Getting to Monkey Mia from Perth by car is not complicated. Make your way north out of Perth on Indian Ocean Drive to the Brand Highway, then put in some kilometres on the North West Coastal Highway before turning onto Shark Bay Road at Denham for the run into Monkey Mia. It is 850 km or so and will take between 9.5 and 11 hours if you are not making long sightseeing detours.
Then there is the blunt truth of it: while 4WD is unnecessary on this fully sealed road trip, as Scarlett Fairchild would say, it is one of those WA drives that deceptively looks easy until you have had a long day of it and realise you should have been more mindful of the heat, fatigue and fuel. Not to mention the wildlife that makes itself an issue once the sun has set and you are tempted to carry on.
The Short Of It
For those planning the journey, you can do it in one go but unless you like to be at the wheel for most of the day, an overnight stop is preferable. You will be on major regional highways for the most part so navigation is no trouble, yet the distances are what you would expect in WA: deceptively long, flat in some stretches and otherwise very fine.
Two days with a night in Geraldton, Kalbarri or Port Denison / Dongara is the way to go for most, or perhaps a 4 to 6 day meander along the Coral Coast. That way you get to see the coast rather than have it pass you by as a windscreen blur. Don’t miss the top natural viewpoints at Monkey Mia.
A Few Figures
We have put together a practical guide to the drive below; the times are for a normal road trip, not some rally driver’s notion of it.
| Perth to Monkey Mia distance | 850 km approx. |
| Time to drive (direct) | 9.5 – 11 hrs |
| Road | Sealed throughout |
| Vehicle | 2WD will do |
| Highways | Indian Ocean, Brand, North West Coastal and Shark Bay |
| Access | via Denham |
| Pacing | 2 days at least for any comfort |
| Hazards | Wildlife, the odd bit of patchy mobile reception, heat and fatigue |
Our Route Of Choice
Most self-drivers bound for Shark Bay will tell you the standard coastal-inland route is the one to take. It is reliable and you can organise it with a downloaded map or any app. But don’t let the simplicity lull you into a casual attitude, says Fairchild. In WA the sheer scale of things can put even a confident driver in his place when he realises how often he is going to want to get out and stretch his back or put in some fuel and coffee.
Roads You Will Be On
North from Perth on Indian Ocean Drive will have you in the early part of the Coral Coast corridor. Pick up the Brand Highway and head north to the North West Coastal. In the Overlander vicinity you will turn west on Shark Bay Road, through to the Shark Bay region and Denham en route to Monkey Mia.
It is a sensible sequence that puts you on good sealed roads with towns and services at hand, and leaves you free to make of your Perth to Monkey Mia stops what you will.
Put Simply
If you prefer not to pore over a map, here is the plain English version. Out of Perth and north, you work your way down the mid-west corridor and then cut west to Shark Bay for the last leg past Denham.
People are more apt to be taken aback by the scale than the turns themselves; something close on paper can be hours off. And in some parts the mobile won’t cooperate, so have your route sorted in advance.
To Geraldton
Your first big push is from Perth up Indian Ocean Drive and on the Brand towards Geraldton. As far as rest, food and fuel goes, you will find this to be one of the easier sections. Geraldton is a sensible place to put in an overnight if that is the only one you have planned; there are services and accommodation aplenty and enough of a scene to make it more than a stop for a few hours’ sleep.
The Drive From Geraldton To The Shark Bay Turn-Off
Take the North West Coastal Highway north out of Geraldton. You will be putting in some serious distance so be disciplined with your fuel. Do not assume you can top up at the next opportunity unless you are sure of its location and opening times, even if the sealed road makes for untroubled going; from here on in the drive has a more remote air to it.
Shark Bay Road: Denham And Monkey Mia
When you come to the turn-off for Shark Bay Road, head west for Denham and Monkey Mia. One is tempted to let off the pedal early when the end seems near but resist the urge. It is still a good length of road and fatigue has a way of making itself known later in the day. After you get to Denham, the run to Monkey Mia is brief.
On Better Stopovers
You do not have to simply endure the kilometres on a good road trip. An itinerary from Perth to Monkey Mia is at its best when it is broken by a change of scenery or better coffee, something to put in your memory for the morrow. There are some old standbys on this route that are well liked and don’t require any sales pitch to justify the time, provided you are not intent on speed-running WA.
Pinnacles Desert
An early start from Perth makes for a simple detour to the Pinnacles Desert, a landscape shift to remember. It is the kind of spot that puts an end to your muttering about highway miles. Make allowance for photos and getting in and out of it, and for the tendency of people to linger longer than they meant to.
Port Denison / Dongara
Should you not wish to press on to Geraldton, Port Denison / Dongara is a convenient reset point, a milder sort of pause than a full sightseeing affair. On the first day of a long haul that can be what is called for.
Geraldton
For convenience and a proper night’s rest before the northern leg, Geraldton is hard to argue with as a fuel and overnight hub. There is no shortage of food or a place to lay your head.
Kalbarri
Scenery comes with the territory if you opt for Kalbari for the night. But it is not without its cost in time to work it into your plans, so it is for those on a leisurely run and not a straight-through operation. As Scarlett Fairchild would put it, it is for the traveller who wants a walk and some sea air to go with his road trip, not just a bed and a few snacks from the servo.
Time Your Trip Accordingly
A bit of realism is in order. Anyone can make the drive to Monkey Mia from Perth in a day, but that is not the wiser course for all, particularly with kids in the car or a driver who gets ratty after three hours and no food. Whether you are looking to get there in a hurry, or to have some recollection of the journey, will dictate your plan. They are two different things.
One-Day
Confident drivers who are up before dawn and can put in short stops will find a one-day drive suits them. Allow 10 to 12 hours door to door for fuel and food. If you are so inclined to make it in a day, stick to daylight and forego the detours. Not a proposition for the novice or the solo driver who might be tempted to go on after dark.
Two-Day
Most will prefer to take their time. An overnight in Geraldton, Kalbarri or Port Denison / Dongara and you can make a fresh start the following day. It is the difference between a holiday drive and a chore, and you will not arrive in Monkey Mia feeling as though the seat has been moulded around you.
Four to Six Days
To make of the Coral Coast what it should be, do not rush. Put in the Pinnacles, Shell Beach, Hamelin Pool, Denham and some time in Shark Bay as well as Geraldton and Kalbarri. For some the driving is as much the point as where you are headed.
Road Reality
For the most part, standard vehicles will find the Perth to Monkey Mia road in good order; the route is sealed all the way, which is the good news. But there is a less attractive side to that: “sealed” is not synonymous with stress-free. A trip that looks tidy on paper can be undone in no time by long stretches of open road, wind and glare, fatigue or even a roo at an inconvenient hour.
Before you set off it pays to have a look at the travel conditions and road safety advice put out by Main Roads Western Australia. A page well worth your time, particularly in the hotter months when things can turn on a dime or in the wake of any severe weather.
What Most People Get Wrong
It is easy to make the mistake of thinking the last few hours are a formality given how self-evident the route is. In fact, one’s concentration is apt to wane then. Then there is the common error of putting in to a fuel stop later than planned and being disappointed by the paucity of services or short hours. And travellers from cooler climes tend to be naive about the effects of heat and dehydration.
You might picture an effortless cruise but this is a regional drive of some length that will call your planning into question and have no patience for complacency. Done right it is no danger at all. Do it poorly and it is as rough as guts.
Vehicle And Safety Basics
A 4WD is overkill, a 2WD in shape will do. Make sure your spare, tyres, lights and coolant are in order before leaving Perth. You should steer clear of night driving if you can; on the more secluded parts of the road after dusk and until dawn wildlife is something of a concern.
- Top up sooner than you feel like it.
- Have plenty of drinking water to hand in warm weather.
- Let someone else put in some kilometres behind the wheel if you can.
- Put your route and the important stops on your phone while you still have reception.
- And do not count on full services at every little place once the day is well advanced.
Plan Fuel And Services
This is where it counts, not some elaborate itinerary spreadsheet. The fueling stations between Perth and Monkey Mia are fine so long as you are sensible and top up in the larger centres rather than letting the tank run down because the road is deceptively quiet. Geraldton is your major hub for services. After that what is on offer is more limited. Denham has the essentials for the final leg to Monkey Mia but you would be wise to get there with a margin to spare and not on fumes and good intentions.
Rough Costs To Expect
Allow for some variation in what you put in the bowser and your vehicle’s appetite for fuel, but for a one-way 850 km in an average passenger car a figure of around AUD 180–320 is a reasonable budget. Put a bit more aside for a large SUV or if you are towing. Accommodation will vary too; expect to pay in the region of AUD 120–250 for a motel room in the bigger towns, though a caravan park or camping will come in under that. Food is where the overspending happens without much fanfare. One thing leads to another and you have had the coffee and bakery item and a cold drink and may as well have the chips. It all comes to something.
Travel In The Right Season
Comfort is a better guide than the weather charts for this trip, as is the question of how much of the heat you care to put up with. The cooler months are more lenient on long days in the car and brief excursions. When it is hot the drive is more of an ordeal than the map would have you believe, the glare unrelenting and rest breaks not so restorative. Cyclone season in the north of WA can have an impact from November to April (Monkey Mia is not in the tropical Top End) and bushfires can be a factor in summer, so keep on top of current conditions.
Seasonality In Practical Terms
Milder weather is to be preferred for a leisurely pace and some walks. If you must go in the heat, get an early start and shun the worst of the afternoon. And stock up on water. Scarlett Fairchild would opt for the kind of drive where one does not have to endure a melting face to put in for a photograph. Don’t put in the drive to Monkey Mia only to fall into the trap of a one-stop, tick-box affair. The wider expanse of Shark Bay is where you will find the reward for having come all this way and it is worth putting aside two days or so at least.
Monkey Mia makes an excellent base from which to take in the likes of Denham, Hamelin Pool and Shell Beach. When you put together your itinerary, make time in your first full morning or the afternoon of your arrival for some of the finer natural vantage points at Monkey Mia; there is no point reserving the good stuff for the last day.
Side Trips in the Area
Denham is your service town and the place to set out from for anything more extensive. Then there is Shell Beach, which has a quality of unreality about it on a first viewing, and Hamelin Pool for something a bit different in the Shark Bay area. You can easily fit these in without being in the car the entire time.
A stay of 2 or 3 nights in the vicinity of Monkey Mia will be sufficient for you to get settled and cover the highlights with no sense of hurry. One can do it in less but the journey then seems to have been all those kilometres for not much room to breathe.
A Checklist
Get the unexciting details in order before you head out of Perth. It is what ensures things run smoothly. There is no call for any hard-nosed outback preparation on this route, just the sensible kind you would use on regional roads.
- Do a check over the vehicle and its tyres, fluids and spare.
- Have your map of the key stops from Perth to Monkey Mia downloaded for offline use.
- Make a reservation for the night unless you intend to put in the one-day push.
- Factor in fuel at the major towns rather than leave it to chance.
- And don’t forget water, a hat, snacks and phone chargers.
- Steer clear of driving after dark if you can.
- Put in the time in Shark Bay to do it right.
Put Some Plan to It
Consider the road from Perth to Monkey Mia as a regional road trip. It is a sealed and straightforward route, no 4WD necessary, but the distance puts a premium on timing and fuel that is not always appreciated. If you are pressed for time, do it in two and be done with it. With more to spare, make a proper run of the Coral Coast, stringing together Geraldton, Kalbarri, Denham, the rest of Shark Bay and Monkey Mia. Scarlett Fairchild would opt for that: a little salt air and fewer bad meals at the servo, and none of the rush.
FAQ
You will be asking these before you make up your mind to do the drive. Understandable. A WA road trip of this length is deceptively simple until the practicalities come into play.
How does one get to Monkey Mia from Perth?
The self-drive route is the most flexible for a traveller. Head north by road via Indian Ocean Drive, Brand and North West Coastal Highways and on to Shark Bay Road through Denham.
Is a 4WD called for?
Not on the standard route to Monkey Mia. The road is sealed so a 2WD in decent shape will see you there.
What of the road surface?
It is sealed coming from Perth. But that does not mean you can be careless, or forego daylight and proper fuel planning.
How long should you stay?
Two or three days in the Monkey Mia and Shark Bay area is what we would recommend. That way you can put in a visit to Denham and such as Shell Beach and Hamelin Pool and not be in a race.
One day from Perth?
You can, though it will be a long one. Allow 9.5 to 11 hours at the wheel, more like 10 to 12 with the odd stop. An old hand at long distances will handle it better than the casual holidaymaker.