Adelaide to Kalgoorlie road trip: Best stops, distance & drive time
Adelaide to Kalgoorlie road trip: Port Augusta to Iron Knob
Otherwise, continue to Port Augusta, Australia’s ultimate junction town at the top of the Spencer Gulf.
The best things to do in Port Augusta include the Wadlata Outback Centre, which looks at Aboriginal and outback life, and the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden.
Port Augusta accommodation picks
Port Augusta accommodation tends towards the functional. Few people stay here more than one night. Booking site Wotif lists options for from $89, if you’d like to check what’s available.
However, these Port Augusta accommodation choices are particularly worth looking at:
- For heritage and character: Pampas Motel.
- For green credentials: Crossroads Ecomotel.
- For overall quality: Majestic Oasis Apartments.
- For cheap rates and a pool: Discovery Parks – Port Augusta.
Leaving Port Augusta on the Eyre Highway, the next notable stop is Iron Knob, which bills itself as the birthplace of the Australian steel industry. The iron mine here closed in 1998, but it is still open for surprisingly fascinating mine tours. The town is also a good place to spot wild emus.
Iron Knob to Kimba
The Adelaide to Kalgoorlie driving route then passes south of Lake Gilles. There are 4WD tracks up to the edge of this stark salt lake if you have the right vehicle.
Otherwise, the next stop is quirky Kimba. Here you can admire the colossal scale mural on the grain silos and see the statues of Edward Eyre and Wylie at the Whites Knob Scenic Lookout. For cheesy photos, there are also the Big Galah and the Halfway Across Australia Sign.
There are a few Kimba accommodation options if you want to break your journey for the night here, with the Kimba Units and Chrissie’s Dongara the best bets.
Click through to the next section: Kimba to Wudinna.