Quobba Station
Drive 10 hours north of Perth along Australia’s Coral Coast and you will find yourself at Quobba Station. Quobba is one of those places that deserves a spot on any Western Australian travel itinerary. After visiting it for the second time in a few months, it has earned it’s way into my heart and into my annual holiday plans. From the impressively wild coastline to the vast range of wildlife above and below the water, Quobba offers a perfect snapshot of the incredible west coast of Australia. There are three main camping areas at Quobba plus a few attractions you can’t miss! You can rest easy knowing the campsites are eco certified for sustainable tourism too!
King Waves Kill Sign
Roughly 25km North of Carnarvon, you will reach the turn off to Quobba Station (Blowholes Road). Half and hour of driving down this sealed road will bring you to a T-intersection. You can’t miss it. The iconic ‘King Waves Kill’ sign makes sure of that! Park your car in front of the sign, hop in the middle of the road (watch out for cars of course!) and capture a photo for the travel scrapbook. If you go to Quobba and don’t get a photo in front of the ‘King Waves KIll’ sign, did you even really go? Just remember, even though the sign’s insta worthy, it’s there for a reason. Every year people get swept off the rocks along this coastline so make sure you take the appropriate safety precautions whilst visiting the area.
Quobba Blowholes
If you drive about 100 metres left of the iconic sign, you will find yourself at the Quobba Blowholes and some of the most spectacular coastline I’ve ever seen. I’ve visited a few different blowholes over the years but these ones definitely BLOW them all out of the ballpark (see what I did there?) Every time I visited they put on a serious show for all of the eager spectators, spurting water high above our heads (when the conditions are right, they can reach up to 20 metres high!). While you’re here, use the vantage point to keep an eye out for some blowholes of another kind. I saw a few whales from this spot! The best time to find them is between June to November.
Fancy seeing the blowholes from a different perspective? Coral Coast Helicopters have a tour from Carnarvon to Point Quobba which flies right over them, giving you a unique topdown view that very few people get to experience!
Point Quobba (The Aquarium)
Not far past the blowholes is Point Quobba. The locals have fondly nicknamed this location ‘The Aquarium’ and for good reason! This was my first little taster of the Ningaloo Reef and boy did it exceed my expectations. I’m not going to lie, I actually cried happy tears the night I arrived at this camp spot.
The campsite is not actually run by the Quobba Station crew and there is an honesty box for payment on arrival so try to ensure you’ve got the correct change.
CAMPING FEES
ADULT: $11.00
CONCESSION: $8.00
CHILD U/16: FREE
If you park as soon as you enter the camping area, you will be closer to the toilet facilities (drop toilets but very well maintained!) and the sheltered section of the beach which is great for sun baking and snorkelling. If you have a hammock, bring it along with you as there are shelters on the beach that are ideal for hanging them in. Further down the beach it is less protected and the waves are more prominent. As you can’t fish in ‘The Aquarium’, head down this way for the fishing friendly zone if that’s what floats your boat (talking about boats, there’s also a boat launching area on the sand down this end).
When I first visited back in June, I struck gold and snagged a camp spot right near the entrance. It was the school holidays and right after the regional borders reopened as covid-19 restrictions began to ease so every man and his dog, 56 kids and luxury camper had packed up and headed north. My first beach walk gave me a glimpse into what I would see when I put the snorkel on and finally headed under the waters surface. I had never seen such beautiful coral and shells and there were thousands of them! I spent the entire few days here sun baking, strolling on the beach, reading, snorkelling and wildlife spotting. With minimal reception, it was the perfect excuse for a phone detox too!
Some locals told me there’s hundreds of oysters out on the rocks that protect ‘The Aquarium’ but it’s only accessible at low tides and you need to be really wary of big waves. I will 100% be sussing that out with my screw driver in tow when I return!
Quobba Station Homestead
If you turn right at the King Waves Kill sign instead of left, it leads you to the main homestead (10km along the unsealed road). I’ve personally never camped at the station itself but it’s biggest drawcard is the showers. The homestead is the only place you can camp and have a proper clean but a swim in the ocean was good enough for me! Although, another bonus to camping here is the little shop which stocks some general groceries, bait, ice and ice-creams.
The beach is right on the reef so it’s a bit dangerous to swim here but there is a beautiful swimming beach called 2 Mile that is just 3km north of the camp spot. There’s lots of options for accommodation here too if camping doesn’t suit! Here is a link to the Quobba Station booking page where you can book cottages, shacks and chalets.
It’s also a good spot to stop to let some pressure out of your tyres if you’re planning on heading North along the long unsealed road to Red Bluff.
Red Bluff
Alright… everything was building up to this. Red Bluff is the ultimate of ultimate camping spots. I’m telling you, you can’t beat it. The 60km road from the homestead is long and can get very corrugated so take care. One sharp rock can destroy a tyre or two. The final part of the drive in sets the tone for the entire stay. I’ll let you experience it for yourself but I’m telling you, holy wow! Make sure you see the people at reception and pay for your stay when you first arrive. Then you can drive around and basically just camp anywhere you can find some space. We had this absolutely magic spot on the beach all to ourselves!
As with The Homestead, The Bluff has some schmancy accommodation options that are available for booking too. Press here to check them out! If you’re camping, there are bush loos (drop toilets) scattered throughout so wherever you choose to camp you won’t be too far away from one. Just be prepared for the full camping experience. The walls are made of cloth and there’s no roof so the flies are savage.
One of the biggest and best surprises about camping here was the shop. Just the luxury of being able to buy ice to keep drinks cool, actually buying cool drinks and prepared food was such a bonus! Even the shade cloth providing relief from the hot sun and the shop building, offering wind protection, came in handy on multiple occasions.
Some highlights from our few days here were:
Waking to a whale literally waving at us from just a couple of hundred metres from the shore
Washing the dishes in the ocean and looking up to see a pod of dolphins only 10 metres in front of me
Ocean swims
Rockpooling and spotting an octopus
Relaxing for hours on end in the hammock
Finding an incredible cave amongst the cliffs
Playing a billion games of ‘Spit’ with my little brother Riley
Sitting out under the night sky and spotting shooting stars (the night sky is so clear here!)
Lots of people come to Red Bluff to surf ‘The Point’ and it looked incredible. I am determined to learn to surf one day soon! I also highly recommend making the effort to climb up on top of the cliffs for sunset. Just don’t forget a torch for the walk back down.
Questions?
Do I need to book?
If camping, no. There are plenty of campsites so you can just turn up! If wanting something a bit more lush, then you can make a booking here.
How do I get there?
The closest airport is in Carnarvon just an hours drive from Quobba. When you arrive, hire a car and then right onto Robinson Street. Continue on the North West Coastal Highway for 25kms and then turn left onto Blowholes Road. This takes you to the King Waves Kill Sign!
OR
Fly into Perth airport, hire a car, and complete the road trip up Australia’s Coral Coast (100% would recommend this option!). If you’re ready to go, search now for the cheapest flights!
Can I get there in a 2WD?
Hopefully! The road to the Blowholes completely sealed. The 10km from there to the Homestead and then the 60km on from there to Red Bluff is unsealed (gravel). It’s graded once a year but can occasionally get pretty rough. We let some pressure out of our tyres just to minimise the impact of the corrugation but would have been fine without doing so.. It wouldn’t hurt to give the staff a quick call before heading up there just to double check the conditions.
What time should I arrive?
If camping at Point Quobba, you can arrive anytime as the sign in process is all self-serve. The offices at the other campsites are open from 10am-4pm for check-in.
Can I have a fire?
At the Homestead and Red Bluff, yes! You just need to use the pits provided and bring the firewood with you from home or buy some from the shop.
Can I bring my pets?
You sure can! Just keep a close eye on them as 1080 baits are scattered around for wild dogs and dingoes.
If you’ve got any questions at all, are planning a trip out here or have some memories to share, please leave a comment below or Contact Me. I’m always up for a chat! Also, see Quobba’s website for more information.