Perth to Port Douglas road trip: Best stops, distance & drive time
The best stops on a Perth to Port Douglas road trip include Kalgoorlie, Broken Hill, Charleville and Townsville. The driving distance is 5,275km, which takes 57 hours. Plan to spread the itinerary out over at least 10 days.
Planning a Perth to Port Douglas road trip itinerary
A Perth to Port Douglas road trip is pretty much the longest drive you can do within Australia. It is not one that many travellers will realistically undertake. But the sheer epic scale of the undertaking may tempt some.
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.
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.
Port Douglas, meanwhile, brings Great Barrier Reef snorkelling tours, sailing at sunset and half day tours into the World Heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest. Check out the best Port Douglas accommodation options here.
This guide should help you plan your perfect Perth to Port Douglas road trip itinerary.
Perth to Port Douglas distance and driving time
By car along sealed roads, the distance from Perth to Port Douglas is 5,275km. Without stopping, that makes for a Perth to Port Douglas driving time of around 57 hours.
DON’T MISS OUT! 9 fabulous Perth experiences to book today ✅
- ✅ See the Rottnest Island quokkas the smart way – with a ferry and bike package.
- ✅ Be amazed by the abundant wildlife – on a dolphin, penguin and sealion cruise.
- ✅ See clear night skies in a moon-like desert – on a Pinnacles stargazing experience.
- ✅ Indulge in chocolate, cheese & premium wines – on a Swan Valley food and wine tour.
- ✅ See the city sunset from the water – on a Swan River dinner cruise.
- ✅ Watch gold being melted and poured – on a Perth Mint gold tour.
- ✅ Combine nature with imperious city views – on Kings Park Segway tour.
- ✅ Face your fears and get the thrill of your life on a – on a 15,000ft skydive.
- ✅ Find all the best hidden hangouts – on a small bar and street art tour.
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.
Obviously, no-one is going to drive that distance without stops, so you’re better off budgeting at least 10 days for the trip from Western Australia to northern Queensland.
Good road trip stops on the quickest Perth to Port Douglas route include Kalgoorlie, Eucla, Ceduna, Port Augusta, Broken Hill, Bourke, Charleville, Barcaldine, Townsville, Mission Beach and Cairns.
The first section of the drive to Port Douglas from Perth is along the Great Eastern Highway, which initially follows the Swan River.
The highway then skirts the edge of WA’s oldest national park – John Forrest National Park. Here, you’ll find several walking trails and two delightful waterfalls – National Park Falls and Hovea Falls.
Perth to Port Douglas road trip: Mundaring Weir and Northam
As the highway goes through Mundaring, it’s worth taking a small diversion to Mundaring Weir.
It’s not just a beauty spot – it plays an important part in WA’s history, providing water for the dry, inland regions. The back story is told at the National Trust-run No. 1 Pumping Station.
On the leg from Perth to Northam, you can also visit the Karakamia Sanctuary in Chidlow. Critically-endangered wildlife is protected here.
Things to do in Northam include admiring the silo art, going on a balloon flight over the Avon Valley and learning about local Aboriginal culture at the Bilya Koort Boodja cultural centre.
Northam accommodation picks include the heritage-laced Duke’s Inn and the characterful Fairway Manor.
Perth to Port Douglas drive: Northam to Kalgoorlie
There aren’t many attractions on the dry, dull stretch of highway between Northam and Kalgoorlie. But you’ll keep seeing the ‘Golden Pipeline’ by the side of the road. This is what the water from Mundaring Weir is pumped hundreds of kilometres through in order to supply the goldfields.
In Burracoppin, the Golden Pipeline meets the State Barrier Fence. Signs tell the the story of the longest fence in the world.
Kalgoorlie has a surprising amount going for it, given that it’s a mining town in the middle of nowhere. The Museum of the Goldfields and Hannans North Tourist Mine are the best places to learn about the mining heritage past and present.
But the highlight is the Super Pit, a vast open cut gold mine. Take it in from the Super Pit Lookout, or go inside on a special tour.
Where should I stay in Kalgoorlie?
Specialist Australian accommodation website Wotif offers Kalgoorlie accommodation for from $133 a night. Check out the deals page to search for the best value stay.
However, you should consider these options first.
- For central location and a pool: Plaza Hotel.
- For best quality: Quest Yelverton apartments.
- For proximity to the railway station: Quality Inn Railway Motel.
- For pool, free parking and good value: Hospitality Inn (part of the Best Western group).
Attractions between Perth and Port Douglas: Kambalda and Norseman
The next section of the Perth to Eucla road trip is from Kalgoorlie to Norseman. On the way, the Old Boulder Cemetery reminds just how many people died during the Western Australian gold rush.
But the best stop is the small town of Kambalda. Here, the Red Hill Lookout blesses you with tremendous views out over the twinkling salt pans of Lake Lefroy.
There are a few more inessential nature reserves and salt pans before you cross Lake Cowan and enter Norseman.
In Norseman, the main attractions are the Beacon Hill and Lake Cowan lookouts. You can also have a picnic amongst old mining equipment in Phoenix Park.
Norseman accommodation options include the Great Western Travel Village motel and the fairly cheap Acclaim Gateway Tourist Park.
Click through for the next section: Norseman to Eucla.