Known for world-class surf breaks and extraordinary fishing, it’s understandable why WA’s Quobba Coast attracts only the most dedicated ocean enthusiasts every year. But surfers and fishermen don’t get all the goodies of this remote paradise.

 

Western Australia’s Quobba Coast captivates visitors who don’t have posters of Kelly Slater or Rex Hunt on their walls. Whether you’re the devoted partner of a surfer, that one mate in the group without a BCF membership, or just a coastal lover looking to escape the tonnes of vacationers along the coast, the Quobba Coast is for you.

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About the Quobba Coast

The Quobba Coast is an 80km stretch of protected coastline at the southernmost point of WA’s Ningaloo Coast World Heritage Area, where the desert meets the sea. Home to three exceptionally remote camping destinations – Red Bluff Homestead, Gnaraloo Station, and Quobba Station – the area serves hundreds of surfers, fishers, and ocean lovers every year, while remaining one of the best kept secrets in the west.

 

How to Get to the Quobba Coast

To get to the Quobba Coast you’ll first need a car, then you’ll need to aim its front wheels towards Carnarvon, a sleepy town of 5,500 people, 900km north of Perth. From the first BP truck stop you see on the way into town, follow the signs to the region’s famous Blowholes, heading north on Bibbawarra Road until you reach Blowholes Road.

You’ll know you’ve made it to the Quobba Coast when you see blowholes shooting water 20m into the air and about 30 tourists watching them – don’t worry, you’ll ditch them soon.

Now drive north on the lonely coastal track until the bitumen turns to undulating corrugated road. Keep your eyes out for signs for the three main camping areas – Quobba Station, Red Bluff Homestead, and Gnaraloo Station (in that order).

Places to Stay on the Quobba Coast

Quobba Station

If you prefer to save the long drive to Red Bluff or Gnaraloo, Quobba Station is the first cab off the rank on Quobba-Gnaraloo Road, 10km from where the sealed road ends. Waterfront, powered, and unpowered campsites can be booked online, with cottages and chalets are also available if you’re staying at least three nights.

 

 

Quobba Station was established in 1890 and has been run by the Meecham family for over 40 years. Some of the cottages were previous workshops and jackaroos quarters, so you’ll be snoring under a roof that’s seen plenty of history.

Fishing isn’t permitted in front of the station, and the area’s also unsuitable for swimming. You’ll be jumping in the car for 10km south (to Blowholes Beach) or 3km north (to Two Mile Beach) if you’re keen for a dip.

Red Bluff Station

Take your pick: roll out the swag or tent and throw a few logs on the fire. Or book a cosy bungalow with Red Bluff Station’s best views. The freewheelin’ Red Bluff Homestead allows you to find your own spot along a massive ocean-facing hill or pre-book an epic bungalow with your partner or mates.

 

 

The panoramic views are spectacular and come nighttime, the shooting stars and untainted strip of Milky Way will be the best show you watch all year. Our trusty tent did us just fine, but jealousy did rear its ugly head when we peeked inside a bungalow and saw its full-size fridge, bathroom, and sun lounges.

Red Bluff was our pick of Quobba Coast’s epic camping options.

Gnaraloo Homestead & Three Mile Camp

Only 4.5km from each other and just past the Facebook-famous ‘KING WAVES’ sign, Gnaraloo Homestead and Three Mile Camp offer two distinct but equally awesome options to rest your head.

Three Mile Camp has 65 unpowered camping sites, all varying in quality and proximity to the beach. You’ll be a frisbee throw from both Tombstones surf break and plenty of beautiful swimming options.

Meanwhile, Gnaraloo Homestead sits on a high ridge with panoramic views of sand dunes and the Indian Ocean. Unlike the rest of Quobba’s accommodation options, Gnaraloo Homestead offers electricity (from 7am to 11pm) and drinking water. Cabins and lodges are available to book on the Gnaraloo Homestead website.

Things to do on The Quobba Coast (That Don’t Require a Surfboard)

1. Snorkel and Swim in a World Heritage Area

You won’t be fighting with convoys of families and tourists for a spare piece of water here. The Quobba Coast is for those who avert the beaten path, meaning you’ll get the turquoise waters of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef all to yourself.

Our favourite spot was just south of Tombstones surf break in Gnaraloo. Head north on the region’s main artery, Quobba-Gnaraloo Road, until you reach Gnaraloo Homestead. Park at the dirt lot overlooking the coast, where surfers disembark for their paddle to Tombstones, and walk south until you find a long stretch of pristine beach. I’ll bet you a lobster you’ll have it all to yourself.

2. Find Your Own Slice of 4WD Paradise

When you veer into the many sand dune 4WD tracks off the main road, you’ll have your choice of countless bays, cliffs, coves, and caves to throw your rug down and catch some rays.

 

 

Head out for a morning walk on the front reefs while the sun blesses your shoulders. There are hundreds of tranquil rock pools inviting you for a dip, and the best part is, you’ll feel like the natural landscape was made just for you. You might give a few friendly waves to other four-wheel adventurers on the way, but it’s a piece of cake to find your own slice of paradise anywhere along this spectacular rugged coast.

3. Check Out Marine Life in Their Element

I’ll never forget diving into the water for my first dip at Quobba, surfacing, and then seeing a gigantic Humpback catapult from the water and collapse with a huge splash about 200 metres out. It felt as if the big fella was showing off just to me.

 

 

Dolphins, stingrays, and whales frequent this entire coastal region, and you won’t have a hard time finding them. You’ll spot the big playful whales between June and September when they make their annual trip south.

4. Join WA’s Most Remote Open Mic Night

By now you might be getting the idea this stretch of coast is incredibly remote. And those that you do pass or interact with – I promise – will be some of the most special, wide-smiling, likeminded souls you’ll meet. This is why I highly recommend putting the firewood and deck of cards away for just one night and heading for a night out to WA’s most remote open mic night.

 

 

Friday at Red Bluff is the region’s night to party. The restaurant at Red Bluff is a clay hut with a beautiful open-roof beer garden and stage, and it goes off when the small community of remote campers fill the place with good weekend vibes. The owner serves up unreal woodfired pizzas all night for $25 (bring cash!) while you can watch touring indie artists and local shredders jump on stage for the weekly open mic.

The same restaurant turns into a café and deli during the day. They serve coffee till about midday, and I’m not talking about a heaped spoonful of that granulated instant coffee your dad promises ‘isn’t that bad’ – I mean a real coffee with beans and steamed milk. Just bring cash or you’ll be headed back to camp for a cup of your dad’s favourite.

5. Pamper Yourself at a Beachside Beauty Spa

Every visitor to the Quobba Coast must giggle seeing a sign for a day spa. After all, you’re sandwiched between ocean and desert. Yet the legends who built this community thought it’d be a great idea to convert one of the huts into a beauty and massage parlour.

Totoka Day Spa is open for business at Red Bluff Homestead, offering relaxation treatments and the best view to match. The place is literally five steps from the ocean. Landlubbers, no more sitting on the rocks for hours while the shredders hit the waves. Drivers, no more complaining about that stiff back from hours of being behind the wheel. Bookings can be made at the Red Bluff office.

Essential Gear for the Quobba Coast

  • Tent or swag
  • Full tank of fuel
  • Kitchen equipment
  • Deep cell battery/solar power (there’s no electricity here)
  • Battery-powered fridge
  • Drinking water for the entire trip
  • Firewood
  • Cash (for firewood, day spa, pizza)
  • 4WD (or high clearance vehicle)

What it’s Like to Visit Quobba Coast

Quobba Coast is the reward for the takers of the road less travelled. Pristine white-sand beaches, marine life in their element, endless options for sand and sea explorations, and a sense of true freedom that we coastal explorers deserve. It’s the type of destination beach-seeking tourists would love to see populated with resorts and Bali-inspired cocktail bars. But thanks to its remoteness and the long journey required to get there, Quobba Coast remains an isolated affair.

 

 

Locals – and there’re only a few of them – are exceptionally welcoming, and just as keen to show you the ropes as you’ll be to ask them where to begin your coastal journey. Every traveller we met had big smiles on their faces and even bigger hearts tucked beneath their tanned chests. It’s ‘good vibes only’ along the Quobba Coast.

 

 

Cell reception is rare, as is electricity, running water and supplies for purchase. This really is a nomad’s playground and an opportunity for all us lovers of the land and sea to connect with Australia in a way no high-volume tourist destination (or, god forbid, city) could ever provide.

Tips for Visiting Quobba Coast

A 4WD is highly recommended or at the very least an AWD vehicle.

Also be aware that the Shire of Carnarvon sometimes closes Quobba-Gnaraloo Road due to flooding. Head to the Shire of Carnavon website for regular updates on road closures.

FAQs About Quobba Coast

Where is Quobba Coast located?
Quobba Coast is a 900km drive north of Perth. The closest town is 90km away in Carnarvon, a fast-growing coastal town with every amenity you’ll need before or after your remote adventure to Quobba.

 

How do you get to the Quobba Coast?

From Carnarvon, take Blowholes Road from the first BP Station as you enter town. Follow the signs to the tourist-friendly Blowholes for about 45 minutes until you hit Quobba-Gnaraloo Road. Take the sealed road north, and when it turns into an unsealed track you’ll know you’ve made it to the Quobba Coast.

If you’re coming south from Exmouth or Ningaloo, you’ll have to take a wide berth into Carnarvon as there’s no direct route to Quobba.

 

Can you swim on the Quobba Coast?

Absolutely. Quobba offers some of the best swimming in WA’s Ningaloo Coast World Heritage Area. It’s so remote that you’ll almost certainly find a piece of ocean all to yourself, anywhere along the long stretch of coast.

 

Do you need a 4WD to get to the Quobba Coast?

A 4WD is highly recommended, especially if you’re wanting to adventure outside of the homestays and stations. That said, an AWD or high-clearance vehicle will get you there fine. Your suspension will get a workout on the long unsealed road that serves as the main artery of Quobba Coast.