Western Australia Road Trip: Routes, Costs & Planning

A Western Australia road trip is really four different trips, and picking which one you are doing is the decision that determines everything else: the vehicle you need, the season you go in, and how much of the state you will realistically see. The south-west loop, the Coral Coast, the full run north to Broome and the Gibb River Road are not variations on a single drive. They are separate holidays that happen to share a starting point.

That is the thing about a Western Australia road trip: it is a third of a continent and almost none of it behaves the way the brochure photograph suggests. This is the planning guide we wish we had had before we left, covering which route to choose, what vehicle you need, when to go by region, and what it actually costs. If you want the day-by-day version, our Western Australia itinerary lays out the full Perth to Broome run.

Which Western Australia Road Trip Should You Do?

Almost every guide picks one route and describes it. The more useful question is which of the four you should be doing at all, because they suit different amounts of time, different seasons and different tolerances for remoteness.

If you have two weeks and it is your first time, do the Coral Coast. It has the best of what makes the state remarkable, which is the meeting of desert and reef, and it does not commit you to the enormous distances further north. That is the route in most of the photographs here, and the one we would repeat.

If you have three weeks or more and you are going all the way to Broome, our full Perth to Broome itinerary breaks the drive into manageable days. If you are adding the Gibb River Road, treat that as a separate expedition with its own vehicle requirements rather than an extension of the coast drive.

Distances and Drive Times

This is the number that reshapes every plan. Western Australia is roughly the size of Western Europe with the population of a mid-sized city, and the gaps between places are the defining feature of driving here.

Those hours are driving time only. In practice you will not do more than about six hours in a day and enjoy it, and the roadhouse stops, the photo stops and the wildlife all add up. Plan on covering less ground than the map suggests, and build in at least one day in three where you do not move at all.

2WD, 4WD or Campervan?

This is the decision that costs the most money and the one people most often get wrong in both directions.

A 2WD is enough for the coast. The Perth to Broome route, the Coral Coast, the south-west and every town in this guide are reached on sealed road. Hiring a 4WD for a coastal trip is a large amount of money spent on capability you will not use.

You need a 4WD for the Kimberley. The Gibb River Road is unsealed, corrugated and crosses rivers. That is genuine four-wheel-drive country and most rental agreements explicitly prohibit taking a 2WD onto it. Check the contract, because the insurance consequences of ignoring it are severe.

A campervan is the middle path and it is what we did. It removes the accommodation problem in a state where the towns are far apart and the caravan parks are the only option in many of them. One practical thing we learned and did not expect: driving a campervan at 80 to 90 km/h is noticeably more fuel-efficient than sitting on the 110 limit, and over these distances the saving is real.

When to Go, by Region

Western Australia spans the tropics and the temperate south, so there is no single best time to visit. The seasons genuinely invert depending which end of the state you are in, and getting this wrong is the most common planning mistake.

The north (Broome, the Kimberley, the Pilbara) has a dry season from roughly May to September and a wet season from November to April. The wet brings heat, humidity, cyclones and closed roads. Go in the dry, and understand that the Gibb River Road is simply shut for part of the year.

The south (Perth, Margaret River, Albany, Esperance) is Mediterranean. Summer is hot and dry, winter is cool and wet. Spring, September to November, is the loveliest time and it coincides with the wildflowers.

The middle (the Coral Coast) is the sweet spot and it is why April to October works so well: the north is dry, the south has not yet turned cold, and the water is warm. We went in May and June and had clear skies the entire time, with daytime temperatures around 25 to 30 degrees and water at 25 to 27.

The one thing to prepare for regardless: it gets genuinely cold at night from about May onwards, even where the days are warm. We packed for a summer beach holiday and spent every evening wearing everything we had. If you are travelling between May and November, bring warm layers whatever the daytime forecast says. Our Australia packing list covers the rest.

Fuel, Water and Remote Driving

This is the part that separates a Western Australia road trip from a road trip anywhere else, and it deserves to be taken seriously without being dramatised.

Fuel. The rule is simple: fill up whenever you pass a roadhouse, whether you need it or not. Gaps of 200 to 300 kilometres between fuel are normal north of Geraldton, roadhouses keep their own hours, and running a tank down to a quarter is how people end up waiting a long time for help. Fuel is also considerably more expensive out there than in Perth, which is a budget line rather than an emergency.

Water. Carry more than you think you need, in the vehicle, always. Not because you expect to break down but because a breakdown in 35-degree heat with no shade is a different problem if you have twenty litres in the back.

Road trains. These are up to 53 metres long and they do not slow down for you. Overtaking one requires a genuinely long clear stretch and a firm decision; if in doubt, wait. When one comes the other way on a narrow road, slow down and move left, because the wind pressure and the flying stones are both real.

Wildlife at dusk. Kangaroos are most active around dawn and dusk and they move unpredictably toward headlights. The standard advice is not to drive after dark and it is good advice. On the occasions we did, we drove well below the speed limit and only for a short while after sunset.

Roads and conditions change with the season, and Main Roads WA publishes live closures and conditions. In the north during the wet, a road that was open yesterday may not be today. The Bureau of Meteorology covers cyclone warnings for the same region.

The Coral Coast: What We Actually Did

The stretch from Perth up to Exmouth is the part of the state we know first-hand, and it is the route we would send most people on.

Kalbarri breaks the drive north and has the river gorges and the coastal cliffs, which are two quite different landscapes within a short drive of each other. Shark Bay is a World Heritage area and the water changes colour in a way that photographs badly and looks extraordinary in person.

Coral Bay and Exmouth are the reason to make the drive. Ningaloo Reef comes almost to the beach, which means you can snorkel a genuine coral reef by walking into the sea rather than boarding a boat. Whale sharks are there roughly March to July and humpbacks from June to November. We have written the detail separately in our Ningaloo Reef guide, the whale shark swim and a responsible guide to Exmouth.

Karijini National Park is inland from the coast and it is the one people skip and should not. The gorges are deep, narrow and cool at the bottom, and after a week of coastline it is a complete change of scene. It is also a long way from anywhere, so plan fuel and water properly for that leg.

The South-West

If you have a week rather than a fortnight, or you are travelling in the southern spring, the south-west loop is the better trip and it is far less demanding to drive.

Margaret River is the wine region, three hours from Perth, with surf beaches on one side and tall-timber forest on the other. Albany and Denmark on the south coast have the tree-top walks and the whaling history. Esperance is the furthest and the most rewarding, with white sand and turquoise water that genuinely looks manipulated in photographs.

The advantage of this route is that everything is closer together, the roads are quiet and easy, and there is a town with a bakery at the end of most days. The disadvantage is that it is cold and wet in winter, so it is a spring or autumn trip.

What a Western Australia Road Trip Costs

The three costs that matter are the vehicle, the fuel and the accommodation, and in that order.

Vehicle hire is the biggest line and varies enormously by season and by whether you need a one-way drop-off. A campervan costs more per day than a car but removes most of the accommodation cost, which is why it usually works out cheaper over a long trip.

Fuel is a bigger line here than almost anywhere, simply because of the distances. Perth to Broome and back is over 4,000 kilometres before you have driven to anything. Budget generously and remember that remote roadhouse fuel carries a significant premium.

Accommodation ranges from free or cheap national park campsites to caravan parks to hotels in the larger towns. National park camping through the state parks service is good value and often in the best locations. If you are watching the budget closely, our guide to travelling Australia cheaply covers the approach.

One easy saving: buy a park pass if you are visiting more than a few national parks. Individual entry fees add up quickly on a route like the Coral Coast where nearly every stop is a park.

Practical Things Worth Knowing

Phone coverage is patchy to absent outside the towns. Telstra has the best regional network by a wide margin. Download offline maps before you leave Perth and do not rely on having signal to navigate.

Time and distance perception. Australians describe distances in hours rather than kilometres and they are not exaggerating. “It is about four hours” is a complete answer.

Flies are a genuine feature of the inland in the warmer months. A head net looks ridiculous and is worth carrying.

Sun. The UV index in Western Australia is among the highest anywhere. Cover up properly rather than relying on sunscreen alone, particularly on the water.

What to carry in the vehicle: more water than you need, a basic first aid kit, a spare tyre you have checked, and a way to charge a phone that does not depend on the vehicle running. Our road trip accessories list and pre-departure checklist cover the detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do you need for a Western Australia road trip?

A week covers the south-west loop. Two weeks covers the Coral Coast from Perth to Exmouth, which is the best first trip. Three weeks or more is needed for Perth to Broome, and add a further one to two weeks if you are driving the Gibb River Road.

What is the best route for a Western Australia road trip?

For a first visit with two weeks, the Coral Coast from Perth to Exmouth, taking in Kalbarri, Shark Bay, Coral Bay and Ningaloo Reef. It has the best combination of coastline, reef and manageable distances.

Do you need a 4WD in Western Australia?

Not for the coast. The Perth to Broome route, the Coral Coast and the entire south-west are sealed road and fine in a 2WD. You do need a 4WD for the Gibb River Road and other Kimberley tracks, and most rental contracts prohibit taking a 2WD onto them.

What is the best time of year for a Western Australia road trip?

It depends which end. The north is best from May to September, in the dry season. The south is best in spring, September to November, or autumn. The Coral Coast in the middle works well from April to October, which is why it suits most itineraries.

How far is Perth to Broome by road?

About 2,240 kilometres by the coastal route, which is roughly 24 hours of driving. Nobody sensible does it in less than a week, and three weeks lets you actually see the places along the way.

How much does a Western Australia road trip cost?

Vehicle hire is the largest cost, followed by fuel, which is significant given the distances and the roadhouse premium. Accommodation can be kept low with national park campsites and caravan parks. A campervan often works out cheaper overall on a long trip because it removes most accommodation cost.

Is it safe to drive long distances in outback Western Australia?

Yes, with preparation. Fill up at every roadhouse, carry plenty of water, avoid driving at dawn and dusk because of kangaroos, give road trains a wide berth, and check road conditions before remote sections. The risk is being unprepared rather than the driving itself.

Should you hire a campervan or a car for Western Australia?

A campervan if you are covering long distances and want to avoid booking accommodation in towns that are far apart. A car plus caravan parks or motels if you prefer a bed and a shower every night. We drove a campervan and would do it again for the flexibility.

Final Thoughts

What stays with you about Western Australia is the emptiness, and how quickly you stop finding it unsettling. By the third or fourth day the long gaps between towns become the point rather than the price of admission, and pulling into a roadhouse at dusk starts to feel like an event.

Pick the route that matches your time and your season rather than the one with the most famous name. Take the Coral Coast if you have a fortnight. Go north only if you have three weeks and mean it. And bring a jumper, whatever the forecast says.

Which route are you planning, and how long have you got? Tell us in the comments, we answer every one.

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