Perth to Alice Springs road trip guide: Driving distance & best stops
Perth to Alice Springs drive: Ceduna and the Gawler Ranges
Once you’ve got phone coverage back in Ceduna, it’s worth considering a detour down to the beaches at Streaky Bay on the Eyre Peninsula. Better still, swim with Australian sea lions at Baird Bay.
Ceduna accommodation tips
Ceduna is a logical place for an overnight stay whether you’ve just crossed the Nullarbor or are about to. You can search for places to stay in Ceduna here.
However, the following are the best options:
- For central, waterfront location: Ceduna Foreshore Hotel Motel.
- For family-friendly spacious cabins: Big4 Holiday Park.
- For a pool: East West Motel.
Otherwise, you can plough remorselessly along the Eyre Highway to Port Augusta at the top of the Spencer Gulf.
The Ceduna to Port Augusta drive is 468km in distance, with a driving time of four hours and 55 minutes.
The rumpled Gawler Ranges lie just to the north of the route. Gawler Ranges Wilderness Safaris runs good day tours from Wudinna. The wave-like Pildappa Rock is also near.
Kimba and Port Augusta
If you’ve not got time for that, then Kimba offers cheesy photo stops by the Big Galah and Halfway Across Australia Sign. You can stay at the fairly basic Kimba Units if you really want to.
The best things to do in Port Augusta include the Wadlata Outback Centre, which looks at Aboriginal and outback life, and the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden.
Port Augusta accommodation picks
Port Augusta accommodation tends towards the functional. Few people stay here more than one night. Booking site Wotif lists options for from $89, if you’d like to check what’s available.
However, these Port Augusta accommodation choices are particularly worth looking at:
- For heritage and character: Pampas Motel.
- For green credentials: Crossroads Ecomotel.
- For overall quality: Majestic Oasis Apartments.
- For cheap rates and a pool: Discovery Parks – Port Augusta.
Click through to the next section: Stuart Highway to Coober Pedy.