Newman to Perth road trip: Distance, driving time & best stops

Newman to Perth road trip: Overnight in Meekatharra

Meekatharra is the logical overnight stop, and has a few attractions to keep you occupied. The Meekatharra Museum is mainly old photos, but there are several walking trails that should keep the attention for longer.

The Meeka Town Heritage Walk tells the town’s gold-mining backstory, while the 3km Meeka Rangelands Discovery Trail focuses more on culture and Indigenous heritage.

For natural attractions, the highlight is Peace Gorge, about 5km north-west of town. Expect big granite rock formations here.

There are a few accommodation options in Meekatharra, but don’t expect luxury.

Meekatharra to Cue

The distance from Meekatharra to Cue, the next worthwhile stop, is 115km. This drive goes past the Bluebird gold mine and then crosses along a ridgeline through Lake Annean.

This outback lake is mostly dry, most of the time, but some sections almost have water in it. You might spot some waterbirds, and you can take a look at the Nannine ghost town on the northern bank.

In Cue, you can bed down for the night in the mediocre Cue Motel, walk around the town’s handsome goldrush-era buildings or try fossicking for gold.

The highlight requires a 48km detour to the west, however. Here, Walga Rock is a gigantic monolith, with a cave and a trove of Aboriginal rock art.

Click through to the next section: Cue to Mount Magnet.