Perth to Carnarvon road trip: Distance, driving time & best stops
The Perth to Carnarvon drive covers a distance of 891km, with a driving time of 9h15m. Great road trip stops along the way include the Pinnacles, Leseuer National Park, the Houtman-Abrolhos Islands and Shark Bay.
A Perth to Carnarvon road trip gives a feel for just how big Western Australia is. The drive to Carnarvon from Perth feels like an absolutely massive stint behind the wheel, but in reality, it has covered just a fraction of the Western Australian coast.
Turn it into a road trip, however, and you can have a great time, even with the long distances involved.
Before leaving, Perth offers gold pouring experiences at the Perth Mint, Rottnest Island day trips, and scenic Swan River cruises. To book Perth tours and experiences, head here. For Perth accommodation deals, book here.
If you want to stay overnight in Carnarvon, search for the best value accommodation here.
Perth to Carnarvon distance and driving time
The distance from Perth to Carnarvon by car is 891km, which makes for a driving time of around nine hours and 15 minutes. It’s wise to break that down into two legs. It’s 415km from Perth to Geraldton, then 476km from Geraldton to Carnarvon.
On the way from Perth to Carnarvon, however, there are several excellent candidates for an overnight stop.
The best places to stay in Perth
You can check out deals on a wide range of Perth accommodation options. But these are some of the best choices.
- The swankiest address in town: COMO The Treasury.
- The cool, fun one in the centre of the action: The Alex.
- For quality apartments next to Kings Park: Quest Kings Park.
- For quality apartments by the beach: Seashells Scarborough.
- On a backpacker budget: Spinners Hostel.
5 great day trips from Perth – make your visit special
- Rottnest Island ferry transfer – with bike hire and snorkelling gear. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- The Pinnacles desert – with koalas 🐨 and sandboarding.
- Wave Rock day tour – with wildflowers & Aboriginal culture.
- Margaret River wineries experience 🍷 – with tastings, caves & Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse.
- Full day Swan Valley wine tour 🍷– with lunch.
Perth to Carnarvon drive: Lancelin, Cervantes and Jurien Bay
Lancelin offers surfing and sandboarding down the massive Lancelin dunes. Either hire a sandboard or go on a quad bike tour. The four star Lancelin Lodge is the prime Lancelin accommodation pick.
Four Lancelin experiences to book in advance
- Full day Pinnacles and Lancelin dunes tour from Perth.
- All terrain vehicle and sandboarding tour – conquer the massive dunes the fun way.
- Single-seater or two-seater quad bike hire.
- Lancelin dunes sandboard hire – see how fast you can whizz down the dunes.
Cervantes has great beaches and snorkelling, while also being the gateway to the eerie moonscape of the Pinnacles in the Nambung National Park. Jurien Bay offers white sand, swimming with sea lions and beach skydives. The wildflower-packed Leseuer National Park is nearby, too.
From Jurien Bay to Geraldton along the Brand Highway, the biggest town is Dongara. The beaches are the main attraction here, although there are several interesting walking trails that combine heritage and nature.
Top Dongara experiences include a history and local produce walking tour, plus a behind-the-scenes tour at the Illegal Tender Rum Distillery.
Click through for the next section: Geraldton and the Houtman-Abrolhos Islands.