Self-Launched Perth to Adelaide Adventure: Nullarbor, Coastlines & Wildlife

Pick up your hire car or campervan from Perth Airport or city centre early morning — aim to be on the road by 7am. Head southeast via the Great Eastern Highway toward Collie, stopping at Wellington Dam to see the world's largest dam mural (free entry). Walk the Collie Mural Trail through town — 40+ artworks, completely free. Grab lunch in Collie at a local café (own expense, ~£10). Continue to Hyden and the famous Wave Rock granite formation. Arrive late afternoon for a self-guided walk around the rock. Camp at Wave Rock Caravan Park or stay at the Wave Rock Hotel, both within walking distance of the formation.

🚌Hire car or campervan from Perth (~£60-80/day split between two travellers). Drive ~350km southeast. Fuel cost approximately £30-40 for the day.

🛏Wave Rock Caravan Park (powered site ~£20pp) or Wave Rock Hotel (dorm/budget room ~£30pp)

• →Wellington Dam and world's largest dam mural (free)
• →Collie Mural Trail — 40+ street artworks (free, self-guided)
• →Short walk around Wave Rock granite formation (entry ~£5 via Hyden Wildlife Park)
• →Stargazing in the outback after dark

Start early with the 3.6km Wave Rock Circuit walk past Hippo's Yawn and other ancient granite formations (best light in the morning). Drive southeast through the wheatbelt toward Ravensthorpe — stop to photograph the impressive silo art on the grain silos at the edge of town. Grab lunch in Ravensthorpe or Esperance (~£10). Arrive in Esperance to explore the town's foreshore, Great Ocean Drive lookouts, and the Esperance Museum if time allows. Continue 50km east to Cape Le Grand National Park. Camp at Lucky Bay Campground — book in advance via the Parks and Wildlife WA website (approximately £20-25pp per night).

🚌Drive ~500km from Hyden to Cape Le Grand via Ravensthorpe and Esperance. Long driving day — allow 6-7 hours. Fuel ~£40-50.

🛏Lucky Bay Campground, Cape Le Grand National Park (~£20-25pp, pre-book via Parks and Wildlife WA website)

• →Wave Rock Circuit walk — Hippo's Yawn and granite domes (free with entry)
• →Ravensthorpe silo art photo stop (free)
• →Explore Esperance foreshore and Great Ocean Drive lookouts (free)
• →Check-in to Lucky Bay Campground, Cape Le Grand NP

A full day in one of Australia's most spectacular national parks — and it's completely free once you're camping inside. Rise at dawn for the iconic kangaroo-on-the-beach experience at Lucky Bay (one of Australia's whitest beaches). Hike up Frenchman Peak (3-4 hours return, moderate difficulty) for sweeping views across the Recherche Archipelago — pack plenty of water. Spend the afternoon swimming and snorkelling in the turquoise bays — Hellfire Bay and Thistle Cove are stunning alternatives to Lucky Bay. Keep eyes peeled for Cape Barren geese, emus and echidnas on the bush trails.

🚌All activities within the national park — short drives between bays on unsealed roads (4WD recommended but not essential in dry conditions).

🛏Lucky Bay Campground, Cape Le Grand National Park (~£20-25pp)

• →Dawn visit to Lucky Bay — kangaroos on the beach (free)
• →Frenchman Peak hike — 3-4 hours return, panoramic archipelago views (free)
• →Swimming and snorkelling in Hellfire Bay and Thistle Cove (free)
• →Bushland wildlife spotting — emus, kangaroos, Cape Barren geese (free)

Today begins the legendary Nullarbor crossing — one of the great Australian road trips. Head north to Norseman, a historic gold rush town worth a brief stop for the Norseman Historical Museum and the famous 'last tree' viewpoint on the edge of the plain. Fill up completely on fuel in Norseman — roadhouses across the Nullarbor charge premium prices but there's no alternative. Head west on the Eyre Highway. Stop for the classic photo at the iconic 'Beware of Camels/Wombats/Kangaroos' wildlife crossing signs. Drive the 90 Mile Straight — the longest straight stretch of road in Australia at 146km. Camp at a Nullarbor roadhouse (Madura, Mundrabilla or Eucla) or wild camp in a designated area.

🚌Drive ~750km from Esperance to the Nullarbor. The longest driving day of the trip — start early. Fuel ~£60-70 (prices are higher at Nullarbor roadhouses).

🛏Madura Pass Oasis Motel or Eucla Motor Hotel (budget rooms ~£35-45pp) or roadhouse caravan park (~£15-20pp)

• →Norseman Historical Museum and gold rush heritage stop (~£3)
• →Wildlife crossing sign photo stop on the Eyre Highway (free)
• →Drive the 90 Mile Straight — 146km without a bend (free)
• →Sunset over the Nullarbor Plain (free)

Cross into South Australia and stop at the spectacular Bunda Cliffs — sheer limestone walls dropping 60-80m into the Southern Ocean. Multiple free lookout points are marked along the Eyre Highway; the cliffs stretch for over 100km. Keep an eye out for southern right whales between June and October. Pass through the Yalata Aboriginal Lands (stay on the highway — no entry without permission). Photograph the famous Dingo Fence. Arrive in Penong by late afternoon — a tiny outback town famous for its windmills on the surrounding hills. Grab dinner at the local pub (own expense, ~£15-18). Camp at Penong Caravan Park or continue to a free camp on the outskirts.

🚌Drive ~450km from overnight stop to Penong. Cross the SA border. Fuel ~£45-55.

🛏Penong Caravan Park (~£15-20pp) or free camp nearby

• →Bunda Cliffs lookout points — dramatic Southern Ocean views (free)
• →Dingo Fence photo stop (free)
• →Whale watching from the clifftops (seasonal, free)
• →Penong pub dinner (own expense, ~£15-18)

Start with a quick visit to the Penong Windmill Museum to see 'Bruce', reputedly Australia's largest windmill (free entry). Drive to Streaky Bay and book a surf lesson through a local surf school — Streaky Bay Surf is the go-to operator (~£35-45pp for a two-hour beginner lesson). After surfing, head to the coastal dunes for sandboarding — boards can be hired from the surf school or local hire shops (~£10). In the afternoon, drive the short distance to the Talia Caves — walk the clifftop trail to the sea caves and natural blowholes (free, self-guided). Stay at Coodlie Park Farm Retreat for the full outback farm experience and excellent stargazing away from light pollution.

🚌Drive ~170km from Penong to Streaky Bay and Coodlie Park. Short driving day. Fuel ~£15.

🛏Coodlie Park Farm Retreat (powered campsite ~£20-25pp or basic cabin ~£35-40pp)

• →Penong Windmill Museum — 'Bruce', Australia's largest windmill (free)
• →Two-hour surf lesson in Streaky Bay via Streaky Bay Surf (~£35-45pp)
• →Sandboarding on coastal dunes (~£10 board hire)
• →Talia Caves clifftop walk and blowholes (free, self-guided)
• →Stargazing at Coodlie Park Farm Retreat (free with stay)

Today is the wildlife highlight of the trip. Drive to Baird Bay and pre-book a sea lion and dolphin swim cruise with Baird Bay Ocean Eco Experience — the only operator licensed for this activity in the bay (approximately £95-115pp for a 3-hour cruise including snorkel equipment and morning tea, book directly at bairdbay.com). This is genuinely one of Australia's most extraordinary wildlife encounters. If budget is tight, drive instead to Point Labatt — Australia's only mainland sea lion colony — for free clifftop viewing. Continue north on a scenic coastal drive to Port Lincoln. Check into a hostel or caravan park in Port Lincoln.

🚌Drive ~300km from Coodlie Park to Port Lincoln via Baird Bay. Allow a full day with the sea lion activity. Fuel ~£30.

🛏Port Lincoln YHA or Port Lincoln Hotel (budget room/dorm ~£25-35pp)

• →Wild swim with sea lions and dolphins, Baird Bay Ocean Eco Experience (~£95-115pp, pre-book at bairdbay.com)
• →Alternative: Point Labatt sea lion colony clifftop viewing (free)
• →Scenic drive along Eyre Peninsula's remote west coast (free)
• →Explore Port Lincoln waterfront (free)

Drive 48km to Coffin Bay National Park — walk the beaches and clifftops of one of SA's most beautiful national parks (day entry ~£8pp). Book an oyster farm tour through Coffin Bay Oysters — approximately 1.5 hours including waders, oyster harvesting and a shucking lesson with tasting (~£35-45pp, book via their website). Walk the Oyster Walk coastal trail (free). Head back toward Port Lincoln and stop at Mikkira Station Koala Sanctuary — one of the best places in SA to see wild koalas in their natural habitat (~£8pp entry). Seek out a cultural experience with the Barngarla community if available through local tourism operators. Head into Port Lincoln for dinner at the famous Fresh Fish Place (own expense, ~£15-20 — this is a Port Lincoln institution).

🚌Day trips from Port Lincoln base — drive ~100km total. Fuel ~£10.

🛏Port Lincoln YHA or Port Lincoln Hotel (budget room/dorm ~£25-35pp)

• →Coffin Bay National Park — beaches and clifftop walks (day entry ~£8pp)
• →Oyster farm tour with waders, tasting and shucking lesson (~£35-45pp, book via Coffin Bay Oysters website)
• →Oyster Walk coastal trail (free)
• →Mikkira Station Koala Sanctuary — wild koala spotting (~£8pp)
• →Dinner at Fresh Fish Place, Port Lincoln (own expense, ~£15-20)

A big driving day north through the Spencer Gulf region, broken up by excellent silo art stops. Tumby Bay has a striking six-silo mural — worth a 20-minute stop and walk around town. Continue to Cowell for more silo art and a browse of the Cowell Jade Motel's famous jade collection (free to view, unique to this region). Stop at Brinkworth Park for a short conservation area walk if time permits. Arrive at Mount Remarkable National Park in the Flinders Ranges by late afternoon — one of South Australia's most beautiful national parks. Camp at Mambray Creek Campground inside the park (pre-book via SA National Parks, ~£15-20pp).

🚌Drive ~500km from Port Lincoln to Mt Remarkable NP via Spencer Highway. Allow 6-7 hours. Fuel ~£45-55.

🛏Mambray Creek Campground, Mount Remarkable National Park (~£15-20pp, pre-book via SA National Parks website)

• →Tumby Bay six-silo mural photo stop and foreshore walk (free)
• →Cowell silo art and jade display (free)
• →Brinkworth Park conservation walk (free)
• →Arrive at Mambray Creek, Mount Remarkable NP — evening wildlife walk (free)

Rise early for a bushwalk at Mambray Creek — the trail winds beneath ancient red gums and dramatic sandstone ridges with excellent birdlife (free, self-guided, 2-3 hours). Pack up camp and drive south toward the Clare Valley — one of South Australia's most celebrated wine regions. Stop at two or three cellar doors for tastings: Sevenhill Cellars, Grosset Wines and Jim Barry are all outstanding and offer free or low-cost tastings (~£5-10pp per cellar door). Grab lunch in the Clare Valley town (~£12-15). The final leg into Adelaide takes about 1.5 hours. Drop your hire vehicle at the Adelaide depot and head to your city accommodation. Drop off at or near 135 Waymouth Street as per the original tour.

🚌Drive ~310km from Mt Remarkable to Adelaide via Clare Valley. Allow 4-5 hours with stops. Fuel ~£30. Return hire vehicle at Adelaide depot.

🛏Adelaide Central YHA or Bounce Hostel Adelaide (dorm ~£20-28pp or private ~£40-55pp)

• →Mambray Creek bushwalk — red gums and sandstone ridges (free, self-guided)
• →Clare Valley wine tasting at 2-3 cellar doors — Sevenhill, Grosset or Jim Barry (~£5-10pp per cellar door)
• →Scenic drive through Clare Valley vineyards (free)
• →Arrive Adelaide — explore Rundle Street and Central Market