When travelling, many people like to make a round trip – create a loop and see much more. So if you have decided that this is the year of the great Aussie road trip, then we have a few suggestions if you are leaving from Perth.
Perhaps start with The Pinnacles, make your way to New Norcia, on to Geraldton – port head for agricultural and mining products, Kalbarri for stunning natural beauty, Carnarvon for its space museum honouring our collaboration and links to the American space race. You won’t want to miss Ningaloo Reef and swim with the whale sharks; an event you’ll remember for life. You could follow the Kingsford-Smith mail run, (which wasn’t made by plane), wonder at the legends of the old shearers on the Wool Wagon Pathway through huge spinifex-filled paddocks (bigger than some small countries) or experience the Miners’ Pathway through Payne’s Find.
You could continue from Carnarvon on the NW Coastal Highway to Tom Price, then to Karijini National Park, and head either further north, or head southwards through Newman down the Great Northern Highway to Cue where the Shire office has a priceless collection of photographs of the town history and where the old bank always used to store a ton of gold and you can see the only two-storey corrugated steel Lodge building in the world. Go on to Mount Magnet where there is a very interesting mining museum, and amazing ancient rock formations in Sandstone.
Along the way you can get to experience some absolutely amazing sights in towns and locations with unique historical, geological and financial contribution to Western Australia. It doesn’t have to be a straight road, remember you’re on holiday and this is not a race! In many locations you will be able to search for gold; we know that good sized gold nuggets are still being found. There are courtesies, safety considerations and laws in relation to prospecting. Take water, snake bite information and a phone that works in remote areas. Check prospecting requirements on www.dmp.wa.gov.au
Every little town has a story to share. An interesting, hands-on education about our local history awaits you as you travel up the North West Coastal Highway and down the Great Northern Highway!
Well, of course you could do it the other way around! For lots more detail check this out: www.minerspathway.com
Vary your accommodation – enjoy the peace of a former abbey at New Norcia, any number of family run station stays, camping grounds of varying sizes and standard of amenities, old hotels like ours, Queen of the Murchison, Cue, or quirky outback pubs frequented by miners or just find a shady spot by a billabong on the way. Whatever you do – make sure part of your journey is on the Great Northern Highway.