OUR EXPERTS SHOW WHERE TO GO NEXT

Australia’s most experienced vanners share their best touring routes of all time!

WRITTEN BY JONATHAN PULLEN PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARAVAN AND MOTORHOME ON TOUR

YOUR COMPLETE AUSSIE TRAVEL GUIDE

In Australia, we’re truly blessed to have one of the most culturally and geographically diverse landscapes in the world and there really is no better way to experience the best of what Australia has to offer than by hitching up an RV and hitting the road.

This issue we’ve spoken to the five most experienced travellers in the country – they’ve seen and experienced it all! Our challenge? Because they’ve seen it and done it all, we asked what their hands-down favourite tour is and how readers can do it! Over 2,000,000km travelled, more than a combined 100 years on the road, thousands of free camps discovered, and you end up finding out about the best routes in Australia – we take away all the guess work and give you the camping gold!

From days of idyllic coastal camping to the remote trails of the Aussie outback, we’ve showcased the very best Aussie RV tours possible – where to stay, what to do and detailed tips on how you can get the most enjoyment out of each region.

These are the roads less travelled with special tips you won’t find in any tourist guide – Not only will you get the route, you’ll get the most in-depth, loca knowledge- only guide to attractions, towns and free camps along the way.

Unlock the true potential of your journey – we’ve never had so much experience and knowledge in  one article!

AUSTRALIA’S TOURING EXPERTS

FRED WRIGHT

YEARS ON THE ROAD: Over 50!

KM TRAVELLED: Over 700,000KM

FAVOURITE REGION: Exmouth, WA

HIT THE ROAD BECAUSE: I caught the travel bug from my father

BEST MEMORY: Stopping to help a traveller in the top end. His car was billowing smoke and all he wanted was a match to light his cigarette!

TRAVEL STYLE: It’s no secret that I love my bush camping!

MOTTO: “Never give up, no matter what!”

MARG AND ROB MCALISTER 

YEARS ON THE ROAD: 18

KM TRAVELLED: Over 150,000 approx

FAVOURITE REGION: There are too many diverse places to choose, so my pick is “All of Australia!”

HIT THE ROAD BECAUSE: Friends of ours were having so much fun that we decided to give it a go – we were hooked in the first week!

BEST MEMORY: Heading out to the opal fields with friends in a 3-van convoy and free camping for by a waterhole, completely self-contained. We visited local mining camps, met the locals, fossicked for opal and had hilarious happy hours.

TRAVEL STYLE: 50:50 travellers, but most of the time more 60-40, veering more toward caravan parks. We like to be able to choose, though, so we are equipped for free camping.

MARG: “Do what makes your heart sing”.

ROB: “There’s always tomorrow”.

GRANT HANAN AND LINDA BLOFFWITCH

YEARS ON THE ROAD: 7 years

KM TRAVELLED: Over 50,000

FAVOURITE REGION: Kimberley

HIT THE ROAD BECAUSE: Opportunity knocked

BEST MEMORY: Getting engaged in the Kimberley

TRAVEL STYLE: All terrain/free camping/caravan parks

MOTTO: “Stay safe and live it to the max”

LYALL AND TRISH BOOTH

YEARS ON THE ROAD: 10 years

KM TRAVELLED: Over 70,000

FAVOURITE REGION: NW QLD “the Outback”

HIT THE ROAD BECAUSE: To escape from the executive and corporate lifestyle and to experience life with the “Real Aussies” in their environment – not just flashing through as tourists

BEST MEMORY: Observing the spectacular colours in the mountains and in the water at the Pentecost River crossing in the Kimberley, WA

TRAVEL STYLE: We find “the road less travelled” the most-interesting – especially bush free camps. If the road is unsuitable for our Spinifex off road caravan, we live out of our Toyota and camp in our swag. If working, we relief manage or assist in caravan park operations and entertain other travellers with our bush band.

MOTTO: “Laugh, have fun and help other travellers to achieve the best from their travels”

TRINA AND RAY MORRIS

YEARS ON THE ROAD: 37 part-time, 4 full-time

KM TRAVELLED: Over 500,000km

FAVOURITE REGION: The Pilbara

HIT THE ROAD BECAUSE: A shared love of travel has kept us on and off the road since we married, but a health warning put us into the lifestyle permanently. We now live every day as if it is our last and have never been happier!

BEST MEMORY: Sitting at the head of Dales Gorge in Karijini NP

TRAVEL STYLE: 80:20 (freedom camping:caravan parks), remote and regional inland backroads preferred

MOTTO: “Wherever you go, there you are!”

GREAT SOUTHERN TRIANGLE

FLEURIEU + YORKE + EYRE PENINSULA

Here’s a trio of amazing peninsulas close to Adelaide in SA that travellers might overlook when heading across to the Nullarbor. Fleurieu, Yorke and Eyre are tailor-made for RVers and are not to be missed.

At Fleurieu (named by Nicolas Baudin, the French Explorer) you’ll find Victor Harbour with its horse drawn carriage ride to Granite Island, the South Australian Whale Centre and Goolwa with its Steam Ranger railway and paddle steamer rides. Don’t forget Kangaroo Island with its Raptor Domain attraction and the best seafood anywhere! Yorke Peninsula to the northwest, about an hour from Adelaide, is famous for its Ardrossan Blue Swimmer Crabs. Eyre Peninsula, a triangular peninsula, is a bordered by Spencers Gulf and the Great Australian Bight. You can swim with tuna and enjoy its beaut museums and fishing. Don’t forget that it is home to the famous Coffin Bay Oysters!

FAST FACTS

Distance overall: 1200KM

Road quality: All roads are smooth blacktop

Best place to eat: Try the oysters in Ardrossan and Coffin Bay

Best RV-friendly towns to visit: Goolwa and Victor Harbor are terrific

Affordability rating: 3/5

SAVE MONEY BY AVOIDING

The expense that can really get out of hand is your food bill. Remember to shop for discounts and cook most of your meals on this trip – there will be a lot of temptation to spend big at all of the restaurants serving fresh local delicacies. Treat yourself but don’t go overboard: stay frugal when it comes to food.

MY TOP 5 CAMPS

1. Port Elliot Holiday Park

2. Ardrossan Caravan Park

3. Antechamber Bay West Campground

4. Browns Beach Campground

5. Lipson Cove Free Camp: A scenic water-front camp on the Eyre

AN UNFORGETTABLE OUTBACK TRAIL TOORAWEENAH TO LONGREACH

BOURKE AND BEYOND

The route from Tooraweenah to Longreach in the central west of Queensland is one of our absolute favourites. There’s nothing like bowling happily along a country road, free from the congestion of popular coastal routes!

Using Tooraweenah as our kickoff point (great for exploring the Warrumbungles) we make our way to Bourke, Charleville, Isisford and Ilfracombe before finishing up at Longreach. The bigger towns know the value of the tourist dollar to the local economy, especially in times of extended drought, and offer heaps of interesting activities: tours, interpretive centres, river cruises and outback shows. We loved the variety, from laid-back camping by the river at Isisford to a citrus farm tour at Bourke and an outback show at the Longreach Stockman’s Hall of Fame. And what would an outback trip be without a bit of bush poetry? You’ll find it here, from poetry-on-a-plate at Bourke to the laugh-a-minute comic antics of the managers at Ilfracombe.

Caravan parks are plentiful, and hosts go out their way to offer a traveller a unique experience, with campfires, meals, entertainment, tours and activities all part of the scene. Free and low cost camping is readily available: councils and their communities are constantly upgrading facilities in an effort to attract people to outback areas.

FAST FACTS

Distance overall: 1410km

Road quality: Tooraweenah to

Isisford: sealed, good condition, ample overtaking opportunities. Isisford to

Longreach: road narrower, sealed, fair condition.

Best place to eat: All towns have valuefor- money meals, with pubs and clubs providing food at most of the catered venues – and we liked the hearty stew and damper on the Kidman Cruise and Lightshow!

Best RV-friendly towns to visit: Tooraweenah, Bourke, Charleville, Isisford, Ilfracombe

Affordability rating: 4/5

SAVE MONEY BY AVOIDING

Avoid big supermarket chains and shop locally. Items will invariably be fresher and less expensive than the major store outlets. You will also provide much-needed income for locals.

OUR TOP 5 CAMPS

1. Tooraweenah Caravan Park – 16-26 Bridge St. Tooraweenah, NSW $25 per night (2 guests) $20 per night (1 guest) totally self-contained $10 per night.

2. Charleville Bush Camp – 77 Adaville Rd., Charleville. $5 per person per night.

3. Wyandra Camp Ground – Free Camp (Donations) 55 Moody St. Wyandra Qld

4. Isisford Council Camp Grounds, Isisford Qld. Camp fee $3 per night

5. Ilfracombe Caravan Park – Landsborough Highway Ilfracombe Qld. $30 per night. Discounts apply for longer stays.

MUST-SEE ATTRACTIONS

Warrumbungles: Tooraweenah is a main entry point to the Warrumbungles. Plenty of walking tracks and great photo opportunities. Make time for a tour of the Siding Springs Observatory.

Bourke: A must-see is the Back O’ Bourke Exhibition Centre, and you can enjoy a river cruise down the Darling River on the PV Jandra.

Charleville: This is the “capital” of the South West, steeped in history, and has plenty to see. A must-do is a visit to the Cosmos Centre for a night sky observatory session.

Longreach: Stockman’s Hall of Fame, Qantas Museum, School of the Air and Kidman & Co.

CARAVANNING’S FINAL FRONTIER

THE KIMBERLEY

The Kimberley is one of the most iconic Australian destinations with its stunning landscape luring adventurers from everywhere. The region offers spectacular scenery, swimming, bird-watching, fishing, bushwalking, and some incredible Aboriginal rock art. So there’s definitely something for everybody.

After having first visited in the early 1990s during an around Australia trip, we have been back for countless trips since. As big as the area is, it’s full of history and cultural diversity. The casual and relaxed lifestyle in towns like Broome, Kununurra and Derby really suits us. It’s like everyone is on holiday all year round!

But as much as we love the towns, we also like to venture off the Great Northern Highway. The area has an abundance of fresh water, magnificent ranges and so many natural attractions, you really need to get out and explore them from the ground, water or air. Million acre stations along the Gibb River Road welcome visitors with their country hospitality and this stretch of road has some simply magnificent attractions that rival anything else you’d see in Australia.

So if you’re thinking about visiting the Kimberley, make a plan and make it happen. You won’t be disappointed!

FAST FACTS

Road quality: Unfenced bitumen highway in parts with occasional onelane bridges. The Gibb River Road is entirely corrugated track – you need an offroad van.

Best place to eat: Matso’s (Broome)

Best RV-friendly towns to visit: Broome & Kununurra

Affordability rating: 3/5

OUR TOP 5 CAMPS

1. Kununurra’s Kimberleyland Caravan Park: It has a beautiful waterfront, large and shady sites, and the amenities are excellent.

2. Dampier Peninsula’s Pender Bay: The camping is excellent when you’re perched on rich red coloured cliffs overlooking the turquoise water.

3. Windjana Gorge National Park: The facilities at the National Park are excellent and the campground is wellspaced out.

4. Home Valley Station: For great country hospitality and facilities that cater for all kinds of travellers, it’s hard to go past here.

5. Zebra Rock Mine: A good budget friendly campground that offers one of the best sunset wetland cruises that we’ve experienced in Australia

MUST-SEE ATTRACTIONS

Broome’s Cable Beach: There is nothing more “Kimberley” than watching camels pass by as the sun dips into the Indian Ocean.

Gibb River Road: Where else in Australia can you visit more than 20 gorges along a 660km stretch of road?

Horizontal Falls: The Kimberley has some phenomenal tides and these falls give you an opportunity to experience them first-hand.

Tunnel Creek: A unique Kimberley experience that is a lot of fun for everyone.

Purnululu (Bungle Bungles): It doesn’t matter whether you see this natural wonder from the ground or from the air, it’s simply spectacular.

SAVE MONEY BY AVOIDING

Fuel in the Kimberley can be expensive, so if you’re travelling to Wyndham fill up here as it can be 20c cheaper than in Kununurra. However, if you only travel as far as Kununurra, fill up at ORDCO located 7-10 minutes out of town on Weaber Plain Road (24 hour credit card system).

UNFORGETTABLE OUTBACK ADVENTURE

NORTHWEST QUEENSLAND

40 years ago Trish and I discovered the raw, rugged and unspoiled beauty of NW QLD from Winton, through Cloncurry, Mt Isa, Karumba, Lawn Hill Gorge, Gregory River and Camooweal. Today, if you’re prepared to tackle some gravel roads, you’ll be equally rewarded as we were back then (and still are).

The dinosaur stampede at Winton, and the billions of stars you can see in the clear skies when camped on the Long Waterhole at Winton are never to be forgotten.

The ancient uplifted rocks around Mt Isa are steeped in Aboriginal history, mining, friendly outback people, unbelievable waterholes, the spectacularly clear Gregory River that runs all year round – and even a 200ft-high waterfall if you time your visit right.

Try a heart-stopping sunset over the ocean at Karumba and maybe even catch a Barramundi or two from the beach. Or how about a feed of yabbies you’ve caught yourself from the Georgina River free camp at Camooweal. Marvel at the spectacularly coloured bottom of the 110million-year-old Eromanga Sea from a cave you can walk into near Camooweal and you’ll understand why we keep coming back.

FAST FACTS

Distance overall: 2000KM

Road quality: Excellent bitumen, usually well maintained but gravel roads can be variable.

Best place to eat: McKinlay Roadhouse or Walkabout Creek Hotel, Burke and Wills Roadhouse and BP Camooweal Roadhouse. Georgina Waterhole if you have yabbie traps. The Overlander Hotel in the Isa (Rump steak w. chips and veggies for $9 – beat that!)

Best RV-friendly towns to visit: Mt Isa, McKinlay and Winton – which even has covered, off-street parking.

Affordability rating: 5/5

OUR TOP 5 CAMPS

1. The bed of the Gregory River: Free, beautiful clear water, fishing, small Freshwater crocs (harmless), and a dump point in the Gregory Downs Township nearby.

2. Waterholes on the Georgina River at Camooweal: 4km of camping space with stunning birdlife and fresh yabbies

3. Upper crossing of the Gregory River: Just south of Riversleigh Fossil Deposits – palm trees, room for only one or two vans, causeway very slippery – don’t try to walk it!

4. Karumba Point Sunset Caravan Park: Right on the beach but no swimming – teeth attached to salties in the water! Very popular – must book ahead.

5. Argylla Caravan Park: We think it’s the best of the three Discovery Parks in the Isa.

MUST-SEE ATTRACTIONS

• Fountain Springs and Rigby Falls between Cloncurry and Mt Isa: Permanent water at Fountain Springs – accessible by 2WD.

• Hard Times Mine at the Isa: Sunset view from Lookout in the Isa

• Gregory River at Gregory Downs (camp on the river) and Lawn Hill Gorge

• Camooweal Cave: 4Km up the Burketown Road on west side of road. (NOT the caves in the National Park – you can’t get into the caves without caving gear.)

• Dinner at sunset at the End of the Road Hotel, Karumba.

SAVE MONEY BY AVOIDING

Prepare your own meals if you’re not prepared to pay about $9 for exceptional burgers at the Burke and Wills Roadhouse or the BP Roadhouse at Camooweal. Fuel is expensive at the Barkly Homestead west of the Isa, but to be fair they have the expense of running generators for all their power.

GOLD TO GORGES

THE MIGHTY PILBARA

Our trek over WA’s arid inland route – from the southern goldfields to the Pilbara gorges – was intended as a getit- over-and-done-with shortcut. Instead, this region completely stole our souls!

The Goldfields Highway heads north from bustling Kalgoorlie to Leinster, where we turn left and drive west through Sandstone to Mt Magnet. We then travel the Great Northern Highway through the fossickers’ playgrounds of Cue and Meekatharra to thriving Newman, the hub of the nation’s ore mining industry. Our final leg journeys through the Pilbara’s Opthalmia Ranges to the crowning jewel of Terra Australis: the dramatic, pristine gorges of Karijini National Park.

As a cool-season journey, the region’s weather is delightful, with warm dry days and cool starlit evenings. The scenery is beautiful: expansive horizons of red desert sand and dramatic rocky breakaways are juxtaposed by the lush oases of the Karijini Gorges. Indigenous people generously share their ancient and sacred archaeological sites, while significant historical European settler elements reveal our goldmining past. The region’s townsfolk folk are welcoming, and the pace of life is wonderfully relaxed. This travel experience is one to treasure forever!

FAST FACTS

Distance overall: 1491KM

Road quality: Excellent sealed roads

Best place to eat: Karijini Eco Retreat’s alfresco restaurant

Best RV-friendly towns to visit: Sandstone, on the Agnew-Sandstone Road.

Affordability rating: 4/5

OUR TOP 5 CAMPS

1. Lake Douglas Recreation Area (12km W of Kalgoorlie): Free close to town and peaceful – EXCEPT ON WEEKENDS (bloody dirt bikers!)

2. Peter Denny Lookout: Enjoy the lovely vistas over the crater-like breakaway.

3. Sandstone’s Alice Atkinson Caravan Park: A welcoming little park in this quirky town, convenient to the Heritage Drive

4. Bilyuin Pool freedom camp: It’s glorious yet the 14 km of gravel road access means few people visit

5. Albert Tognolini Rest Area, Munjina Gorge: Our absolute favourite Australian freedom camp. It’s stunningly beautiful and convenient to Karijini National Park (perfect, since we travel with a pet!).

MUST-SEE ATTRACTIONS

• The Super Pit viewing point in Kalgoorlie-Boulder is unbelievable

• Sandstone’s heritage drive, including spectacular London Bridge, is a number one treat!

• Standing on the rims of the Karijini National Park gorges, and descending into their depths to swim in the pristine pools, is really special

• Top of the list is to stand under the Kalamina Gorge waterfall, then walk the length of the canyon

• Munjina Gorge at sunset from your campsite at the Albert Tognolini Rest Area is to die for, night after night

SAVE MONEY BY AVOIDING

This outback journey is definitely ideal for self-contained vehicles to avoid high-cost caravan park fees. There are parks to get you through, but they are not cheap. The freedom camps are marvellous and well-spaced for easy, self-reliant touring.

UNFORGETTABLE TROPICAL TRAVEL 

THE GULF

Queensland’s Gulf region became another one of our favourites when touring Australia. Travelling from Lawn Hill National Park, up to Burketown and Normanton, continue along the Savannah Way. This route allows you to experience Aussie outback towns whose folk make RVers welcome. The area has natural attractions including fossilised dinosaurs, lava tubes, spectacular gorges, and opportunities for gem fossicking. And if you like fishing, you will really want to drop a line at Karumba. So if you like being active on your trips without going overboard, you will want to add this route to your trip plans.

FAST FACTS

Distance overall: 1100km

Road quality: A mix of bitumen highway, single lane bitumen and dirt roads.

Best place to eat: Adel’s Grove

Best RV-friendly towns to visit: Burketown

Affordability rating: 3/5

OUR TOP 3 CAMPS

1. Adel’s Grove has well-spaced campsites with shade available.

2. Leichardt Falls has excellent bush camping on the edge of the river.

3. Routh Creek is a small camping area with private campsites next to water.

MUST-SEE ATTRACTIONS

• Lawn Hill National Park is an outback oasis and best seen from a hire canoe.

• Walking inside a lava tube at Undara is a unique and simply amazing attraction.

BORDER HOPPING: WAGGA TO MILDURA

TOCUMWAL, SWAN HILL, ROBINVALE + MORE

A trip following the River Murray, one of the great rivers of Australia, is a must for any RVer. There’s plenty of accommodation to suit the need of any traveller and the scenery is outstanding. (We have never felt so relaxed as by the river at Robinvale!) Apart from the always-on-offer paddleboat cruises you’ll find fascinating smaller businesses to visit (like the Barham Backroads Trail) plus swimming, boating  fishing…all manner of water activities! The Murray played a key role in the development of white settlement and you’ll find that there is plenty of “living history” to see and engage with. No matter how many times you travel this road, there will always be something new to see and experience. We’ve been back several times!

FAST FACTS

Distance overall: 740KM

Road quality: Sealed and good condition. Some side roads and remote camp areas may suit off-road vehicles only.

Best place to eat: We had a great meal with a view at the Euston Club Resort on the Murray (near Robinvale). All towns offer wide range of dining from 5 star restaurants through to value-for-money pub/cafe meals.

Best RV-friendly towns to visit: Tocumwal, Echuca, Robinvale, Mildura

Affordability rating: 3/5

OUR TOP 5 CAMPS

1. Tocumwal Town Beach – Hennessy St., Tocumwal. $10 per night. Nice shaded walk to town.

2. Nyah Recreation Reserve – River Road Nyah. Free. Donations accepted.

3. Robinvale Riverside Caravan Park – 25 McLennan Dr. $32 - $34 per night.

Ph. (03)50264646; W: www.robinvaleaccommodation.com.au

4. Buronga Riverside Caravan Park – 71a Caravan Park Rd, Buronga NSW. Pet friendly – and an amazing tree sculpture! $29 - $34 per night.

Ph: (03) 5023 3040; W: www.burongacaravanpark.webs.com

5. Barham Caravan and Tourist Park – 1 Noorong St, Barham. Riverside park, very friendly, easy walk to town.

Ph: (03) 54532553; W: www.barhamcaravan.com.au

MUST-SEE ATTRACTIONS

• The Murray River is one long tourist attraction! Vineyards, orchards, tour companies, historical communities, themed venues, arts and crafts are in abundance all along the river and environs.

• The Backroads Trail (Echuca-Moama to Deniliquin and Barham) – this is a great day out; visit local producers! Try honey mead and charcuterie products from Bundarra Berkshires Free Range pork. Find out more here: www.backroadstrail.com.au

• Swan Hill Pioneer Village: a re-creation of the early pioneer days of the river trade.

• If you are a travelling golfer, you’ll find some of the best courses on offer anywhere in Australia.

THE MOUNT ISA TRAIL

CENTRAL WEST QLD

The round trip of about 600KM from the Isa to Boulia is awesome. We discovered this country route 40 odd years ago and now we regularly visit. Take the bitumen road down and the dirt road back. Experience Boulia Caravan Park, feed freerange camels, find 110 million year old fossils in the rocks, see the Min Min Light display at Boulia and if you camp on the old Hamilton Hotel site east of Boulia, you may even see a Min Min light as I did all those years ago. Take a week and really experience “stuff ” the regular travellers never see.

FAST FACTS

Distance overall: 600KM

Road quality: Bitumen narrow but good quality. Dirt component is fine with care.

Best place to eat: Servo at east end of Boulia.

Best RV-friendly towns to visit: Boulia. Easy parking and welcoming locals. We love it.

Affordability rating: Noreen’s Boulia Van Park is immaculate. Tell her we sent you. 5/5

OUR TOP 3 CAMPS

1. Noreen’s Boulia Van Park: Green lawns, immaculate, reasonable prices

2. Police Barracks Waterhole free camp: 25 KM north of Boulia on Selwyn Rd

3. Old Hamilton Hotel: Site of many Min Min sightings (including mine) in the past.

MUST-SEE ATTRACTIONS

• Min Min Light Display. A brilliant re-creation of several sightings.

• General Store in Boulia. Buy anything from a grader tyre to a pair of tweezers, and tucker, of course

APPLE ISLE ADVENTURE

TASSIE’S BEST COASTLINE

Tasmania’s stunningly beautiful northwest coastline and hinterland is the ultimate summer touring destination. Magical seaside scenery is back-dropped by Tassie’s legendary green rolling hills, filled with poppy farms and dairy cows, quaint villages, friendly locals and the cleanest air on earth (scientific fact!). The Bass Hwy touring route between Devonport and Arthur River is only 200 kilometres long. Beyond the ‘End of the World’ viewing platform lies unsealed roads, so it’s best to double back through the hinterland and discover an entirely new take on this superb touring region. There are caves, canyons, forests, mountains, trout-filled rivers, farm-fresh produce and unbeatable Tasmanian hospitality to enjoy.

FAST FACTS

Distance overall: 195 km one way, with unlimited distance potential exploring the marvellous hinterland back roads.

Road quality: Bass Hwy excellent; hinterland roads can be narrow and hilly

Best place to eat: Splash Café, Wynyard Best RV-friendly towns to visit: Stanley, Penguin, Riana

Affordability rating: 4/5

OUR TOP 3 CAMPS

1. Stanley’s official freedom camp is okay, but clever RVers sneak past the fence at the wharf and camp for free beneath the sheer cliffs of The Nut.

2. Green Point at Marrawah is a fab little spot – it’s free and allows unlimited stays

3. Riana’s Pioneer Park Campground in Bernie’s hinterland provides caravan park-style facilities in parkland serenity.

MUST-SEE ATTRACTIONS

• Catch the chairlift up ‘The Nut’ at Stanley for spectacular views

• Breathe in the purest air on earth at ‘The End of The World’ viewing platform, Arthur River

• Browse the world-class private collection of veteran cars at the Wynyard visitor centre

• Don’t miss Gunns Plains Caves and Leven Canyon in the Ulverstone hinterland

WARLU WAY

BROOME AND 80 MILE BEACH

Western Australia’s northwest is known for long days of sunshine, diverse landscapes and climates. Broome, the ‘Pearl of the North West’ is the jewel in its crown and it’s the starting point of my trip. Here’s a journey to take you back to the mystical dreaming when, according to legend, Warlu, a dreamtime sea serpent emerged from the sea forming huge waterways and carved its way through the pulsating red heart of northwest WA. This trip takes you from Broome to Port Hedland and will open your eyes to our country’s secrets, as well as its historical and cultural wonders.

MUST-SEE ATTRACTIONS

• Horizontal Waterfalls

• Travel the Gibb River Road

• See the Bungle Bungles

• The Staircase to the Moon

MY TOP 3 CAMPS

1. 80 Mile Beach Caravan Park

2. Roebuck Bay Caravan Park

3. Cable Beach Caravan Park

FAST FACTS

Distance overall: 620KM

Road quality: Unless you choose to tackle 80 mile beach camping or the Gibb River Road, you can enjoy smooth blacktop all the way.

Best place to eat: Any fish and chip shop in Broome is to die for.

Best RV-friendly towns to visit: Port Hedland.

Affordability rating: 2/5