Motorhome Holiday ideas - Perth to Broome

[JME]

Looking to take the family on a road trip from Perth to Broome.

Most likely hire a 6 berth motorhome (britz/apollo etc) and take the coastal route stopping along the way.

Having never ventured that far North by car before I'm trying to get some feedback.

It will be over the school holidays either July or September for about 2 weeks.

Anyone have any experience or feedback they can share to help me plan in advance. Ideally places to stop, schedule, best time of year for weather etc etc.

cheers.

Jme

[_S9_]

Stops along the way

1. Kalbarri/Murchison river mouth and gorges
2. Monkey Mia (not Denham) Resort
3. Coral Bay/Ningaloo

[Lump]

Dampier Archipelago boat charter - September better than July imo

[skidkid]

Allow 2-3 days in Coral Bay, the girls will love it. Weather will be mint in September for snorkelling, and make sure you get out to Shark Bay and go see the Ocean Park Aquarium.

Will put up some more info tonight as my parents have just done this.

[scary]

Stuff Kalbarri - Go inland on the way up there go through non coastal WA.

Go to Karijini stay at the Eco Resort.

You probably cant take the short cut north with the motorhome so head west to Coral Bay/ningaloo (I would stay out at nigaloo station or Warroora Station)

Karratha - go out to Millstream National Park

Eighty mile beach

Broome

or coast run and do Monkey Mia instead of Karijini


I am a big fan of smashing out the Km's and spending more time at multiple destinations. With the kids in the Motorhome it should be even easier but up to you

Plenty of photos from all of the above places on my facebook

[Damo 69]

+ 1 Karrijini and Millstream

[JME]

Excellent suggestions thanks all. Keep em coming!

[Evman]

Flying back from Broome? I think you'll find that two weeks wont be anywhere close to long enough! Definitely spend a few days in Coral Bay - Ningaloo is in the top three most spectacular reefs in the world, much better than the Great Barrier Reef. Karijini is equally amazing, I'd recommend at least a full day there to see the main gorges.

Most importantly though, if you find somewhere nice then take the time to enjoy it. I did the South island of NZ in two weeks but whenever we got somewhere we were like, "this is fantastic, but what if the next place is better? Better get back on the road...". As a result there were definitely a few places I'd have preferred to stay longer in hindsight, but that's the trap.

[JME]

May only go as far as Coral Bay/Exmouth across to Karijini and back.

[RICEY]

I suggest you take me.

[S85FI]

Broome go to Tunnel Creek. Worth the drive. Bring a torch for each person. Bring sneakers you dont mind getting wet. Dint worry about the crocs they are fresh water.
You go from desert to jurassic park in 400m.

Get a beer at Whim Creet

Plan ya journey for lunch at Roebourne. Go to Point Samson /Cossack for lunch. 2nd level so you're tree height.

Blow holes north of Carnarvon.

Shell beach near Denhim

Learmonth in exmouth and drive out to the VLF antenna farm. Note warning signs for pace makers. Yellow limes on road do not cross if you have a pace maker/electronic dets etc. Covers a 100 odd km. Cool to see.
Roebuck bay. Do the hover craft to see the "stair way to sun set" can only get there by hovercraft. Then do stair way to the moon in the bay. Kids wil love. Your misses will fuck you that night. Book and check dates for moon effect. Check booking websites.

[crabman]

Karijini is a must, I went in July last year, cool to swim but still a great time. Forget about Dales campground, hell forget about heading anywhere near Dales. The stuff on the eco-retreat side is so much better and the eco-retreat itself is awesome value camping wise.

Only been stuck in Exmouth for helo delays but Coral Bay was a cool chill place to stay. Only spent a night there, I plan on towing the boat up for a full week of relaxation next year. Has Exmouth got anything going for it over Coral Bay other than the boat tours being run from there?

[Damo 69]

Plan ya journey for lunch at Roebourne. Go to Point Samson /Cossack for lunch. 2nd level so you're tree height.


Don't stop at roebourne, but drive through it to Point Samson
Seafood platter is delxue

[Fozzy]

Exmouth over coral bay any day of the week for me. I like the options of either side of the cape for fishing in different winds etc as well as various options for places to stay

[XT43]

How old are your kids nowadays mate? Karijini is best explored by able bodies, I took my kids there late September holidays when my mine were 10 and 11 and to see it all over a few days I wouldn't take any younger.

We also went across to the coast and up to Exmouth, great place but the extra travel up and back might not be worth it , we left a day early due to shit wind but also had a great couple of days.

Make sure you make decisions based on what you think you can handle, camping in places where you need to be self sufficient for a few days or would need a bit more facility wise.

[Lukey]

Try push it to 3 weeks if possible.
We did perth>coral bay> karajini>derby>kununarra >el questro >hv8>derby>perth in 3 weeks and was flat out the whole time. Easily could have pushed to 4 -5 weeks

[urabus]

Camper van to broome is realistically 3 days each way with lunch stops and 100kph in the bongo van. 2 very big days if you push it and drive at night etc. my point is 2 weeks isnt going to enough to go all the way to broome.

If you get to hedland let me know as there is a maloo i am trying to convince the guy to sell....

Brendon

[JME]

Yeah, Broome isnt going to be a goer. Potentially go to Karijini inland via cue/meekatharra/newman. stay Karijini for a few days then head to the coast taking in Onslow, Exmouth, Coral Bay, Canarvon, Monkey Mia, Kalbarri, Geraldton. No issues being self sufficient. Charting out a schedule and booking a few caravan parks along the way is easy enough, now being the time to do so.

[Brett_J]

If you hit Onslow let me know :)

[Riggs]

Doing the Exmouth penninsula is well worth it, That part of Ningaloo is perfect for families. Can just wade waist deep into the water 10m off the beach and snorkel over the reef. All nice and sheltered as well.

[scary]

Karijini is equally amazing, I'd recommend at least a full day there to see the main gorges.
.

We spent 10 days in Karijini - carried my youngest up & down handrail on my back, walked every gorge etc

Couldn't imagine trying to do it in a day

[Sensible]

See if you can hire a Caravan instead of motorhome!!

My old man just sold his 32 foot Sunliner and has now got a van as you are able to do a lot more exploring when you park up

The Sunliner was his third motorhome and I think he has seen more of WA in the caravan in the 6 months he has had it that in the 6 years he had the motorhomes

Motorhome was good for Motorsport as we could hook up the car trailer and drag it anywhere in Australia

[Lukey]

See if you can hire a Caravan instead of motorhome!!

My old man just sold his 32 foot Sunliner and has now got a van as you are able to do a lot more exploring when you park up

The Sunliner was his third motorhome and I think he has seen more of WA in the caravan in the 6 months he has had it that in the 6 years he had the motorhomes

Motorhome was good for Motorsport as we could hook up the car trailer and drag it anywhere in Australia

Second that. One of my only gripes with my rooftop tent is that i have to pack it up to go exploring.
Be a lot easier with caravan/campervan to unhook, set up base camp and head out from there.

[dmanvan]

Maui's go anywhere,,,,,, because hire-home.,.....;) get a mercedes one, remove limiter (5 min job) has paddle shift will actually pirouette with ease ....

[Evman]

We spent 10 days in Karijini - carried my youngest up & down handrail on my back, walked every gorge etc

Couldn't imagine trying to do it in a day

That's why I said to stay long enough to make the most of a place you like. I can guarantee that walking through gorges isn't everyone's cup of tea. If it is, stay longer.

[RICEY]

If you hit Onslow let me know :)

Nobody likes you.

[South]

Step 1 - Don't create a schedule
Step 2 - Do the trip up the guts to Karijini, and then coastal home... no matter how much kids love the red dirt, they love the beach more and they come home happier.
Step 3 - Don't create a schedule, stay where you want, for how long you want and don't book anything as you might like something and wish to stay there. If you schedule then you are pressured to move around frequently.

500kms a day is about enough for kids getting the shits on in a major way after several days of it.

Karijini, Exmouth, Quobba, Denham, Kalbarri, Home would be my selection. All of them you will be able to rock up randomly and get a spot without too much fuss.

[XT43]

Did the exact route as above except Tamala Station instead of Quobba, would do it again in a heart beat.

[Brett_J]

Nobody likes you.

Shut up, that’s why!

[200MPH]

Yeah, pretty much as above advice by everyone mostly sounds about right. If you don't feel like detouring that far up to Monkey Mia, then Hamelin Pool caravan park with the shell beach is also worthy of a night stop over. Nice spot. Though you could stay at one on way up and another on way back.
Wanting to do the similar Karijini - Coral Bay/Exmouth trip next year or two, kids are a little young yet. But they're mountain goats (we live in the hills) so not too worried about their ability to climb gorges. Think I'd agree with the comment about Exmouth being better than Coral Bay. Much more variety of things to do.
Would not go up or back via the inland Rd. I've done it and only go up that way when being paid to (for work). Far better to do the coast rd both ways and stop at different places each way.
Kalbarri is good also, as mentioned. River, beach and georges to choose from.

Would really like to take the yacht up to Exmouth and back, but we're then talking more like about 6 - 8 weeks at a relaxing pace and being able to see things, and that's a bit of a stretch timewise...

[rodent]

Getting around in a motorhome at Karijini will be a PITA in my opinion, but it is an awesome spot (heading up there this school holidays).
Tamala Station is mint, but a bit light offroading to get there (check your rental policy).

[Brett_J]

Just spent the weekend at Exmouth, the luxury of living 4 hours away. I don't have young kids or really care about fishing, but if you did there's heaps to do. It was nice to drive around explore, the national parks with the lookouts and gorge to drive through was mint. Got to see some whales play from the old lighthouse lookout, although we see these while out on boats locally.
Will def come back closer to the wet season as I reckon it'll be awesome in the national parks and it'll be less filled with grey nomads.
Will also scoot around to Ningaloo and Coral bay

[JME]

All suggestions have been awesome thank you. I'd prefer not to book anything and work at our own pace. My only concern is, going in the July school holidays, spots to stay may be harder to come by?

[Macca]

Don't go July, this is backpackers & grey nomad timing. You will just get stuck behind them and just when you think you have finally gotten in front of them the fuckers will somehow get in front of you again.

You will also find most things are a lot more expensive between jun-sept (holidays end of sept so should be good to go

[scary]

Don't do July - it will be too cold for getting in the water anywhere! no matter what the websites say

[Byah!]

Just got back from Broome...can confirm current conditions are perfect!!!

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Still nomads everywhere tho...

[JME]

Ok so Term 3 School holidays is the go.

[djr81]

Amazed you managed to take a photo of cable beach without 400 4WD's on it. Weather is just turning humid up there. Left Saturday and it was just starting to suck.

[Byah!]

well I was facing the camera south, if i were to swing it the other way it was a bit of a parking lot....

[Lukey]

Don't do July - it will be too cold for getting in the water anywhere! no matter what the websites say

https://media.giphy.com/media/Emq4rIvlZXEpW/giphy.gif

just came back from home-coral bay-Karajini-lake argyll-gibb river road-home through june-july

karajini was the only one that was chilly and I still had a dip

[[Jacek]]

Amazed you managed to take a photo of cable beach without 400 4WD's on it. Weather is just turning humid up there. Left Saturday and it was just starting to suck.

As much as I enjoy 4wding, and driving down a beautiful beach etc - there are some places where this really annoys me.

[Steppo_GT]

We drove up to Broome at Easter time this year, had the tent and gear in the back of the ute. Started inland to Newman for a night then Karijini for 2 nights, we stayed at Dales campground, plenty of sites here however you need to be self sufficient. Much more comfortable to stay at the Eco retreat if you have that option (was booked out when we went) you have a restaurant, showers and small shop there.

If you head that far up 80 mile beach is a definite must do. Truly amazing

Would highly recommend getting the Wikicamps app on your phone as well only downside is its not free. Me and the Mrs use it every time we head away, lists all of the caravan parks and points of interest and other interesting stuff along the way on a map. You can also read reviews from other travelers and see pictures of where you are thinking of staying. Also able to see if the caravan park is a shit hole or not.

Helps heaps when you can call ahead before you leave and speak to the caravan park and ask pricing and availability instead of rocking up to a town and then stressing out about where you're going to park up for the night if everything is booked out.

[Denver]

If you do head up the inland track.

Check out the old big bell town/mine site, you turn off at cue from memory, a few of the old buildings are still there, as well as the old pits. Interesting piece of wa gold rush history.

[scary]

If you do head up the inland track.

Check out the old big bell town/mine site, you turn off at cue from memory, a few of the old buildings are still there, as well as the old pits. Interesting piece of wa gold rush history.

And as you drive through Cue look up to the right on top of the hill and that is the house I grew up in while the old man was the exploration geo for Big Bell!