After your unforgettable adventure exploring the wonders of Ningaloo Reef aboard Shore Thing, head north and discover even more.
Most people drive Ningaloo to Broome as a part of a 6 or 7 day driving holiday. We suggest taking your time as you journey up through the Pilbara region on your way to the white sandy beaches of Broome. Western Australia offers an incredibly beautiful backdrop for an outback road trip, however distances can be long between points of interest, so please ensure you allow plenty of time to travel safely.
Heading south bound instead? Check out our Drive Coral Bay to Perth page.
Exmouth/Cape Range National Park
Leaving Coral Bay via Minilya-Exmouth Rd, your first stop is Exmouth only 150kms away & Cape Range National Park. Contact us for more information about the following things to do in Exmouth:
- Visit the Ningaloo Aquarium & Discovery Centre, where the stories of Ningaloo and Exmouth come to life.
- Dive the Navy Pier or dive/snorkel day tours to the Muiron Islands.
- Join a Whale Shark/Humpback Whale swim day tour.
- Visit a local craft brewery, Froth or Whalebone and some of the many delectable restaurants such as Whalers, Exhale, Adrift Cafe, The BBQ Father, or Mantarays Resort.
- Join a half, full or multi-day kayaking tour, or a multi-day trek.
- Explore Cape Range National Park with a day safari tour, or self drive. Walk Yardie Creek Gorge, or take a 1 hr cruise into the gorge. Snorkel Turquoise Bay, or one of the other many snorkel sites right off the beach. Enjoy lunch at the picturesque Sandy Bay.
- Replenish supplies such as food & fuel before continuing your journey.
Camping is available in Cape Range National Park although please note that you must book your campsite online well in advance to avoid disappointment.
Station Stays
Next stop on your journey north, you have a couple of options depending on how much time you have…
You’ll head back down the Exmouth-Coral Bay road to meet the turn off to join back up with the North West Coastal Highway. At this turn off is a beautiful station stay at Bullara, where the peaceful scenery is the perfect setting for reading a book or spotting the many species of birds that inhabit the area. There are numerous short bush walks from the campsite to stretch the legs, or with a 4WD explore station tracks that meet at the bottom of the Exmouth Gulf. Bullara hosts a beautiful 2-course dinner most nights if you don’t want to cook and even if you don’t stay the night, be sure to stop in for a hot drink and a famous Bullara scone with jam & cream from their impressive on-site cafe.
If you want to travel a little further and get more kms under your belt, then keep going to the Highway and head towards Tom Price (approx. 6 hours). You can go all the way, or another great stop before Tom Price is Cheela Plains Station Stay. There is no light pollution out here and you can see the whole milky way in its luminous glory. It really is spectacular, so definitely worth at least one nights stay. If you have longer, the station has created self-guided 4WD tracks and walking trails to access some spectacular views and natural springs throughout the Beasley River Gorge area.
Tom Price
Tom Price is the gateway town to Karijini National Park but has some of its own adventures to offer too, so don’t just drive through! Stretch those legs after a long drive and hike up Mt Nameless overlooking the townsite. Join an interesting Rio Tinto Iron Ore Mine tour, bookings can be made at the Tom Price Visitor Centre. You can also join guided day tours into Karijini National Park departing Tom Price if you don’t wish to self drive.
Next stop, the striking Karijini National Park
You can spend 1 day or a week here depending on the time you have, but you definitely have to stop here. The cliffs, gorges and swimming holes are stunning with vibrant red, greens and blues all around you. You could stay a couple of nights at Karijini Eco Retreat and from here spend a day or 2 exploring Joffre Falls, Hancock Gorge & Handrail Pool, Knox Gorge and Weano Gorge.
Then head over to Dales Gorge and Dales Campground for a day/night. A swim under the Fern Pool waterfall is a not to be missed adventure after a walk through the gorges. From here you can keep heading north or if you have time then also head over to Hamersley Gorge for a day of exploration. Then you’ve covered the lot!
Karijini offers lookouts, walking trails and swimming holes to suit all abilities and levels of fitness. The Park is packed with adventure but plan ahead, prepare, read the signage and safety information and take care in the gorges – leave if it starts to rain as flash flooding can occur. Visit Karijini National Park to prepare for your visit.
Millstream Chichester National Park
Don’t be fooled and think “oh well we did Karijini so that’s enough”. Millstream-Chichester National Park is a beauty in it’s own right and since you have to go right past it you might as well have a look. There’s bike tracks, walking trails and relaxing swimming holes, as well as spectacular views of the Chichester Range. Make sure you visit Python Pool and Deep Reach Pool.
Burrup Peninsula
Your road trip returns to the coast at Karratha. From here we go and explore the Burrup Peninsula, in Murujuga National Park, which is home to 1000’s of rock engravings known as Petroglyphs. Some of these petroglyphs have been estimated at up to 47,000 years old! This rock art has deep meaning for Aboriginal people as it provides a link to stories, customs and knowledge of their land and resources.
You can also spend some time snorkelling, diving and adventuring in the Dampier Archipelago. 42 islands & inlets of pure wilderness to explore.
Karratha to Port Hedland
Just a short drive along the coast from Karratha is Roebourne, a historic gold rush town. Have a wander and visit the old heritage buildings and art galleries. From here, take a little detour to Point Samson Peninsula and try a spot of fishing at Sam’s Creek Inlet or check out the restored bluestone buildings of Cossack along the way. Make sure you get a glimpse of the historic landmark of Jarman Island Lighthouse, visible from both Point Samson and Cossack, or even take a river cruise along Harding river for a closer look.
You could also head inland a bit from here to Marble Bar, famously known as the hottest town in Australia due to its constant high temperatures and with rock made of Jasper. Marble Bar is home to a gold mine and also an airbase which was a great secret during WW2. Make sure you get a photo with the town’s sunburst sign and have a swim at Chinaman’s Pool. Coppin’s Gap is also a great swimming location with lots of tall native trees that offer some shade from the hot afternoon sun. This is an hours drive from Marble Bar.
If you don’t want to head inland again, just keep travelling north along the Northwest Coastal Highway from Point Samson to Port Headland.
Port Hedland
Port Hedland is one of the world’s largest and busiest working harbours, filled with grand, austere ships that transport hundreds of millions of tonnes of cargo each year to distant places, tracing new and old trading routes through the seas. Port Hedland is rich with history, wildlife and Indigenous culture. There’s some amazing contemporary street art in various lane ways and buildings or try a guided Cultural and Heritage Trail Walk. Harbour & Industry tours are also available.
Eighty Mile Beach
Leaving Port Hedland, we drive 250kms where we meet Eighty Mile Beach. Where the name comes, who knows? This stretch of coastline is not actually 80 miles long but more like 140 (220kms) and the longest uninterrupted beach in Western Australia. It’s a haven for anglers, shell collectors and beach fossickers. Thousands of migratory birds flock here on their annual migration and it’s also an important turtle nesting site. It is where the Simpson Desert meets the Indian Ocean and the expanse of white endless sand against the rocky shores is purely memorizing.
Welcome to Broome
Tour old Chinatown, visit a local brewery, take a scenic flight, ride a camel, join a working Pearl farm tour… there is so much to do in historic Broome town! Make sure you stop in at Cable Beach for a stroll along the shores, or visit Malcolm Douglas Wildlife Park and view some giant saltwater crocodiles. You might be lucky to catch a glimpse of the ‘Staircase to the Moon’ (2-3 days a month Mar-Oct) from town beach. Visit Gantheaume Point and marvel in awe at the 130 million year old preserved dinosaur footprints. Broome is also home to some of the best Indigenous cultural experiences in the world, with many First nations-led tourism businesses operating in the region.
Broome & Beyond….
There is plenty more adventure to be had exploring the magnificent Kimberley region beyond Broome across to the Northern Territory, this part of Australia can be another holiday in itself! Travel the world famous Gibb River Road if you are prepared for an off grid road trip, or take the highway via Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek to Kununurra. Some day tours from Broome visit key landmarks, including;
- Horizontal Falls
- Tunnel Creek & Windjana Gorge
