# Pilbara: Rock Art, Oases and Karijini

> 5-day road trip of about 946 km (588 mi) with 12 stops, from Port Hedland to Mount Whaleback mine lookout. About 10 h 19 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/au-pilbara-coast-to-karijini/

**At a glance:** 5-day road trip of about 946 km (588 mi) with 12 stops, from Port Hedland to Mount Whaleback mine lookout. About 10 h 19 min of driving in total. From the Port Hedland coast through Karratha and the Murujuga rock art to Millstream and the red gorges of Karijini, finishing at Newman. Five days, best from May to September.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 946 km (588 mi) |
| Driving | 10 h 19 min |
| Suggested days | 5 |
| Stops | 12 |
| Route | Port Hedland → Mount Whaleback mine lookout |
| States | Western Australia |
| Updated | April 27, 2026 |

## Route description

Day 1: spend the morning around Port Hedland, where huge ore ships and salt stockpiles dominate the port, then drive about 240 km west on the sealed North West Coastal Highway to Karratha, roughly 2.5 hours with stretches of long, empty road. Fill the tank in Port Hedland and again in Karratha; road trains are common, so overtake with care. Summer is hot and cyclone-prone, so plan this trip in the cooler months.

Day 2: take the short drive from Karratha onto the Burrup Peninsula, about 15 km, to Murujuga National Park, where tens of thousands of engravings cover red boulder slopes; stay on trails and join guided activities where offered. Continue to Dampier and its Red Dog statue, then turn east to Roebourne and Cossack, a restored 1860s pearling port, 12 km from Roebourne on sealed road. Allow a full day with time to stop.

Day 3: head inland from Roebourne to Millstream Chichester National Park, about 130 km on roads that include gravel; check conditions and carry water, spare tyres and a map. Millstream's palm-fringed Chinderwarriner Pool is a surprise of permanent water in dry country. Python Pool in the Chichester Range is a good swimming stop. Mobile coverage is poor, so tell someone your plans.

Days 4 and 5: continue to Tom Price, a drive of several hours, then spend a full day in Karijini: Dales Gorge and Fortescue Falls, Oxer Lookout and, for confident hikers, Weano's water-filled slots. Camp at Dales or stay nearby. Finish by driving about 260 km east to Newman, where Mount Whaleback is a working iron ore mine. Never enter gorges when rain is forecast.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Port Hedland** (Western Australia)
2. **Pretty Pool, Port Hedland** (Port Hedland, Western Australia): A tidal pool and mangrove-fringed shore on the east side of Port Hedland, good for watching wading birds when the tide drops. Take a break from the industrial port, but note that the large tidal range changes the scene hour by hour.
3. **Karratha** (Western Australia)
4. **Murujuga National Park (Burrup rock art)** (Dampier, Western Australia): Among the densest concentrations of Aboriginal rock engravings on Earth, on the red boulder hills of the Burrup Peninsula. The area is jointly managed with its Traditional Owners and part of a World Heritage landscape. Stay on marked trails and never touch the art.
5. **Cossack heritage townsite** (Point Samson, Western Australia): The restored stone buildings of a former pearling and pastoral port, the first in north-west Western Australia, stand on a quiet tidal inlet. Cossack was largely abandoned by the early twentieth century; a self-guided walk explains its story.
6. **Millstream and Chinderwarriner Pool** (Roebourne, Western Australia): A spring-fed oasis of palms, lilies and permanent pools in the dry Pilbara, in Millstream Chichester National Park, sacred to the Yindjibarndi people. The early twentieth-century homestead is a visitor stop; roads from the coast include gravel, so check conditions.
7. **Tom Price** (Western Australia)
8. **Dales Gorge, Fortescue Falls and Fern Pool** (Tom Price, Western Australia): The easiest of Karijini's gorges: stone steps lead down to Fortescue Falls and a swim at Fern Pool, a shaded spring-fed hole. Water is cold even in summer. Allow half a day for the rim trail and the gorge floor.
9. **Oxer Lookout and Weano Gorge** (Tom Price, Western Australia): Oxer Lookout overlooks Junction Pool, where four gorges meet 100 m below the rim. Close by, Weano and Hancock gorges offer water-filled slots, but Handrail Pool and the Spider Walk are demanding grade-5 routes. Never enter gorges if rain is falling anywhere nearby.
10. **Dales Campground, Karijini** (Tom Price, Western Australia): The main national park campground in Karijini, close to Dales Gorge in the east of the park. It gets busy in the dry season, and dingoes are common, so keep food secured and never feed them. Bring all water and supplies, as there are no shops in the park.
11. **Newman** (Western Australia)
12. **Mount Whaleback mine lookout** (Newman, Western Australia): A lookout over one of the world's largest open-cut iron ore mines beside Newman, the heart of the Pilbara's resource economy. The visitor centre in town explains the scale and runs seasonal tours; this is a working industrial site, so access is controlled.

## Suggested stages and overnight stops

1. **Day 1: Port Hedland → Karratha** (235 km, 2 h 34 min) On the way: Pretty Pool, Port Hedland.
2. **Day 2: Karratha → Millstream and Chinderwarriner Pool** (189 km, 2 h 04 min) On the way: Murujuga National Park (Burrup rock art), Cossack heritage townsite.
3. **Day 3: Millstream and Chinderwarriner Pool → Tom Price** (173 km, 1 h 53 min)
4. **Day 4: Tom Price → Dales Campground, Karijini** (154 km, 1 h 41 min) On the way: Dales Gorge, Fortescue Falls and Fern Pool, Oxer Lookout and Weano Gorge. Overnight at the campsite itself.
5. **Day 5: Dales Campground, Karijini → Mount Whaleback mine lookout** (195 km, 2 h 07 min) On the way: Newman.

## Best time to go

The most pleasant months are usually July–August. Still fine, with some compromises, in May–June and September. Hot in October–April. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)

## FAQs

**How long is Pilbara: Rock Art, Oases and Karijini?**
5-day road trip of about 946 km (588 mi) with 12 stops, from Port Hedland to Mount Whaleback mine lookout. About 10 h 19 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for Pilbara: Rock Art, Oases and Karijini?**
We suggest 5 days: about 10 h 19 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does Pilbara: Rock Art, Oases and Karijini start and end?**
It starts in Port Hedland and ends in Mount Whaleback mine lookout.

**Which states does Pilbara: Rock Art, Oases and Karijini pass through?**
Western Australia.

**When is the best time for Pilbara: Rock Art, Oases and Karijini?**
The most pleasant months are usually July–August. Still fine, with some compromises, in May–June and September. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)

## Part of these destinations

- [Karijini National Park](https://camping-spirit.com/destinations/au-karijini-national-park/)