Skip to navigation

Mark Moxon's Travel Writing

Great Journeys: Australia: Melbourne to Perth

Crossing the Nullarbor Desert, this journey takes in some of the most amazing coastal scenery Australia has to offer.

Map of Melbourne to Perth, Australia

Click on the links below to find out more about individual destinations.

Journey Summary

Our journey starts in Melbourne, and follows the Great Ocean Road towards the beautiful Grampians, where we get our first taste of walking in the Australian wilderness. Heading through Mt Gambier and along the weird and wonderful Coorong, we take a few days to explore Adelaide, the capital of South Australia. Striking north to the Flinders Ranges, we get out first glimpse of the barren beauty of the outback, before stocking up with supplies in Wudinna, ready for the long drive across the Nullarbor Desert. Reaching Western Australia after tackling the desert in easy stages, we head south to the coast at Esperance, from where the road west to Albany takes us within spitting distance of lots of wonderful and accessible National Parks. After a stop among the karri trees in Pemberton, the road takes us to the southwest corner of Australia at Cape Leeuwin, from where it's an easy drive north to the delightful city of Perth.

Suggested Itinerary

The following is only a suggested itinerary, and is based round a journey by car, with overnight stops at camping grounds. All roads are suitable for normal two-wheel-drive cars. Important Note: Before setting off on any journey into the outback, it's important to ensure that the car is in good condition, and that you have a week's worth of water and food, in case of breakdown in the outback. It's also worth making sure that you have breakdown cover from a reliable national breakdown company, like the AAA or the RAC. Hopefully you won't find out why it's such a good idea...

Day Suggested Itinerary
1 Fly to Melbourne
2-3 Two days in Melbourne
4 Melbourne to Lorne
5 One day in Lorne
6 Lorne to Apollo Bay
7 One day in Apollo Bay
8 Apollo Bay to Warrnambool (via the Great Ocean Road)
9 Warrnambool to the Grampians
10-12 Three days in the Grampians
13 Grampians to Mt Gambier
14 Mt Gambier to Kingston SE
15 Kingston SE to Adelaide (via The Coorong)
16-17 Two days in Adelaide
18 Adelaide to the Flinders Ranges
19-21 Three days in the Flinders Ranges
22 Flinders Ranges to Wudinna
23 Wudinna to Nullarbor (via Head of Bight)
24 Nullarbor to Cocklebiddy
25 Cocklebiddy to Norseman
26 Norseman to Esperance
27 One day in Esperance
28 Esperance to Bremer Bay (via Cape Le Grand)
29 Bremer Bay to Albany (via Fitzgerald River)
30 One day in Albany
31 Albany to the Stirling Ranges (via Torndirrup and Porungurup)
32 One day in the Stirling Ranges
33 Stirling Ranges to Pemberton (via Walpole-Nornalup)
34 One day in Pemberton
35 Pemberton to Cape Leeuwin
36 One day in Cape Leeuwin
37 Cape Leeuwin to Perth
38-39 Two days in Perth
40 Fly from Perth