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Writer's pictureThe Golden Outback

Road Trip Country Bucket List – Made by you!

We asked you guys the question – what destination is on top of your Golden Outback bucket list? We received so many great answers, including self-drives, visits to attractions, station stays, and many more. We have compiled your answers and created the ultimate Road Trip Country bucket list, to help give you some inspiration for your next outback adventure!

The Wheatbelt

Wave Rock

So many of you answered with Wave Rock as your bucket list road trip destination! And we can see why, this 15m high wave shaped rock formation towering above you is something you need to see! If you are travelling there from Perth, it is about a 3.5-hour journey. You have a few options in terms of self-drives, including Pathways to Wave Rock and the Wheatbelt Way. A great drive for the whole family to enjoy!




Tin Horse Highway

Another crowd favourite in the Wheatbelt region is the entertaining Tin Horse Highway. This is an alternative route to Wave Rock, with a 15km stretch of road with over 70 horses on display. This started as a community campaign to promote the town of Kulin and has now become one of Western Australia’s most popular self-drives! Make sure to stop off on the roadside and grab some selfies with your favourite tin horses and create some special memories.



The Goldfields

Gunbarrel Highway

Set off on the Gunbarrel Highway and experience one of Australia’s most famous and challenging 4WD tracks. Built by surveyor Len Beadell, this 1,400km outback adventure is perfect for the confident 4WD enthusiast who can handle the challenges of washaways, heavy corrugations, stone, sand, and flood plains. The journey starts in Wiluna and runs through to Yulara in the Northern Territory.



Gwalia Ghost Town

Did you know there is a real-life ghost town in the Goldfields region? Once home to the Sons of Gwalia mine site, the town now lays empty, with the buildings, houses and sheds still standing. You’ll find old cars and relics scattered around, and a visit to the Gwalia Museum is well worth visiting before you walk around, to paint the picture of the old town. Gwalia has been well preserved and offers and eerie insight into the lives of the former mining community’s residents. See the ghost town along the Golden Quest Discovery Trail.


Esperance and the Fitzgerald Coast

Esperance

It is no surprise Esperance is high on your bucket lists. This incredible coastal town has some of the whitest beach sands you will ever see and the bluest of blue ocean waters, and this will have you visiting many of the beaches scattered throughout town and further down the coast. We recommend travelling along the Great Ocean Drive once you’ve arrived to see 38km of incredible natural beauty. Visit some great restaurants, cafes, and national parks while you are there, and we recommend Observatory Point for an incredible sunset view! See all of this and much more on your journey from Perth on the Road to Esperance.



Cape Le Grand National Park

A trip to Esperance isn’t complete without a drive to Cape Le Grand National Park. Just a short drive from Esperance town is this magnificent national park, featuring fishing spots, beautiful bays and beaches, mountains to hike, and places to camp. Meet the Lucky Bay Kangaroos sunbaking on the white Lucky Bay beach sands before setting up camp at one of 2 perfectly located camp sites. Wake up early and climb Frenchman’s Peak, and a hike to the summit will reward you with epic surrounding views.



Hopetoun

The Fitzgerald Coast is a beautiful part of the state to take a road trip to, in particularly the coastal town of Hopetoun. This is a peaceful holiday destination, with a string of pristine white beaches and the unspoilt wilderness of the Fitzgerald River National Park to the west. Here, you can enjoy swimming, fishing, hiking, boating, and experience the incredible wildflowers during season. The national park is now recognised as one of the most diverse botanical regions on Earth, with around 1,800 species of flowering plants alone. You’ll also visit Hopetoun along the Road the Esperance journey. The perfect spot for a coastal family getaway!



Gascoyne Murchison

Mount Augustus

Again, no surprises here! Located within Mount Augustus National Park is Burringurrah (Mount Augustus), which is the world’s largest monocline! It is 8km long, and covers around 4,795 hectares of land, meaning this is an incredible rock formation to head out on the road and explore. If you are wanting to drive from Perth, head out along the Road to the Rock on an epic 9 day journey.



Wooleen Station

Wooleen Station is a working cattle station in the Gascoyne Murchison region. The Pollock family will be your hosts during your stay, making sure your stay is comfortable, educational, and enjoyable! The self-contained guest houses of the homestead will have you feeling right at home, or there is also camping grounds available. There are tours like the eco tour and the and sunset tour, and guests are free to join in station activities or relax in the true Australian outback bush.



Melangata Station

Situated in Yalgoo in the Gascoyne Murchison region is Melangata Station, a unique homestead built by the Priest Architect, Monsignor John Hawes and is now the only privately owned residential building constructed by him. Choose between unpowered campsites, and bed and breakfast rooms in the homestead, The station has a variety of wildlife that frequent the homestead, and an incredible wildflower display during season. Experience a guided tour of the station or a cooking class, as well as a perfect sundowner location on site. A fantastic place to stay and explore the region, and the building itself even has a tiny chapel nestled in the walls of the main building!



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