Camperman: Campervan Hire Australia

Perth to Broome Drive

 

Campervan Touring Information

Monkey Mia and Shark Bay World Heritage Area

Distance

Monkey Mia to Coral Bay - 580 km | 6 hr
Monkey Mia to Kalbarri - 400 km | 4.5 hr
Monkey Mia to Carnarvon - 352 km | 4 hr
Monkey Mia to Broome - 1800 km | 18.5 hr
Monkey Mia to Perth - 845 km | 9 hr

monkey mia dolphin
Dolphin saying hi at Monkey Mia. Photo: emsheitz via IG

Gladstone Scenic lookout

After leaving Carnarvon and traveling south, you’ll come to the Gladstone Scenic Lookout. It has become a graveyard for garden gnomes that people have taken with them on their travels. People get fed up with them and retire them here along with memorials hand written onto rocks. If you like wide open spaces, you’ll get that here. It is an expanse of sky and barren plains.

gladstone scenic lookout
Gladstone scenic lookout. Photo: goodgalnini_ via IG

Shark Bay World Heritage

Shark Bay, Australia’s most westerly point, was given UNESCO world heritage status for several reasons; it has the largest sea-grass beds in the world (4,800 km2), the world’s largest dugong population, and it has the best example of stromatolites in the world. It is also home to five species of endangered mammals – the Burrowing Bettong, Rufous Hare Wallaby, Banded Hare Wallaby, the Shark Bay Mouse and the Western Barred Bandicoot.

The sheltered bays and sea-grass beds attract Green Turtle, Loggerhead Turtle (who use it as a nesting ground), Humpback Whale, Southern Right Whale, Bottlenose Dolphins, sharks and Manta Rays.

monkey mia pelicans
A pelican at Monkey Mia. Photo: stnkmp via IG 

Hamelin Pool Stromatolites

Have you ever wondered what Earth looked like 3.7 billion years ago? Hamelin Pool will give you an indication. It is home to the oldest and largest living fossils on earth and is the best example of its kind in the world.

You’ll pass its turn off on your way to the Shark Bay and you can view these hard, dome-shaped life forms without causing damage by walking on a purpose-built jetty and looking down at the Hamelin Pool stromatolites below.

Shark Bay and the town of Denham is just a 108 km (1 h 10 min) drive away.

stromatolite
Stromatolites. Photo: wherearepanda via IG

Denham

Denham is the only town in the Shark Bay World Heritage area and the best place to base yourself.

Things to do in Denham

blue lagoon near Monkey Mia
Blue Lagoon of Eagle Bluff Road. Photo: scottjonphotography via IG

Monkey Mia

Monkey Mia is famous for its wild dolphins but you might also see dugongs, sharks, rays, turtles and a variety of fish in the water, as well as emu and pelicans. The dolphin experience is a controlled situation. You gather on the beach and are invited one at a time by the volunteers to come forward and feed the dolphins.

Walk the Wulyibidi Yaninyina trail (a 1.5 km loop) through sand dunes and along beaches to learn the areas natural and cultural history. The local birds here are most active at sunrise and sunset.

RATES: $12 adults $4.50 kids.

shark bay camels
Camels at Shark Bay. Photo: alerdzcabrral via IG

South Peron and the World Heritage Drive

The peninsula south of Denham is accessible by two wheel drive vehicles and is flanked by Hamelin Pool to the east and Henri Freycinet Harbor to the west. It is a landscape of red sand dunes and shrubs.

Shell Beach is a beach made up entirely of small white cockle shells. Clear blue water laps at the shore creating a wonderful tinkling sound. The water is twice as salty here so you will float easily on your back. Due to the high salinity there is no other marine life apart from the shells.

Eagle Bluff lookout is a raised boardwalk over the water where you can view dugongs, sharks, turtles, rays and fish cruise the shallow waters. The area is also home to osprey and sea eagles. The shallow waters are great for snorkeling.

shell beach
Shell Beach, South Peron. Photo: picsacrosstheworld via IG

Camping Shark Bay Area

Free Camping in Shark Bay

If you have a campervan with a toilet, you can make use of the free informal campgrounds of Shark Bay. They have no facilities, no toilets and no drinking water, but they are on the beach. There are four of them all on the west side of the peninsula and south of Denham:

Get a map and register at the Shark Bay Visitor Centre in Denham.

Free Camping between Denham and Kalbarri

Next stop Kalbarri National Park

Shark Bay word heritage area
Shark Bay World Heritage Area. Amazing colors! Photo: bquint0s via IG
harold bite sunrise
Harold bite at sunrise. Shark Bay. Photo: jm_adventureswa via IG
thorny devil
Thorny Devil lizard. photo: enter_the_wild via IG

Map of the Broome to Perth Drive

Western Australia Road Trips


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Contact Us

 

Campervan Hire Depots

Airlie Beach

Heart of Reef Shuttles, 48-50 Carlo Drive, Cannonvale, Queensland 4802 Phone: 1800 216 223

Brisbane

20 Noble Avenue, North Gate, Queensland 4013
Phone: 1800 216 223

Cairns

440 Sheridan Street, Cairns,
Queensland 4870 Phone: 1800 216 223

Melbourne

273 Elizabeth Street, Coburg,
Victoria 3058 Phone: 1800 216 223

Sydney

23-25 Erskine Rd, Caringbah,
Sydney, NSW 2229 Phone: 1800 216 223

 

Do you have any questions or need additional information?

Toll Free Numbers
Australia (Free): 1800 216 223
Europe (Free): 0800 888 222 88 (land line only)
Int: +61 7 4081 3100
Main Office in Cairns
Mon - Fri: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sat: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (Open for Pickups)
Cairns Local Time: