Road trips between Perth and Broome offer an unforgettable journey. Travellers have the choice between taking either the coastal or inland route – both offer sealed roads; though some stretches within national parks may require 4WD access.
Visit the Kimberley from May to October during its Dry Season when all tours and attractions are operating and the climate is tropical.
1. Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm
Ideally, July to September is an excellent time to take a road trip from Perth to Broome. Cable Beach will be open for swimming during this period as the waters have been cleaned of any jellyfish from wet season storms; also take note of Western Australia in bloom as beautiful wildflowers spring up across its landscape!
Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm should be on every road trip from Perth to Broome. As one of the oldest family-run pearl farms, it features its own rich culture that you can learn more about by touring its grounds.
At Pearl Farm & Hatchery, visitors can explore a pearl farm, visit its hatchery, or watch as technicians unveil a breathtaking selection of treasures they have been working on. In harvest season, there’s even the option of participating in a pearl-peeping tour which allows participants to purchase genuine Australian pearls directly from their source!
From here, Dampier Peninsula’s picturesque coastal environments can be explored. Visit Gantheaume Point to admire its red pindan soils against a turquoise ocean backdrop or join a multi-day Rowley Shoals Marine Park expedition and observe three coral atolls rising from the sea. Or enjoy meeting Australia’s fearsome creatures during a feeding session at Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Park in Port Hedland; stroll white sand beaches while admiring spectacular sunset views along Cable Beach.
Eighty Mile Beach Caravan Park provides affordable accommodation on your journey to Broome. Boasting both powered and unpowered campsites as well as self-contained cabins, this is an ideal spot for morning swims before making the short drive north into Roebuck Bay.
2. King George Falls
No matter whether driving a sedan or 4WD, Australia’s Kimberley region offers spectacular landscapes to explore. Cruising along its eye-popping coastline is an unforgettable once-in-a-lifetime experience; four night journeys or 21 day odysseys can take you past stunning bays where Aboriginal rock art covers rocks and into gorges where crocodiles lie open-jawed in tidal waters – an experience not to be missed!
King George River and Falls in Australia’s Kimberley region represent one of its most incredible natural wonders. Boasting eighty to one hundred meters of waterfalls that plunge tens of metres down two emerald pools framed by reddish-brown cliffs, it makes an amazing spectacle best seen from either watercraft such as cruise of King George River, scenic flight or both.
At your cruise destination, keep an eye out for snubfin dolphins swimming in the tidal pool, or join Yawuru man Bart Pigram on a Narlijia (translation: true for you) tour of the area. He will regale you with ancient Dreamtime legends as well as contemporary tales about life here; also showing how to identify important plants and animals living here.
Broome’s waterways provide a refreshing new perspective of its rugged landscape. Climb aboard a catamaran for a leisurely cruise around Roebuck Bay and look for dolphins, sea birds, manta rays and even humpback whales! Once off your catamaran at one of Broome’s many quiet bays or cays, keep an eye out for snubfin dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, seabirds – perhaps even manta rays or humpback whales! Hop off at one of its uninhabited beaches to witness dinosaur tracks from Cretaceous periods! No visit to Kimberley can be complete without visiting Cable Beach which boasting some of Australia’s whiteest sand and relaxing paddleboard rentals as well as sunrise or sunset camel rides.
3. Matso’s Brewery
The Kimberley is one of Australia’s most remote and wild regions, boasting breathtaking natural splendours that will enchant any traveller. Fringed by sparkling turquoise waters, cut through by deep gorges and cave systems and home to some of its oldest living cultures – the Kimberley will leave you breathless from the moment you step on its fiery red soil!
This region boasts gems, azure lagoons and shimmering white sandy beaches aplenty; yet its outback heart lies in its remote gorges and national parks – with Purnululu National Park as a World Heritage-listed gem to explore on foot or 4WD; while driving Gibb River Road will reveal bottle-shaped boab trees with corrugations that will rattle your teeth!
At Matso’s, their beers embody the regional flavour, often fruity and featuring native ingredients. Their custom-designed microbrewery allows them to combine Old World brewing wisdom with their own innovations and creativity for truly innovative beers.
Visit Matso’s Brewery is an ideal way to gain insight into Broome’s pearling and pioneering history, sample some of their beer offerings and take in breathtaking views over Roebuck Bay.
There’s plenty to see and do in the Kimberley region, from diamond shopping in Kununurra to visiting dinosaur footprints on Cable Beach and Anastasia’s Pool. See a different side to it all with a guided tour from Broome or hop aboard a helicopter for aerial sightseeing. Or sit back on Kooljamin beach and witness an unforgettable sunset over this incredible coastline; an ideal way to end any road trip adventure through this remarkable region!
4. Horizontal Falls
Horizontal Falls are one of the Kimberley’s most stunning natural phenomena, described by Sir David Attenborough as one of “the world’s great natural wonders”. These stunning tidal waterfalls in Talbot Bay are truly amazing to experience; Sir David Attenborough described these mesmerising tidal falls as one of his “greatest natural wonders”. Fast-moving tide currents squeeze through two narrow gaps in McLarty Ranges creating spectacular waterfalls turned on their sides – where power of tides up to 10 metres can come through narrow gaps into Talbot Bay creating beautiful water shows twice daily! For best experience experience join scenic flight from Broome or Derby or day cruise that brings this unique natural attraction close.
After returning to the Gibb River Road, your journey continues through Derby on its western edge of King Sound – an idyllic coastal village lined with boab trees – which serves as the gateway to Horizontal Falls’ tidal waterfalls, which you can view during day tours from Derby or even overnight with Jetwave Pearl tours that include visits.
From Derby, Port Hedland is just a short drive north. A multicultural pearling and mining town where desert meets sea, Port Hedland features beach walks as well as remnants from its frontier past such as Kimberley Maritime Museum or Red Dog Memorial Statue (don’t forget to feed its four-legged residents!). Or why not relax at famous Cable Beach with its endless stretches of white sand beach, turquoise water and excellent fishing and crabbing opportunities or explore more about local Indigenous culture at Spinifex Hills Studio and Courthouse Gallery?
5. Fossil Fossils
Planning a road trip from Perth to Broome requires careful preparation, given its immense distances and stunning natural sights. But it can be an extremely fulfilling self-drive journey with stops at some of WA’s iconic attractions and destinations along the way.
Broome to Dampier Peninsula and beyond offer spectacular beaches, wildlife viewing opportunities and once-in-a-lifetime experiences that you won’t find elsewhere. The ideal time of year to visit is between July and September when temperatures are ideal and wildflower season is in full bloom.
Dampier Peninsula will prove one of the highlights and challenges on your Perth to Broome road trip, offering breathtaking scenery along its entirety – cattle stations, spinifex plains, wild rivers and gorges with palm-shaded gorges, like something out of a landscaper’s dream! Take a cruise up Chamberlain Gorge; relax at Zebedee Springs thermal pools or trek Emma Gorge and uncover what makes this region truly remarkable.
Driving to Dampier will bring an additional treat: you can witness one of only three living stromatolites on earth at its shoreline. These natural phenomenon are formed by colonies of algae living together symbiotically to form rock formations in water, drawing in sealife such as fish, shrimp and even octopus – an unforgettable sight indeed! Your Perth to Broome road trip wouldn’t be complete without seeing it for yourself!
Once you arrive on the coast, spend some nights in Broome and experience Cable Beach – also renowned as a nude beach for those wanting an unforgettable beach activity! Camel rides offer stunning sunset views while visiting popular markets or taking part in Narlijia Tours offer more Aboriginal culture immersion.