Exmouth 4WD Tracks; from rocks to reef!
Exmouth is a magic place. You have the world class Ningaloo Reef, pristine beaches, a spectacular gulf and then there’s the epic Exmouth 4WD tracks, spread all over the place.
If you haven’t been to Exmouth before, a 4WD will give you access to some of the more remote locations that the tourists in 2WD vehicles don’t get to, and that is very much appreciated.
Exmouth is hugely popular, and in peak season between May and September the town is absolutely packed. All of the caravan parks, Airbnb’s, Hotels and short term accommodation is fully booked, and that means every day there’s a huge number of people trying to enjoy the different locations.
A 4WD relieves just a small amount of this, as lots of people don’t own them!
Learmonth Beach
There’s actually not too many beaches that you can take a 4WD onto in Exmouth. On the gulf side though, your options are increased quite a bit, and you can head down to Learmonth Jetty and drive south for quite a distance.
You will get to a small creek which is not always passable, and then end up at Wapet Creek. This is a spectacular place, and I’ve never seen so many fish jumping around in the shallows.
Cape Crossing
If you want a long cut, to take you from Exmouth across to the Cape Range side, this is it. You can do it in either direction and you’ll go through a heap of red sand dunes, and then pop out on a steep, rough and rocky section that is guaranteed to get you excited.
We’ve only done the first part from Cape Range side to the top of the hill, which was pretty interesting on our own in the Dmax, which isn’t exactly built for hard core 4WD tracks!
Cape Range 4WD tracks
There’s a heap of tracks on Cape Range, that are exactly that. Asides from the Cape Crossing above, you’ll find a heap of tracks that take you to random caves, or lookouts that are quite entertaining. Be aware that many of these tracks are seriously rocky, and very slow!
Shothole Canyon
On the gulf side of Exmouth lies Shothole Canyon and Charles Knife Canyon. Both are spectacular places that should absolutely be visited, but Shothole requires a 4WD. The track in is in decent condition, but it is very rocky and you’d be wise to let your tyres down.
Not only does this reduce the chances of a puncture, but your vehicle will ride much better and things are less likely to break, and you’ll feel far more comfortable inside too.
Yardie Creek to Ningaloo Station
You can actually drive from Exmouth to Coral Bay via the coastline, and it starts at Yardie Creek. This is flowing often, and there’s been a few vehicles lost here, so cross Yardie Creek with caution if safe to do so.
Heading south, you’ll drive a reasonably narrow, rocky and corrugated track that will take you to Ningaloo Station, and further south if you want to continue.
Ningaloo Station to Bruboodjoo
Continuing south of Ningaloo Station will take you along the coast to an amazing camp site that’s actually not too well known.
This is called Bruboodjoo, or 9 mile camp, and is very popular for those looking for a camp site along the Ningaloo Reef, that isn’t tied to the DBCA (Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and attractions).
Bruboodjoo to Coral Bay
Keep heading south, and you’ll go past Oyster Bridge (an amazing place) and eventually pop out at Coral Bay, near Mauds Landing. As per the above, you can actually drive all the way from Yardie Creek to Coral Bay, but be prepared for a long, slow and rocky trip!
You really can’t go wrong with any of these Exmouth 4WD tracks. The scenery is next level, weather often fantastic and its a beautiful place to be.
