Port Augusta to Perth road trip: Distance, driving time & best stops
The drive from Port Augusta to Perth covers a 2,387km distance in a driving time of around 25 hours. Top road trip stops to add to a Port Augusta to Perth road trip itinerary include Ceduna, Border Village, Norseman and Kalgoorlie.
The drive from Port Augusta to Perth passes through some of the most lonely stretches of Australia. It’s an epic road trip, and likely to be part of a longer journey. The route from Adelaide to Perth or Canberra to Perth passes through this way.
Port Augusta is the archetypal crossroads town at the top of the Spencer Gulf in South Australia. To fix up your Port Augusta accommodation at the cheapest rates, look over here.
Perth, meanwhile, offers day trips to Rottnest Island, swimming with dolphins and Swan Valley food and wine tours. 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.
This guide is aimed at travellers planning a Port Augusta to Perth road trip itinerary. Click through on the links for more detailed information about the individual places, attractions and activities.
Port Augusta to Perth distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Port Augusta to Perth is 2,387km. That makes for a driving time of around 25 hours.
Good choices for overnight stops along the route include Ceduna, Border Village, Norseman and Kalgoorlie.
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.
Port Augusta to Perth road trip: Port Augusta to Wudinna
Leaving Port Augusta on the Eyre Highway, the next notable stop is Iron Knob, which bills itself as the birthplace of the Australian steel industry. The iron mine here closed in 1998, but it is still open for surprisingly fascinating mine tours. The town is also a good place to spot wild emus.
The Port Augusta to Perth driving route then passes south of Lake Gilles. There are 4WD tracks up to the edge of this stark salt lake if you have the right vehicle.
Otherwise, the next stop is quirky Kimba. Here you can admire the colossal scale mural on the grain silos and see the statues of Edward Eyre and Wylie at the Whites Knob Scenic Lookout. For cheesy photos, there are also the Big Galah and the Halfway Across Australia Sign.
There are a few Kimba accommodation options if you want to break your journey for the night here, with the Kimba Units and Chrissie’s Dongara the best bets.
The Eyre Highway then passes Kyancutta and Lake Wannamana on the way to Wudinna, which is the main base for exploring the Gawler Ranges to the north.
Gawler Ranges Wilderness Safaris runs day tours from Wudinna. If you’re shorter on time, the wave-like Pildappa Rock makes for a quicker diversion.
For Wudinna accommodation, choose between the more practical Wudinna Gawler Ranges Motel and Caravan Park and the more personal Wudinna Farm View.
Port Augusta to Perth road trip: Wudinna to Penong
Otherwise, keep going towards Minnipa, where Tcharkuldu Rock – a big outcrop covered in boulders – is both near the highway and easily accessible in a 2WD vehicle. Then there are a succession of small villages. Poochera has a pub, Wirrulla has a caravan park and general store. But you’re better off continuing towards Ceduna.
Top Ceduna attractions include the Pinky Point Lookout, the Laura Bay Conservation Park and the Smoky Bay oyster farms.
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.
From Ceduna, the Eyre Highway continues across the dreaded Nullarbor. The drive from Ceduna to Norseman in Western Australia is 1,201km long, and you’re unlikely to have mobile phone reception for any of this journey. Eucla or Border Village are arguably the best bets for an overnight stop on the way.
A few short detours along the route make the Nullarbor crossing much more enjoyable, however.
First up is Penong, where the Penong Windmill Museum brings together a delightfully weird collection of windmills. You can play a hole of the Nullarbor Links golf course here, too.
Branch off south down the Point Sinclair Road, and you can go for a dip in the netted swimming area at Point Sinclair. However, the main attractions are along the way – pink lake Lake MacDonnell and legendary surf spot Cactus Beach.
Click through to the next section: Penong to Border Village.