Getting around

The distances to parks in Western Australia can be considerable and travel should be carefully planned. The regional towns or roadhouses that offer fuel, food and accommodation can be few and far between and vehicle spares, repairs and breakdown services can be difficult to find.

Journey times may stretch to days and fatigue is a real risk, particularly after hours of driving long straight roads. Be sure to take regular breaks and share the driving responsibilities where possible. Visit the Road Safety Commission for more advice on how to stay safe on our roads.

Many parks and recreation areas are only accessible by unsealed roads. Their gravel, sand, mud, or rocky road surfaces may be loose, slippery, or corrugated and tyres can spin and lose grip. Dust may reduce visibility and gravel may be thrown up. When driving or riding these roads you should reduce your speed to suit the condition of the road, leave extra distance from any vehicle in front and avoid braking suddenly. If you are driving a hire vehicle, check that your rental agreement allows you to drive on unsealed roads.

Some places are only accessible by roads and tracks that are not suitable for all types of road vehicles. You will only be able to get to more remote areas with a four-wheel drive vehicle that has high clearance and a low range gearbox or adventure touring motorcycle. You may also need to reduce your tyre pressures and reinflate afterwards using a compressor. Venturing onto these roads is not recommended for the inexperienced. You need to be adequately equipped and prepared. See Four-wheel driving and Travelling in remote locations for more information.

Always observe road and track closures and speed limits. It is strongly recommended that you always carry the current edition of a printed road atlas. For more on route planning, road safety and current road conditions see the Road Safety Commission and Main Roads WA.

Away from parks and main roads, you may need the permission of traditional owners to access or travel through Aboriginal land or pastoral station managers for access. It is a good idea to plan these trips well in advance.

Most marine and many coastal parks can be accessed by boat. For information on boating regulations and safety, tide and coastal weather forecasts and for nautical charts refer to the Department of Transport. Further regulations apply in some marine park zones and landing is prohibited at some nature reserves.

Jetties and boat ramps for inland as well as coastal parks are available in some parks. 

Thousands of kilometres of trails, long and short, offer opportunities for bushwalkers and cyclists to walk or cycle into or within Western Australia’s parks. The long distance Bibbulmun Track and Munda Biddi Trail link many parks in the Experience Perth and South West regions of the state for bushwalkers and mountain bikers. For more information see the Activities section of this website.

Bus services operated by Transperth connect some parks in, and close to, the Perth metropolitan area.

Transwa operates train and coach services between 275 destinations in the state’s south west and there are a number of services offered by private companies. None of these operators service parks.

Information about scheduled air services that operate on routes across the state is available from the Department of Transport.

There are many operators offering a wide variety of tours across the state from budget backpacker itineraries to luxury packages. Search for a tour at westernaustralia.com or trustthetickwa.com.au.