Perth to Broome road trip: Coastal route distance & best stops
Perth to Broome drive: The Minilya-Exmouth Road to Exmouth
The distance from Coral Bay to Exmouth is 153km, with a driving time of one hour and 38 minutes. Almost all of this drive is along the Minilya – Exmouth Road, which is a masterclass in monotonous outback driving. There’s plenty of red dirt to be seen on either side of the road, and not an awful lot else. If you’re doing this as the last stretch of the Carnarvon to Exmouth or Perth to Exmouth drive, you’re in severe danger of falling asleep at the wheel.
Aside from vast sheep stations, there is nothing of note until you reach Learmonth Airport. This is where the Perth to Exmouth flights land. Learmonth isn’t so much a settlement as an Air Force base with a solar observatory to one side. The Learmonth Jetty on the Exmouth Gulf makes for a fairly photogenic stop, however. It’s also a notoriously good spot for fishing if you’ve brought your gear with you.
The Minilya – Exmouth Road then continues north along the North West Cape. If you’ve got a 4WD vehicle, you can explore some of the highlights of the rugged Cape Range National Park. Charles Knife Canyon and Shothole Canyon are relatively short detours.
Then, on the way into Exmouth, you can always stop at Pebble Beach just before petrol station Exmouth Ningaloo Fuels.
Best Exmouth accommodation choices
- For infinity pool resort luxury: Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort.
- For central location: Ningaloo Lodge.
- For apartments with pool and landscaped gardens: Exmouth Escape Resort.
- For families: RACV Exmouth Cape Holiday Park.
Exmouth to Yardie Creek along the North West Cape
Once in Exmouth, you want to get to the Ningaloo Reef, and the reef is on the other side of the North West Cape.
To get to the Tantabiddi Boat Ramp, where most Ningaloo Reef snorkelling and diving cruises depart from, it’s a half hour drive past Vlamingh Head Lighthouse and Mauritius Beach. Then, further down the North West Cape Peninsula are a series of gorgeous bays and white sand beaches, many of which have camp sites behind them.
8 amazing Exmouth experiences to book in advance.
- Swim with whale sharks – using a spotter plane for maximum shark snorkelling time. This is an experience you’ll genuinely remember forever.
- Ningaloo wildlife adventure – see much more than just the whale sharks.
- Full day kayaking tour – stopping to snorkel at parts of the reef the boats can’t reach.
- Sunset cruise – with dolphin-spotting, snacks and drinks.
- Cape Range trekking adventure.
- Dive on the Ningaloo Reef.
- Swim with humpback whales – they come after whale shark season is over.
- Kayak and snorkel with turtles.
These Ningaloo Reef beaches are often only 100 metres or so from the Reef. The water is often pretty shallow, so most of that beach to reef distance can be covered by leisurely wading.
Turquoise Bay and Osprey Bay are justifiably popular Ningaloo Reef beaches, but the sealed road ends at Yardie Creek – 88km or just over an hour’s drive from Exmouth. Most Ningaloo Reef whale shark swimming cruises, scenic flights and Ningaloo Reef kayaking tours pick up from Exmouth. It’s also possible to swim with humpback whales.
Click through to the next section: Exmouth to Onslow.