Categories > Guides and Tips
Find ancient creatures & moonscapes with this Perth to the Pinnacles Desert road trip guide!
- Things to Know
- Where to Stay
- Nambung Station Stay
- Pinnacles Edge Resort
- RAC Cervantes Holiday Park
- Where to Eat
- Yanchep Inn
- Seabird Tavern and Caravan Park
- Lobster Shack
- Things to Do
- Experience the wild at Yanchep National Park
- Have a slice of space at the Gravity Discovery Centre
- Zip through the Lancelin Sand Dunes
- Marvel at otherworldly landscapes at the Pinnacles Desert
- Swim or snorkel at Hangover Bay
- Discover the thrombolites of Lake Thetis
Do you hear the word ‘otherworldly’ and immediately think of aliens? Same. But after our Pinnacles Desert road trip, I’m convinced Spielberg missed out big-time by not filming a movie out there.
The location and the road trip are both unreal. You’d probably echo the same thoughts after a day of kangaroo crossings, wild sandboarding runs, prehistoric thrombolites, and oddball landscapes, something between Mars and Mad Max.
No need to daydream, though. We had the whole route mapped out, and our team isn’t known for gatekeeping the wild and the surreal.
Things to Know
Distance: 215 km (About 2 hours)
Route
Where to Stay
Nambung Station Stay
From walker_round_australia
Address: 2269 Wongonderrah Rd
Contact Details: +61 8 9652 4048
Check-in: 2 pm
Check-out: 11 am
Pricing: $
Website
Crashing at the 2,500-hectare Nambung Station Stay will get you that rural air. This pick is a working cattle farm, with both powered and unpowered camps (ideal for groups) in the true-blue countryside.
It’s barely an hour’s drive from the Pinnacles Desert, too. A 45-minute cruise gets you there, and if you reckon it’s too late, you can light a fire under the stars or meet Gloria and Brian’s farm critters.
Pooches are also welcome, as long as they’re leashed. Better yet, creature comforts, such as a well-stocked camp kitchen and modern toilets, are part of the deal.
Pinnacles Edge Resort
From pinnaclesedgeresort
Address: 7 Aragon St, Cervantes
Contact Details: +61 8 9652 7145
Check-in: 2 pm
Check-out: 10 am
Pricing: $$
Website
Pinnacles Edge Resort was a safe bet for our crew. It’s a 15-minute jaunt from the desert and ticks the essentials a typical city hotel offers, such as Wi-Fi, air conditioning, a pool, and a spa (if you’re minted).
That day, we opted for the 75-sq-m two-bedroom apartment, spacious enough to host our five-man team. The balcony and BBQ corners were sweet bonuses, especially since we did most of our writing there.
If it’s just you and a mate or two, the Studio Hotel might be a better choice. Sure, there’s no patio or outdoor deck, but it’s more economical, without disregarding the bells and whistles, of course.
RAC Cervantes Holiday Park
From racparksandresorts
Address: 35 Aragon St, Cervantes
Contact Details: +61 8 9652 7060
Check-in: 2 pm
Check-out: 10 am
Pricing: $$$
Website
Most wanderers add Western Australia’s Coral Coast to this itinerary, which makes RAC Cervantes Holiday Park a no-brainer. A stay in this ‘for the fam’ pad means you’re a hop from tourist magnets like Jurien Bay and Lake Thetis.
Compared to the previous digs, this one is also on the nicer end. Inside, you’ll catch Zs in bedroom villas for 6 to 8 adventurers; outdoors, there are BBQs, a nature playground, and a swimming pool for head-clearing.
That said, roughing it out is in the books, thanks to the powered and unpowered sites under a canopy of trees, right by the ocean. It’s mostly pet-friendly camper vans and motorhomes that make up this stretch, so cheers, fur parents.
Where to Eat
Yanchep Inn
From confettiandchaosshow
Address: Yanchep National Park, 3499 Wanneroo Road
Contact Details: +61 8 9561 1001
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Thu – 8 am to 9:30 pm
- Fri to Sat – 8 am to 11 pm
- Sun – 8 am to 10 pm
Pricing: $$
Website
Not to sound like purists, but is it really a Pinnacles Desert road trip if you skip Yanchep Inn? Mellow and scenic, this haunt will have you necking cold ones amid roos and birds or by a fireplace.
If we had to pick a favourite, it would be their fish and chips, featuring delicate New Zealand hoki. Both the grilled and beer-battered versions are bang on, especially with pale ales or a glass of rosé on the side.
The steak sarnie has been on our hit list for a long time, too. We’re fans of its uncomplicated yet flavour-rich stacking of steak, TLC, and bacon, all bundled in Turkish bread and dressed in house-made aioli.
Seabird Tavern and Caravan Park
From mrs_rossoqc
Address: 30 McCormick St, Seabird
Contact Details: +61 8 9577 1222
Operating Hours: Daily – 8 am to 6 pm
Pricing: $$
Facebook
Love me some Seabird Tavern and Caravan Park. It’s one of those joints that roll out decent meals and relaxing coastline scenes.
We kept it simple by kicking off with some French fries and garlic shrimp. Plates of salt and pepper squid followed those up, their profile leaning toward fiery and savoury, though hints of sweetness were there too.
Mains-wise, most teammates had the chicken parm in tangy tomato sauce and blistered cheese, while I stuck with a classic burger. Gotta have some protein to fuel up; it can (and did) get too windy here.
Lobster Shack
From lobstershackwa
Address: 37 Catalonia St, Cervantes
Contact Details: +61 8 9652 7010
Operating Hours: Daily – 9 am to 5 pm
Pricing: $$
Website
As expected, Lobster Shack, overlooking the Coral Coast, tempted the gang with their signature crustacean…and succeeded. It probably had to do with the resto’s careful examination of their fresh catches.
One dish we specifically enjoyed was the lobster chowder, mainly because the seafood’s umami and succulence were full-on, deepened by the thick, creamy base. The Spanish mackerel was a nice pair for it, but a few thought it was a bit tough (liked it, though).
The best bit was that we personally caught most of what we gobbled. You see, the Shack also offers factory and lobster catching tours, and there’s no way we were missing that.
Things to Do
Experience the wild at Yanchep National Park
From topdog2811
Address: Yanchep Beach Rd & Indian Ocean Dr
Contact Details: +61 8 9303 7759
Operating Hours: Daily – 24 hours
Website
While some consider Yanchep National Park an optional attraction, we reckon that’s madness. You don’t want to skip this tuart-shaded bushland, where kangaroos, birdlife, and koalas are a tree or hop away.
What’s nice is you can spot the critters through a safe boardwalk, so no need to go full bushwalker. If ‘getting boots dirty’ is your jam, though, completing the 11.2-km Ghost House trail isn’t a shabby idea, unless you meet the ruined building’s infamous ghastly resident.
Too tame for you? There’s always the Crystal Cave awaiting brave souls seeking its famous stalactites and flowstones. The 45-minute tour is the most interactive way for a deep dive.
Have a slice of space at the Gravity Discovery Centre
From gdcobservatory
Address: 1098 Military Rd, Yeal
Contact Details: +61 8 9575 7577
Operating Hours:
- Tue to Thu – 10 am to 4 pm
- Fri to Sun – 10 am to 8 pm
The Gravity Discovery Centre, aka Australia’s sole facility for cosmology and culture, provided us with a stellar, pollution-free experience. By that, we mean stargazing through a retractable roof and looking at the Milky Way using advanced telescopes.
Of course, the centre’s ‘culture’ bit is also a major reason why we included it here. Learning about the galaxy through an Indigenous leader’s Aboriginal Astronomy and Dreamtime Stories was undoubtedly eye-opening.
We love that they also opened with a 20-minute presentation, and that actual astronomers delivered it in a way that didn’t bore our kiddos!
Zip through the Lancelin Sand Dunes
From savelancelindunes_
Address: Beacon Rd, Lancelin
Contact Details: Daily – 8 am to 7 pm
Website
Extending for about two kilometres, the Lancelin Sand Dunes gave us wild rides and sandy workouts, and yes, that includes the unwanted faceplants. Regardless, the 45-degree dunes, Australia’s largest, were highly addictive.
The panoramic view up there also had us posing nonstop. We captured snaps of the nearby coastline, flanked by hills and farmlands, which all turned more golden during the sunset.
Other visitors were even zooming through the area in a 4WD and riding camels provided by local tour operators. We sadly passed on both due to time constraints, but hey, the sandboarding and sledding bits were more than enough.
Marvel at otherworldly landscapes at the Pinnacles Desert
From claire_ridley
Address: Nambung
Contact Details: +61 8 9652 7913
Operating Hours: Daily – 9:30 am to 4:30 pm
Website
The Pinnacles Desert of Nambung National Park was the reason for our trip and why we’ll do it again. Those 25,000 to 30,000-year-old limestone structures, although naturally formed on this planet, look extraterrestrial (in the best way), particularly on a starry night.
Even the sand where they tower over (some were as tall as 3.5 m) appears ‘alien,’ with that yellow-ish shade stretching for about 190 hectares. Good thing the Indian Ocean is visible, and there are roaming roos, or the group might’ve thought we got trapped in a sci-fi world.
Now, there are two ways to unearth this otherworldly area: trekking the 1.2-km trail or cruising through the 4-km loop behind the wheel. We chose the former to see the pinnacles up close.
Swim or snorkel at Hangover Bay
From samsamgalan
Address: Nambung National Park
Operating Hours: Daily – 24 hours
Website
When to visit Hangover Bay is your call, but most rock by after exploring the Pinnacles Desert, our team included. The Indian Ocean’s clear and blue water was too refreshing to pass up, especially after all those rocky and sandy detours.
Unsurprisingly, we went for a splash and snorkelled, lucky enough to catch sight of dolphins and sea lions. The breeze also picked up that time, so there were a couple of surfers, windsurfers, and boaters (there’s a boat launch) around.
The coastline didn’t disappoint either. Since the area is secluded, the gang ran into emus, roos, bobtail lizards, and even carpet pythons, which appear menacing but normally pose no threat. Their bites still hurt, nonetheless.
Discover the thrombolites of Lake Thetis
From pamelanandi
Address: Unnamed Road, Cervantes
Website
In the entirety of Western Australia, only five locations feature thrombolites, and Lake Thetis is one of them.
What are thrombolites, you ask? They’re microorganism-built fossils that are quite ancient. In fact, the ones at Lake Thetis are thought to be around 3,000 years old, a full thousand older than Lake Clifton’s!
As for when to stop by, we’d give our vote to the drier seasons, when the thrombolites are easier to spot. Spring is a particularly fantastic time to visit; the nearby trail between Hansen Bay and Thirsty Point bursts into colour during the season of blooms!
