Perth to Exmouth: The Ultimate Coral Coast Road Trip Guide

The Perth to Exmouth drive is one of Australia’s great road trips. Over roughly 1,250 kilometres you leave the Perth suburbs behind, roll through wheatbelt towns and wildflower country, and watch the coast shift from temperate to tropical before you reach Ningaloo Reef. Ningaloo is one of the few coral reefs on the planet you can wade straight into off the beach. Here’s how to do it properly in a 4WD camper.

After years of helping travellers plan this journey, the best advice I can give is simple: slow down. The trip rewards the people who linger.

The Route Overview

The usual route follows Indian Ocean Drive north to Cervantes, then Highway 1 (Brand Highway) through Geraldton, Kalbarri, and Carnarvon before you turn onto the North West Coastal Highway to Exmouth. One way is around 1,250 kilometres. Give yourself 10 to 14 days so you can actually explore at each stop rather than just driving past it.

You can knock the drive over in two very long days if you’re pushed for time, but you’d be missing the point. The whole appeal of this trip is what you stop for along the way, and it is exactly the kind of journey our Perth 4WD camper hire is built for.

Typical Itinerary Breakdown:

Route Segment	Distance	Recommended Stay
Perth to Cervantes	200 km	1 Night
Cervantes to Kalbarri	370 km	2-3 Nights
Kalbarri to Shark Bay	380 km	2-3 Nights
Shark Bay to Coral Bay	570 km	2-3 Nights
Coral Bay to Exmouth	150 km	3+ Nights

Cervantes and the Pinnacles (200 km from Perth)

Your first stop should be the Pinnacles Desert in Nambung National Park. Thousands of limestone pillars stand up out of yellow sand, and the place looks its best when the shadows are long, so aim for early morning or late afternoon rather than the flat light of midday. Entry is $17 per vehicle (standard) unless you’re carrying a park pass.

Local Highlights:

• The Pinnacles Loop: A 4km driving trail that lets you see the formations from your car.
• Lake Thetis: Walk the boardwalk to see living thrombolites, which are ancient microbial structures.
• Lobster Shack: Stop here for their famous garlic butter grilled crayfish.

Cervantes is a small fishing town with good fuel, a general store, and the excellent Lobster Shack for a fresh crayfish lunch.

Camping: Sandy Cape Recreation Park, north of Jurien Bay, is a popular free camp right on the beach. Basic facilities, beautiful setting, and good fishing.

Geraldton (420 km from Perth)

Geraldton is the last major town before things get properly remote, so treat it as your restock point. Top up fuel, fill the water containers, grab groceries, and give the vehicle a once-over. The town is worth half a day in its own right.

Highlights:

• HMAS Sydney II Memorial: A striking hilltop memorial with commanding views over the city and ocean.
• Museum of Geraldton: Discover the haunting history of the Batavia shipwreck.
• Chapman Valley: Drive through this scenic valley east of town for wildflowers in spring.
• Town Beach: A surprisingly good beach for a working port city.

Kalbarri (570 km from Perth)

Kalbarri deserves at least two nights, partly because it gives you two completely different landscapes in one stop: coastal gorges down on the water, and inland river gorges out in the national park.

Coastal Gorges and Cliffs

• Natural Bridge and Island Rock: Rock formations taking a beating from the Indian Ocean, short walks from the car park.
• Pot Alley: A winding track down to a beach that feels properly cut off from everything.
• Eagle Gorge: A quieter coastal lookout that most people drive straight past.

Inland Gorges (Kalbarri National Park)

• The Skywalk: A cantilevered glass-bottomed platform out over the Murchison River gorge. Entry is $17 per vehicle.
• Nature’s Window: The rock arch framing the gorge below, and one of WA’s most photographed spots.
• Z-Bend: A tougher walk down into the gorge, but worth it for the views and a swim in the river.

Start the Nature’s Window walk early. Rangers will close the loop after 7 AM if the forecast hits 36°C or higher, and on this stretch of coast that happens more often than you’d think.

Camping: Several free camps along the Murchison River south of town. Alternatively, Kalbarri Tudor Holiday Park in town for powered sites and hot showers.

Shark Bay World Heritage Area (830 km from Perth)

Shark Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Area and one of the most biologically significant places on the planet. The turnoff adds roughly 130 kilometres each way to your trip. Spend the fuel and the time. Skipping Shark Bay is the one regret I hear about most.

Must-do:

• Monkey Mia: The famous spot where wild bottlenose dolphins swim into the shallows each morning for a supervised feeding (entry fee applies).
• Shell Beach: A beach made entirely of billions of tiny cockle shells, up to 10 metres deep.
• Hamelin Pool: Home to the oldest living organisms on Earth, the stromatolites.
• Eagle Bluff: A lookout where you’ll almost certainly spot sharks, rays, and dugongs in the clear water below.
• Francois Peron National Park: A red-cliff peninsula you can only reach by 4WD.

Francois Peron is where the 4WD really earns its keep. Drop your tyre pressure to 18-20 psi before you hit the soft sand tracks in, or you’ll be digging yourself out.

Camping: Big Lagoon in Francois Peron National Park (4WD only) is one of WA’s best free camps. Basic bush camping, and a view that belongs on a postcard.

Carnarvon (900 km from Perth)

Carnarvon is mostly a resupply town: fuel, food, and fresh produce from the local plantations. I always stop to buy bananas and mangoes straight from the growers. The town sits at the mouth of the Gascoyne River and has a tropical feel to it, with banana plantations and mango orchards lining the way in.

Worth a stop:

• Carnarvon Space and Technology Museum: Tells the story of Carnarvon’s role in NASA’s early space tracking network.
• The Fruit Loop: A scenic drive trail that takes you past working plantations selling produce via honesty boxes.
• The Fascine: A waterfront promenade good for a morning walk or fishing.

Camping: Free camps are available at several spots south of Carnarvon along the highway. Alternatively, Wintersun Caravan Park in town.

Coral Bay (1,130 km from Perth)

Coral Bay is a tiny settlement sitting right on Ningaloo Reef. For families, it’s the easiest base on the whole coast, because everything is within walking distance and the reef is right there off the beach. Wade in from the shore and you’re snorkelling over coral within minutes.

Activities:

• Snorkelling from the main beach: The reef starts just 20 metres from shore.
• Coral Bay Bakery: Grab a pie or vanilla slice at this legendary local spot.
• Manta Ray Swim: Coral Bay is one of the best places in the world to swim with manta rays (seasonal, typically March to July).
• Kayaking: Paddle over the reef at sunrise to see turtles and rays in the shallows.

Camping: Bayview Coral Bay is the main campground. Book well in advance for peak season (April to October). Free camping is limited around Coral Bay itself, but there are options further south along the coast.

Exmouth and Ningaloo Reef (1,250 km from Perth)

Exmouth is the gateway to the northern end of Ningaloo Reef and Cape Range National Park. This is the part of the trip everyone remembers, and the reason most people made the drive in the first place.

Must-do:

• Turquoise Bay: Try the “Drift Snorkel” by entering at the south end and letting the current carry you over the coral.
• Whale Shark Swim: Between March and July, tours cost around $450-$650 AUD to swim alongside these gentle giants.
• Yardie Creek Gorge: A short boat tour or walk through a red-walled gorge with black-footed rock wallabies.
• Vlamingh Head Lighthouse: One of the few places in Australia where you can watch the sun rise and set over the ocean.

Camping: The Cape Range National Park campgrounds (Mesa, Lakeside, Osprey Bay) are the best places to stay, and they book out months ahead for peak season. Get in the moment bookings open on the DBCA website, often around 6 months in advance. Facilities are basic, with no power and limited water.

Practical Tips for Your Journey

Fuel Strategy Fill up at every opportunity. The longest gaps between fuel are Carnarvon to Coral Bay (230 km) and Coral Bay to Exmouth (150 km). Carry a spare jerry can for peace of mind.

Water Management Carry at least 40 litres. Refill at every town. Some campgrounds have no water at all.

Best Time to Travel April to October is ideal. November to March is extremely hot (40°C+) and cyclone season runs December to April.

Dealing with Flies From Geraldton north, the flies are relentless between September and April. Buy a fly net for your face before you leave Perth. Once you’re up the coast and the shops are 300 km apart, you’ll wish you had.

National Park Passes Buy a Holiday Park Pass (approx $70 AUD for 4 weeks) to cover all WA national parks. It pays for itself within two or three park visits.

Connectivity Phone signal is spotty north of Geraldton and basically non-existent in the national parks. Carry a satellite communicator (PLB or InReach) for emergencies. It’s the one bit of kit you hope you never use.

Vehicle Choice A 4WD camper is the way to do this coast. It gets you onto beaches and into campgrounds that motorhomes and caravans simply can’t reach, which is where the best of the Coral Coast actually is.

Have a look at our range of 4WD campers and find the one that suits your trip.