The home of one of WA’s most well-known attractions, you can spend a wonderful day ambling through the natural limestone spires of the Pinnacles at Nambung National Park. It’s accessible to 2WDs, so you can drive along the designated unsealed road. You can also walk between the towers of ancient seashell deposits, whilst taking in the beautiful scenes of contrasting colours from the yellow sands surrounding the Pinnacles, to the white sand dunes, green coastal trees, and blues of the Indian Ocean on the horizon. The pinnacles’ location also means they are a prime location for stargazing, with sunset and late-night tours available with Lumineer Adventure Tours. This sun-soaked desert is best visited over the winter months, but the discovery centre is open all year round.
The park is also known for its pristine beaches at Kangaroo Point and Hangover Bay, where you can relax or fish. At the park’s northern end, you can find a boardwalk at Lake Thetis where you can see the fascinating stromatolites, also known as living fossils.
The Pinnacles Desert, Nambung National Park. Image by Tourism WA
A short 2-hour drive from Perth, Nambung National Park is also on route to Jurien Bay and the rest of the Coral Coast, an easy first stop-off, or a great start to a multi-day tour with Aussie Perth Tours (5 days) and Western Travel Bug (4 days), who promise to welcome you to the best of coastal and inland WA!
If you’re coming from up north, you can stay in Jurien Bay at Jurien-Bay apartments and travel down to Nambung with the locally owned Jurien Bay Adventure Tours, or stay the night in Cervantes at Pinnacle Edge Resort. Note that there is no camping in Nambung national park and there are some no-fishing sanctuary zones within the Jurien Bay Marine Park, which is adjacent to Nambung, which are signposted where they are located.
Region: Coral Coast
Nearest town: Cervantes, 19.1km
Established: 1994
Area: 192.7km2
Highlights: Pinnacles Desert, Kangaroo Point, Hangover Bay, Lake Thetis
Experiences: Swimming, Snorkelling, Canoeing/ Kayaking, Fishing, Walking