Carnarvon to Coral Bay, WA: Drive time, distance and road trip attractions

The Carnarvon to Coral Bay drive in Western Australia is 238km long, with a driving time of 2h27m along sealed roads. The main attractions on the way are Minilya Roadhouse and the Tropic of Capricorn sign.

This independent, Australia travel expert-researched guide is aimed at travellers planning a road trip itinerary from Carnarvon to Coral Bay in Western Australia.

If you want to stay overnight in Carnarvon, search for the best value accommodation here.

Coral Bay highlights include swimming with whale sharks – the biggest fish on earth, as well as snorkelling with wild manta rays and viewing turtles on a glass bottom boat. To see a fuller range of brilliant activities, come this way. To book Coral Bay accommodation (and the whole town can sell out – so book in advance), head over here.

To learn more about the Carnarvon to Coral Bay drive, including the distance, driving time and the best stops along the route, read on…

Planning a Carnarvon to Coral Bay road trip itinerary

The Carnarvon to Coral Bay leg of a Western Australian road trip from Perth to Broome is not the most action-packed. There’s a lot of straight road, a lot of red dirt outback and not many attractions to break up the journey. But if you’re going to drive from Perth to the Ningaloo Reef, you need to drive from Carnarvon to Coral Bay.

WARNING: Coral Bay accommodation sells out quickly. You should book in advance. Step this way to see the options.

Carnarvon to Coral Bay distance and driving time

The full Carnarvon to Coral Bay distance is 238km. That makes for a Carnarvon to Coral Bay driving time of around two hours and 27 minutes. The entire journey is along sealed roads.

The route initially follows the North West Coastal Highway – part of National Route 1. This goes around the eastern side of the Lake Macleod salt lake, but is a pretty monotonous drive throughout for 142km.

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Carnarvon to Coral Bay: Minilya Roadhouse and Tropic of Capricorn

The only real stop on this part of the Carnarvon to Coral Bay drive is the Minilya Roadhouse. Treat the Minilya Roadhouse as a fuel and snack stop if you need to.

Shortly after the Minilya Roadhouse, the Carnarvon to Coral Bay road trip ventures off the North West Coastal Highway and onto the Minilya-Exmouth Road.

From this junction, it’s another 78km before you turn left down the Coral Bay Road. You’ll pass the Tropic of Capricorn marker on the way, which makes for easily the best photo stop on the entire Carnarvon to Coral Bay drive.

The best things to do in Coral Bay once you arrive centre around the Ningaloo Reef. Coral Bay Eco Tours  will take you swimming with whale sharks during the Ningaloo whale shark season.

You can also go drift snorkelling at Paradise Beach.

Quobba Blowholes, Red Bluff and Gnaraloo Station?

Those in the know will be aware of more attractions north of Carnarvon that can seemingly fit into the drive. Quobba Station, the Quobba Blowholes, Red Bluff and the Gnaraloo Homestead are all on the Indian Ocean coast, west of Lake MacLeod.

And, indeed, there is a perfectly serviceable track that leads to all of these attractions from Carnarvon. But after Quobba Station, you reach Gnaraloo Station, and the road ends there. There’s no through route to Coral Bay, and you have to drive back all the way to just north of Carnarvon.

If going straight through to Exmouth, the Carnarvon to Exmouth drive takes around three hours and 42 minutes.