Australia roadie? Let’s go

This route took me somewhere I didn’t expect a road trip to take me, and fourteen days is genuinely enough to do it properly if you plan the driving days honestly and don’t try to squeeze in the far north as well. Get your dates in the diary, and let’s sort the van.

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