The Pilbara accommodation from AU$182

Covering 502,000km, the Pilbara region extends from the coastline of the Indian Ocean to the border of the Northern Territory. It contains some of the world’s oldest rock formations, and evidence suggests that Indigenous people occupied the area for over 30,000 years.

Like national parks and ancient landscapes? There are heaps to choose from in Pilbara. One of the most popular is Karjini National Park, where the ochre shade of the rocks and soil merges with lush greenery and emerald waters. Take a bushwalk surrounded by a variety of birds and plants – you might even spot a wild dingo! Take a swim at one of the gorges like Weano or Dales Gorge, enclosed by walls of jagged, rock. At Dales, you’ll find Fortescue Falls, where the water cascades to a tropical pool where you can wash the sweat of your walk away. Millstream Chichester National Park, in the suburb of Millstream, is 200,000 hectares in size has heaps of gorges and rock pools too, along with the Fortescue River shoreline and spectacular sights like Python Pool swimming hole.

Visit the Burrup Peninsula near the seaside suburb of Dampier to see the world’s largest collection of rock art. There are more than 100,000 Indigenous art works spread across 700 sites, and you can explore them at the Burrup National Park, on your own or by hunting down a guided tour. There are 42 islands lying off the coast of Dampier, known as ‘the Dampier Archipelago’, where you can camp, fish, swim, snorkel or just explore these uninhabitated islands, which also contain plenty of rock art. Look for dugongs and dolphins in the water or just kick back and chill in the sunshine. If you don’t want to leave the shore, you can chill out or have a BBQ on the beach at Dampier. On the outskirts of the town you can find a statue of Red Dog, the canine explorer who inspired a novel and film of the same name.

Choose from our hotels in suburbs like Karratha, where you can book a Rio Tinto tour or have a brew at the Karratha Tavern. Port Hedland is a great place to watch the ‘Staircase to the Moon’ phenomenon occur, while Newman is the closest town to Karlamilyi National Park, the most remote national park in the Pilbara, on the banks of the Rudall River.

With so much history, natural beauty and adventure to pick from, the Pilbara really is a diverse region offering an amazing experience rather than the usual tourist spots. Book your Pilbara accommodation and a flight to Karratha with us and explore road less travelled.