Canberra to Perth road trip: Distance, driving time & best stops
Burra and the Clare Valley
The route continues to Burra, where you can build in a slight detour to the rugged landscapes of the Red Banks Conservation Park.
Burra accommodation picks
The best Burra accommodation options are:
- For plenty of space and homeliness: Paxton Square Cottages.
- For heritage and charm: Burra Railway Station Bed and Breakfast.
- For decent rooms and relatively cheap rates: Burra Motor Inn.
After Burra, the drive skirts the top of the Clare Valley, and if you want to stock up on quality Rieslings, you can take a detour south.
The route then joins National Highway 1 at Crystal Brook.
From here, the road trip itinerary heads past industrial Port Pirie and through Mambray Creek, which is the gateway to the Mount Remarkable National Park and Alligator Gorge.
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.
Canberra to Perth road trip: Port Augusta to Wudinna
Port Augusta is at the top of the Spencer Gulf. From here, you head west along the seemingly interminable Eyre Highway.
The drive from Port Augusta to Ceduna, South Australia is 468km in distance, with a Port Augusta to Ceduna driving time of four hours and 55 minutes. On the way across the top of the Eyre Peninsula, you can get your photo taken under the Halfway Across Australia sign in Kimba. Those with more time on their hands might like to add in a detour or two. Options include adventures in the Gawler Ranges, beach time at Streaky Bay or swimming with Australian sea lions at Baird Bay.
Gawler Ranges Wilderness Safaris runs day tours from Wudinna. If you’re shorter on time, the wave-like Pildappa Rock makes for a quicker diversion.
Click through to the next section: The Nullarbor.