PLAN YOUR TRIP
Help with planning your north west road trips, itineraries and maps for a coastal outback adventure in Western Australia!
Warlu Way Trail |
Epic Pilbara Road Trip |
Ultimate Pilbara Road Trip |
Pilbara Wildflowers Trail |
Coral Coast Highway |
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Follow the path of the Warlu, or Dreamtime sea serpent, and traverse an ancient and sacred land, rich in natural beauty and enchanting Aboriginal art & culture. | A 10 day, 3 leg journey best for 4WD vehicles. Includes Karijini National Park, Cheela Plains Station, Onslow, Mackerel Islands, Karratha, Dampier Archipelago & Millstream-Chichester National Park. | A 14 day or longer road trip weaving through the entire Pilbara region, from the coast & islands, to the outback inland. Visit awe-inspiring national parks and world-class marine parks, and experience some of the world’s most significant cultural landmarks along the way. | From July to September wildflowers of all colours, sizes and shapes come into bloom throughout the Pilbara, like the unmistakeable Sturt’s Desert Pea, fluffy Mulla Mulla, gorgeous Ashburton Pea or any number of the 65 species of Acacia (wattle). This trail shows you where to find them. | One of Australia’s great scenic drives – Perth to Exmouth where the road hugs the Indian Ocean coastline. Then from Exmouth, add the nearby Onslow and the Mackerel Islands to your road trip. You’ll get to experience WA’s reef and outback, all in one amazing trip! |
THE EPIC PILBARA – A NORTH WEST ADVENTURE
This is the Epic Pilbara – twice the size of the United Kingdom, the Pilbara region in Western Australia has some of the world’s most stunning ancient natural landscapes, dating back 3.5 – 4.3 billion years.
From coastal to inland, sapphire seas and offshore islands, to the pulsing red heart of the outback, travel to remote beaches, deep gorges, plunging waterfalls, soaring ranges, and experience the Aboriginal culture of the Pilbara.
Discover a land of contrasts and juxtapositions – ancient indigenous sites and colonial settlements; pristine untouched landscapes and a powerhouse mining industry; colours of the red earth, white salt lakes and blue ocean.
This is where you’ll discover the real Aussie outback.
Onslow is located between Exmouth and Karratha, on the mid-coast of Western Australia. Whether you’re heading up from Perth or down from Broome, you will enjoy exploring this little beachfront town in Pilbara’s coastal outback. Read more.
THE WARLU WAY TRAIL
Experience a road trip adventure which opens your eyes to the secrets of North West Australia’s historical, cultural and natural wonders. The Warlu Way follows the path of the warlu, or Dreamtime sea serpent, as it traverses the Pilbara region of Western Australia – ancient and sacred landscapes rich in natural beauty and enchanting Aboriginal stories.
Your journey takes you back in time to the mystical Dreaming era when the warlu emerged from the sea and travelled through the pulsing red heart of the outback, forming magnificent waterways as he moved.
The Warlu Way leads you almost 3,000km from sapphire seas and offshore islands, to lush oases, plunging gorges, soaring ranges and the ancient Aboriginal culture of Australia’s North West.
Choose to explore the Warlu Way in its entirety, or do it in sections by following the four interconnected routes:
COASTAL | INLAND | MANUWARRA RED DOG HIGHWAY | EAST PILBARA GEOHERITAGE
Get the FREE Warlu Way app:
Download from the App Store (Apple Users) | Download from Google Play (Android Users)
Enjoy easy planning and navigating for your Warlu Way trip with the dedicated Warlu Way app that doesn’t require an internet connection. Interpretive signage along the drive and the GPS triggered information and directions delivered by the app will assist you in your journey, locating services, tours and attractions, accommodation and dining, learning more about the country and travelling safely through the region. The free app includes offline maps, digital guides, and stop points with audio and text information to enhance your Warlu Way adventure!
See the new holiday guide:
Find out more:
www.australiasnorthwest.com/warlu-way and www.destinationpilbara.com.au/home/art-culture/warlu-way
THE EPIC PILBARA ROAD TRIP
Taking you to the best of the Pilbara Region’s national parks, coastal islands and historic areas from 40,000-year-old Aboriginal rock art to a 150-year-old pioneer ghost town.
The Epic Pilbara Road Trip is a self-drive itinerary for 4WD vehicles, starting in Karijini and ending in Karratha. This 10 day, 3 leg journey is best experienced from April to October. For an ultra special road trip, coincide your timing with the incredible Karijini Experience festival which occurs around Easter each year.
Try to book accommodation and tours at least 6 weeks in advance to avoid any disappointment, as the best experiences will often book out fast!
- Starting Destination – Karijini National Park
- Leg One – Karijini to Cheela Plains Station
- Leg Two – Cheela Plains Station to Mackerel Islands via Onslow
- Leg Three – Onslow to Dampier via Karratha
THE ULTIMATE PILBARA ROAD TRIP
If time is no barrier this Ultimate Pilbara Road Trip will take you to see everything the region has to offer! Weave your way through the entire Pilbara region, starting coastal in Onslow and finishing inland in Newman. Go between awe-inspiring national parks and world-class marine parks, and experience some of the world’s most significant cultural landmarks along the way.
PILBARA WILDFLOWERS TRAIL
From July to September wildflowers of all colours, sizes and shapes come into bloom throughout the Pilbara. Vibrant floral shades contrast with the dusty red earth and golden spinifex grass. This Pilbara Wildflowers Trail will lead you to wildflowers of all colours, sizes and shapes, like the unmistakeable Sturt’s desert pea, fluffy mulla mulla, the tall majestic Ashburton pea or any number of the 65 species of Acacia (wattle) that can be seen throughout the region. Over half a million square kilometres of mangroves, off-shore islands, deep gorges, mountain ranges, desert sand dunes and river pools make the Pilbara’s flora as diverse as the landscape.
TRAVEL THE CORAL COAST HIGHWAY
One of Australia’s great scenic drives – Perth to Exmouth where the road hugs the Indian Ocean coastline. Then from Exmouth, add the nearby Onslow and the Mackerel Islands to your road trip. You’ll get to experience WA’s reef and outback, all in one amazing trip!
Your first stop on the Coral Coast Highway is the famous otherworldly Pinnacles Desert of Nambung National Park, just north of Perth, winding up to the World’s largest fringing reef – the World Heritage Listed Ningaloo Reef.
From 1 April to 31 October 2022, Avis Australia will make it easier than ever to overcome the distances by offering a great one way hire car rental deal between Perth and Exmouth, with a significantly reduced one-way relocation fee. Pair it with a Qantas flight between Learmonth – Perth airports and you’ve got yourself an easy holiday on the Coral Coast and the Pilbara Coast.
Don’t miss your chance to take advantage of this exceptional deal! Find out more about this road trip.