Geraldton to Carnarvon road trip, WA: Distance, driving time & attractions
The Geraldton to Carnarvon drive in Western Australia is 476km in distance, with a 4h48m driving time. But it’s well worth detouring to Kalbarri National Park and Shark Bay on the way.
The drive from Geraldton to Carnarvon is one you’re likely to undertake if doing a road trip up Australia’s west coast from Perth to Broome. Geraldton is a sunny town, and the access point for tours to the Houtman-Abrolhos Islands. Carnarvon, meanwhile, is in a lovely spot at the mouth of the Gascoyne River and surrounded by banana plantations. It makes a good journey break before continuing north to the Ningaloo Reef from Coral Bay or Exmouth.
If you can do just one thing in Geraldton, make it an Abrolhos Islands day tour – full of bloodthirsty shipwreck mutiny stories, cute wildlife and world class Indian Ocean beaches. Other Geraldton experience options include fishing charters, whale-watching cruises and lobster pot-pulling tours. For great Geraldton accommodation deals, look here.
Book in advance for the best deals on Carnarvon accommodation.
6 cool Geraldton experiences you should book in advance
- (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) Hear astonishing shipwreck stories, spot tiny wallabies and enjoy white sand beaches – on a full day Abrolhos Islands tour including scenic flight.
- See what you can reel in on an Abrolhos Islands fishing charter.
- Try your hand at lobster farming on lobster pot-pulling tours.
- Gasp at migrating humpbacks on a whale-watching cruise.
- Marvel at Hutt Lagoon from above on a pink lake scenic flight.
- Watch the sun set over the Indian Ocean on a Geraldton harbour sunset cruise.
Geraldton to Carnarvon distance and driving time
The Geraldton to Carnarvon drive is 476km in distance. This leads to a Geraldton to Carnarvon driving time of around four hours and 48 minutes if you just stick rigidly to the North West Coastal Highway.
Stick to the highway, however, and you’ll miss a lot. Not least because it doesn’t actually go along the coast for most of the Geraldton to Carnarvon drive. It’s much better to take two detours along the coast – one to Kalbarri, and one to Shark Bay.
Geraldton to Carnarvon road trip via Kalbarri
On the drive from Geraldton to Kalbarri, you’ll pass Hutt Lagoon near Port Gregory. This is one of Australia’s pink lakes that have become Instagram-famous. The best lookout is just before you get into Port Gregory.
Kalbarri itself is a lovely beach town at the mouth of the Murchison River. But it’s what the Murchison River does further upstream that’s the real reason to visit.
6 great Kalbarri experiences to book before you arrive
- See the colours of the giant cliffs change on a sunset cliffs cruise.
- Have fun catching the local lobsters on a lobster pot pulling tour.
- Learn about the area’s history, nature and wildlife on a Murchison River cruise.
- See migrating humpbacks on a seasonal whale-watching experience.
- Take a scenic flight to Monkey Mia for a dolphin-feeding encounter.
- Fly over the infamous Batavia shipwreck on an Abrolhos Islands tour by plane.
The Kalbarri National Park is a stunning place of vivid red sandstone and dramatic gorges. The new Kalbarri Skywalk projects out 100 metres above the Murchison Gorge. The Nature’s Window lookout on the other side of the gorge is superb, too.
Geraldton to Carnarvon road trip via Shark Bay
Once you rejoin the North West Coastal Highway, the next key diversion is World Heritage-listed Shark Bay. Here, you can see the ancient stromatolites at Hamelin Pool, go on a dugong-spotting cruise from Denham or go 4WDing around the Francois Peron National Park towards Cape Peron. There’s also the option of hand-feeding wild dolphins at Monkey Mia, or undertaking an adventure on Dirk Hartog Island via Steep Point.
The stromatolites are best seen on the Denham to Carnarvon leg of the journey. That’s a 325km drive with not a lot else to keep you entertained.
Carnarvon accommodation picks
Accommodation in Carnarvon, WA, costs from around $126 a night. Wotif has a good selection of options.
The following Carnarvon accommodation is particularly worth looking at:
- For central location: Carnarvon Motel.
- For two bedroom apartments: Carnarvon Central Apartments.
- For best overall quality: Hospitality Carnarvon.
- For family cabins with a pool: Capricorn Holiday Park.
More Western Australia travel
Swim at Zebedee Springs and Emma Gorge from the El Questro Homestead.
Where to stop on the drive from Perth to Monkey Mia.
How long is the drive from Busselton to Dunsborough?
Take the Rottnest Island ferry from B Shed, Fremantle.
Go drift snorkelling along the Ningaloo Reef from Turquoise Bay.