In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
Around 1,650 km through the Pilbara: from Karratha and the Red Dog monument in Dampier to the palm-fringed springs of Millstream, along a gravel road to Tom Price, through Karijini and Newman and on to the ore ports of Port Hedland – with a detour to Marble Bar, the town with Australia’s most famous heat streak.
The spirit of the route
In the Pilbara everything is far apart and nothing is in the shade. This route does not take you the familiar way from south to north, but from the coast at Karratha into the interior: first to the springs of Millstream, then along a gravel road beside the ore railway to Tom Price, through Karijini and on to the mining town of Newman. Back at the coast, Port Hedland awaits, and from there it is another 200 kilometres inland to Marble Bar. In between, road trains thunder past you, ore trains roll through the dusk, and at night a sky full of stars hangs over your camper, the kind Europe no longer has. Water, fuel and respect for the heat are not side issues here; they are the travel plan itself.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Karratha to Dampier (Red Dog and the Burrup Peninsula) (approx. 60 km)
- The drive
- From Karratha take the Dampier Highway about 20 km to Dampier and, if you fancy rock art, continue onto the Burrup Peninsula. All sealed and flat, with plenty of work traffic from the gas, salt and port facilities. A short opening stage: you are done in two hours and can use the rest of the day to stock up for the long loop through the interior.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Red Dog monument in Dampier: the bronze statue commemorates the dog that travelled alone through the Pilbara in the 1970s and became a legend; there is also a view of the harbour and the industry that shapes this stretch of coast.
- Murujuga National Park on the Burrup Peninsula (a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2025): a short visit to the Ngajarli Trail is enough for a first impression of the rock engravings; you will find a detailed description of the peninsula in the CampingSpirit guide “Iron ore, gorges and rock engravings – by camper through the Pilbara and Karijini National Park”.
- Dampier Esplanade in the evening: harbour lights, freighters off the coast and a first taste of the vastness that lies ahead.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Karratha has several parks with power, sanitary facilities and waste disposal, for example Discovery Parks – Pilbara, Karratha. Book early around mine-worker changeover times and in peak season. Dampier Caravan Park allows a maximum of 3 nights.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Camping is prohibited in Murujuga National Park. The Town of Karratha runs basic coastal camps at Cleaverville and Gnoorea Point: from May to September up to 28 nights by online booking, from October to April only 3 nights, and you must carry your own chemical toilet. Elsewhere in the town area: a 100 AUD on-the-spot fine.
- Insider tip for campers
- Do all your shopping for the whole loop in Karratha: supermarket, gas, tyre service and dump point are concentrated here, and after that the choice thins out. Never touch, trace or walk on the engravings, and set off early – the dark rocks heat up fiercely from late morning.
2Stage 2: Dampier to Millstream (Millstream-Chichester National Park) (approx. 155 km)
- The drive
- From Dampier back through Karratha and south-east on the Manuwarra Red Dog Highway (the former Roebourne–Wittenoom Road), then on the sealed access road into the national park; Millstream is about 135 km from Karratha. Inside the park, gravel with corrugations predominates, with sealed sections only in places. A good two and a half hours of pure driving time; no fuel station on the way. Do not drive at dusk, because cattle and kangaroos cross the road.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Jirndawurrunha Pool at the old homestead: fan palms, water lilies and clear spring water in the middle of a spinifex plain.
- Python Pool at the edge of the Chichester Range: a deep rock pool beneath a sheer cliff; swim only where the signs allow it, and check the DBCA Park Alerts beforehand.
- Deep Reach Pool on the Fortescue River: a long, calm pool of special significance to the Yindjibarndi – keep quiet and follow the notices on site.
- Starry sky: Millstream lies far from any settlement light, and after sunset a folding chair next to your camper is all you need.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: According to DBCA, Miliyanha Campground near the homestead and Stargazers Campground can be booked through Park Stay WA; both are basic, without power, and generators are allowed only from 8 am to 8 pm. There is no reliable drinking water – bring water for your stay.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In the national park the rule is: stay overnight only at the campgrounds. Outside the park boundary, pastoral leases and Aboriginal land are off limits without permission; the only legal options are signposted Main Roads WA rest areas.
- Insider tip for campers
- Fill up completely in Karratha or Roebourne, because there is no fuel station until Tom Price. In high summer Millstream is very hot; the best way to sit out the midday heat is in the shade by the homestead. The palm groves are fragile: stay on the paths and keep dogs out unless the park expressly allows them.
3Stage 3: Millstream to Tom Price (approx. 250 km)
- The drive
- From Millstream back to the Manuwarra Red Dog Highway and south-eastwards to Wallyinya Pool (Rio Tinto railway crossing). The seal ends there: for about 110 km you follow the unsealed old Roebourne–Wittenoom Road alongside the railway and sections of the Nanutarra–Munjina Road, which is largely gravel; it is sealed again only before Tom Price. The upgrade of this gap (Stage 4) is still in planning. The distance is about 250 km (rough estimate, depending on your starting point in the park) and, with dust, corrugations and creek crossings, means a long driving day of 5 to 6 hours. Without permission for unsealed roads in your rental agreement, this stage is not for you (see tip).
- Highlights & must-sees
- Rio Tinto ore trains beside the road: they are so long that the locomotive has long since vanished while the train is still rolling past you – cross level crossings only with a clear view.
- Hamersley Gorge in the north-west of Karijini, a detour from the Nanutarra–Munjina Road: folded rock layers and a natural swimming pool. The access is on unsealed roads, and trailers are not recommended because it is hard to turn around; check Park Alerts beforehand.
- Arriving in Tom Price in the evening light: the town lies beneath Mount Nameless, a peak of the Hamersley Ranges.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Tom Price Tourist Park below Mount Nameless with power, sanitary facilities and waste disposal; between May and September reserve in good time, because Karijini visitors and mine workers fill the sites.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Tom Price is a mining town: outside the caravan park, overnighting in the town area is not provided for, and works roads and mine sites are off limits. Wittenoom has been dissolved as a town because of asbestos and must not be entered.
- Insider tip for campers
- The Rio Tinto road along the railway requires a free permit (30 days, for each driver individually); do the induction online or at the visitor centre in Tom Price or Karratha. If you cannot or do not want to drive gravel, take the sealed detour via Roebourne, Port Hedland and the Great Northern Highway to the Karijini entrance – roughly 700 to 750 km (estimate) and two driving days. Fill up before departure, top up your water, and check gas and supplies in Tom Price: there is no fuel in Karijini.
4Stage 4: Tom Price to Karijini Eco Retreat (Weano area) (approx. 80 km)
- The drive
- From Tom Price on Karijini Drive east into the national park, then on Banjima Drive West to the Eco Retreat (about 80 km). The road to the retreat is sealed, only the short access to the retreat itself is not. On Banjima Drive North towards Dales, about 41 km are now sealed; older reports still mention gravel or “4WD only” there. Ask about the current condition before continuing. A good hour of pure driving time, after which the gorges belong to your feet.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Oxer Lookout and Junction Pool Lookout: short, easy trails to viewpoints above the meeting of several gorges – a good introduction in the late afternoon.
- Joffre Falls: a semicircular rock amphitheatre with a waterfall after rain; the descent to the bottom of the gorge is demanding (Class 5).
- Weano and Hancock Gorge: wading, climbing and spider-walking over wet rock; the gorges are described in detail in the CampingSpirit guide “Iron ore, gorges and rock engravings – by camper through the Pilbara and Karijini National Park”.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Karijini Eco Retreat in the western part of the park: unpowered sites, tents, sanitary facilities and a restaurant. Book early, especially from June to August; check generator rules and prices with the operator in advance.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In Karijini you stay overnight only at designated campgrounds; car parks at gorges and viewpoints are off limits at night. You need a WA park pass for the park; check the fee with the park authority (DBCA) in advance.
- Insider tip for campers
- Start hikes before 8 am, while the rocks are still cool. The gorges are graded Class 1 to 6; Hancock and Weano Gorge require wading, climbing and spider-walking – not for sandals. Whenever there is a thunderstorm in the area, the rule is: get out of the gorge immediately, even if the sky above you is blue.
5Stage 5: Karijini Eco Retreat to Dales Campground via Kalamina Gorge (approx. 45 km)
- The drive
- On Banjima Drive North to the south-east, with the detour along Kalamina Road (about 6 km of gravel) to Kalamina Gorge, then on to the Dales area near the Karijini Visitor Centre. About an hour’s driving time. Drive Banjima Drive North only if the visitor centre or the Park Alerts report it as passable; otherwise take the sealed alternative via Banjima Drive East and Karijini Drive.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Kalamina Gorge with Rock Arch Pool: a shorter trail (Class 4) through an open gorge to a pool beneath a rock arch.
- Fortescue Falls and Fern Pool (Jubura) in Dales Gorge, a place of great significance to the Banyjima, Yinhawangka and Kurrama – keep quiet and heed the information boards.
- Gorge Rim Walk along the edge of Dales Gorge: a quiet alternative to the descent.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Dales Campground (DBCA) near the gorge: booking through Park Stay WA, areas with and without generators, basic toilets, no power, drinking water not reliable. Fortescue Falls and the gorge rim are within walking distance.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Freedom camping is not possible in the park. Without a site at Dales, your options are the Eco Retreat or a signposted rest area outside the park; open fires only where expressly permitted, never during a fire ban.
- Insider tip for campers
- The Karijini Visitor Centre at Dales provides information on culture, wildlife and current closures – very helpful before you enter a gorge. As a rule of thumb in the heat, allow about one litre of water per hiking hour on top of your daily needs; the hotter it is, the more. Tell someone which gorge you are going into, because there is hardly any mobile coverage.
6Stage 6: Dales Gorge to Newman (approx. 215 km)
- The drive
- From Dales via Karijini Drive East to the Great Northern Highway and south along it to Newman, passing the Auski Roadhouse (Munjina) near the junction. Sealed throughout, few bends, plenty of heavy-vehicle traffic. About 215 km (roughly calculated: Auski is about 190 km before Newman), a good two and a half hours of pure driving time. Refuel at Auski: there is no further fuel station before Newman.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Munjina Gorge Lookout on the Great Northern Highway: the gorge opens up right beside the road, a good photo stop before the long drive.
- Mount Whaleback: the mine is considered the largest open-cut iron ore mine in the world; at the visitor centre in Newman a roughly two-hour BHP tour begins, offered mainly in the cooler months – ask for dates there.
- Radio Hill Lookout behind the visitor centre and Ophthalmia Dam: picnic spot and birdwatching on the edge of Newman.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Newman has caravan park options with power and sanitary facilities, such as Yurlu Caravan Park; operators and names have changed in recent years, so reserve by phone in advance and ask about the facilities. The town is heavily booked by mine workers.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Within Newman’s town area freedom camping is not provided for; mining sites and works roads are off limits. On the Great Northern Highway there are Main Roads WA rest areas where a short overnight stop is permitted only where signposted.
- Insider tip for campers
- Newman is a detour: the way back north leads past the Auski Roadhouse again. If you want to save time, drop the town and head straight from Karijini to Port Hedland. In Newman it is worth doing the big shop (supermarket, tyre service, workshop) before the long drive north.
7Stage 7: Newman to Port Hedland (approx. 450 km)
- The drive
- On the Great Northern Highway northwards past the Auski Roadhouse (Auski is about 190 km beyond Newman and about 260 km before Port Hedland), then through wide plains with heat shimmer and road trains to the coast. Sealed throughout, flat and straight, but very long: about 5 hours of pure driving time, better with an overnight stop on the way. To the best of our knowledge there is no fuel station between Auski and Port Hedland: fill up fully in Newman, top up at Auski and set off with a reserve.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Ore trains in Port Hedland: the freight rolls for kilometres to the port, one of the largest loading points for iron ore.
- Salt Piles: the white salt mountains of the salt works on the edge of town, an unusual contrast to the red ore stockpiles.
- Staircase to the Moon: on a few evenings around the full moon, the moon is reflected in the mudflats like a staircase – ask the visitor centre for dates.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Port Hedland has parks with power, sanitary facilities and waste disposal, such as Discovery Parks – Port Hedland on Taylor Street; further sites are in South Hedland. Mining, the port and long-term guests take up a lot, so reserve early.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Port Hedland is policed: freedom camping in car parks, at viewpoints and on the beach is prohibited. Use rest areas on the Great Northern Highway only where a sign allows overnighting.
- Insider tip for campers
- Plan the long stage so that you do not drive at dusk: cattle, kangaroos and road trains are hardest to see then. In Port Hedland fill up fully for the detour to Marble Bar, because over those 200 km the only fuel station is in the town of Marble Bar itself.
8Stage 8: Port Hedland to Marble Bar and back (approx. 400 km)
- The drive
- From Port Hedland on the Great Northern Highway south-east to the Marble Bar Road turn-off, then on the fully sealed Marble Bar Road to Marble Bar (about 200 km). The road is wide and quiet, with floodways that can be closed after rain, and heat that is merciless in summer. About two and a half hours each way; plan to return the same day or stay overnight on site.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Marble Bar is regarded as the hottest place in Australia: in the summer of 1923/24 the maximum temperatures stayed at 37.8 °C (100 °F) or above for about 160 days in a row.
- Marble Bar Pool on the Coongan River with the jasper bar that gave the town its name – the “marble” is in fact red jasper – and the nearby swimming hole Chinaman Pool (as shown on maps).
- Comet Gold Mine on the edge of town and the remains of the Second World War Corunna Downs Airfield about 25 km outside; ask on site about access and guided tours.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Marble Bar Caravan Park, run by the Shire of East Pilbara, in town with power and sanitary facilities; ask in advance about facilities, season and reservations.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Outside the caravan park, camping and freedom camping in town are not provided for; the surrounding land consists of pastoral leases, mining areas and Aboriginal land. Use rest areas on the Marble Bar Road only where signposted.
- Insider tip for campers
- If you want to go further, drive about 260 km from Port Hedland along the Great Northern Highway to Eighty Mile Beach; this extension is described in the CampingSpirit guide “Iron ore, gorges and rock engravings – by camper through the Pilbara and Karijini National Park”. In Marble Bar, fill up before the return journey (one fuel station in town), top up your water and, in summer, start early in the morning: the road knows no shade, and the camper heats up quickly.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- Western Australia permits camping only at caravan parks, approved campgrounds and designated rest areas run by Main Roads WA or local councils (often up to 24 hours). On private land you may stay up to five days with the owner’s consent since September 2024. Unauthorised camping costs up to 200 AUD; in the City of Karratha it is a 100 AUD on-the-spot fine.
- Large parts of the Pilbara belong to mining companies, stations or Aboriginal communities. Works roads, railway corridors and mine sites are not open country: stopping and overnighting are prohibited there, and you may drive the Rio Tinto railway road only with a permit.
- In Karijini and Millstream-Chichester you sleep only at the park authority’s campgrounds (DBCA), usually booked through Park Stay WA. The WA park pass covers entry, not overnight stays. Book early from June to August.
- Useful sources: WikiCamps and CamperMate (sites, water, dump points), plus DBCA Park Alerts, the Main Roads WA Travel Map and Emergency WA for closures, fires and severe weather. Save maps offline – outside the towns there is hardly any mobile coverage.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Fuel: Karratha, Roebourne, Tom Price, Newman, Port Hedland and Marble Bar have fuel stations, plus the Auski Roadhouse on the Great Northern Highway. To the best of our knowledge there is no fuel station between Auski and Port Hedland (about 260 km). There is no fuel in Millstream park, in Karijini or on the gravel road between Millstream and Tom Price. Consumption rises noticeably with heat, headwind and air conditioning: never pass a fuel station with less than half a tank.
- Water: there is no reliable drinking water in Karijini and Millstream. As a rule of thumb, in the heat count on at least 5 litres of drinking water per person per day plus a reserve for several days, and for hikes about one extra litre per hour. Top up in Karratha, Tom Price, Newman and Port Hedland.
- Dump points are found in Karratha and Port Hedland, usually also in Tom Price, Newman and Marble Bar; check the exact location in WikiCamps or CamperMate. There are none in the parks. Never empty cassettes into bush toilets or long-drop toilets, and carry rubbish to the next town.
- Gas: in Australia, cylinders with an LCC27 valve are now the norm, while older ones have a POL connection. Swaps or refills are done in the larger towns such as Karratha, Tom Price and Port Hedland, not at every roadhouse; nobody fills European cylinders. Have both cylinders full before Karijini.
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Left-hand traffic: you drive on the left, roundabouts are driven clockwise, and priority goes to whoever is already on the roundabout. Karratha, Port Hedland and Newman have several roundabouts; a note on the dashboard (“Keep left!”) helps in the first few days.
- Speed limits: outside built-up areas the limit in Western Australia is 110 km/h unless signposted otherwise; on gravel, 60 to 80 km/h is realistic. There are no toll roads on the route. Alcohol limit 0.5 per mille (0.05 BAC), mobile phone only in a holder.
- Iron ore road trains: vehicles with several trailers and a length of about 50 m are a feature of the Great Northern Highway. Overtake only with very long clear visibility, ease off when being overtaken; on gravel keep well to the left, switch the lights on and wait for the dust clouds to settle. A UHF radio helps with communicating with truckers.
- Animals on the road: cattle on open station land, kangaroos and emus cross especially at dusk and at night. Do not drive in the dark; if you hit an animal, do not stop in the traffic lane and warn following vehicles.
- Heat and season: the best time to travel is May to September; from about October to April temperatures often rise above 40 °C. November to April is cyclone and rainy season with flooded floodways and closed roads. Do not drive on closed roads and never drive through flowing water – check Main Roads WA and Emergency WA.
- Gorges and thunderstorms: do not enter a gorge when there is a thunderstorm in the area, and leave it immediately if dark clouds build up. Flash floods come without warning, even if the sky above you is blue. Never cross barriers or zones beyond the signposted paths; there is hardly any mobile coverage.
- Rental campers and unsealed roads: many contracts exclude gravel roads and access roads such as the Rio Tinto road; underbody, glass and tyre damage is often not insured. Clarify in writing which routes are permitted, and check the spare wheel and tools.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- Water containers for at least 40 litres of reserve (rule of thumb): between Tom Price, Karijini and Millstream there is no reliable drinking water.
- Non-slip, waterproof footwear (for example canyoning or trekking sandals with a secure fit) for the wet sections in the gorges of Karijini.
- Waterproof dry bag for phone, camera and keys when swimming.
- UHF radio for communicating with road train drivers, plus a personal locator beacon (PLB) for stretches without mobile coverage.
- Head fly net, hat and sun protection: bush flies are a nuisance in the Pilbara from mid-morning.
- Tyre repair kit, compressor and tyre pressure gauge for the gravel sections between Millstream and Tom Price.
As of 2026-10. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
