Karratha to Port Hedland: Distance, drive time & road trip stops

The Karratha to Port Hedland drive through the Pilbara of Western Australia covers a distance of 230km. That’ll take around 2h27m, unless you make road trip detours to Point Samson or the Millstream-Chichester National Park.

The Karratha to Port Hedland leg of the Perth to Broome coastal drive is one of the loneliest stretches of Western Australia. The two mining towns are what pass for major population centres in this part of the Pilbara, but it’s fair to say no-one is eagerly looking forward to visiting either. That said, there are excellent Aboriginal-guided rock art tours in Karratha.

Karratha accommodation is fairly scarce. Find the best options and book in advance here.

To dig out the best value Port Hedland accommodation, search here.

If you venture off the main highway, however, there are a few road trip stops worth considering on the drive from Karratha to Port Hedland.

Karratha to Port Hedland distance and driving time

The distance from Karratha to Port Hedland by car is 230km. That makes for a driving time of around two hours and 27 minutes. This is all along National Highway 1, which is known as the NW Coastal Highway until it merges with the Great Northern Highway.

Where to stay in Karratha

Booking ahead in Karratha is strongly advised, as hotels can fill up with mine workers and get very expensive if you just rock up on the day. The best Karratha accommodation options are:

For a relatively cheap, decent bed for the night: Econo Lodge Karratha.
For overall quality, a pool and a restaurant: Best Western Plus The Ranges or Karratha International Hotel.
For facilities, space and self-catering: Karratha Central Apartments.

Roebourne is the first realistic stop on a Karratha to Port Hedland road trip. Attractions here include the Mt Welcome Lookout and Old Gaol Museum. You can also make a fuel stop at the BP service station, or go on a Pilbara bird-watching tour.

Karratha to Port Hedland road trip: Point Samson and Cossack

If you just want to blast on through to Port Hedland, continue along the highway. However, you might be tempted into a detour north to Point Samson. There are several beaches here, with notoriously good beach fishing. There’s also a self-guided heritage walking trail through the town and the Point Samson caravan park.

The Point Samson Jetty is the main icon, though. And this was built in order to make Point Samson a replacement port for the nearby town of Cossack.

The ghost town of Cossack, with its handsome blue stone buildings, is eerie to walk through. The ghosts of this abandoned gold rush town will follow you around.

Karratha to Port Hedland drive: Millstream-Chichester National Park

Not too long after Roebourne comes the junction with the Roebourne-Wittenoom Road. This is the one you should take if you want to explore the Millstream-Chichester National Park. This oasis in the desert is best known for its attractive waterholes and winter wildflowers.

That, however, is your lot. The rest of the drive from Karratha to Port Hedland is a stoic plough through seemingly endless Pilbara desert scenery.

Things to do in Port Hedland include seeing the Staircase to the Moon at the Cooke Point Lookout and taking a harbour tour.