Road to the Rock

In Mount Augustus National Park sits the world’s largest monolith – two-and-a-half times the size of Uluru. This nine-day, 2,240-kilometre adventure delivers you to the base of this awe-inspiring monolith, 1,650 million years in the making. Along the way, discover ancient rock art, echoes of Western Australia’s goldrush heritage, and lush outback oases. Kick off from Perth into a seemingly endless stream of sunshine-yellow canola fields that burst forth in brilliant bloom each August. Colour your world, stopping off in quaint Dalwallinu, where wattle and wildflowers carpet the countryside in spring. Push ahead to Paynes Find, named after the fella who struck gold here, pausing for a bite and a beer at the quirky roadhouse. Wildflowers line the road to Mount Magnet, a sleepy gold-mining town, with grand outback pubs. Next, mosey to Cue, where the heritage-listed streetscape resembles a film set from a Western movie. From here, Walga Rock strikes a similar pose to its older sister, Uluru, and houses Western Australia’s largest rock art collection. Carved into the monolith’s walls, the secrets and stories of the Wadjarri people fascinate. Revel in Meekatharra’s gold rush past, before turning off to Mount Augustus. At dawn or dusk, a spectacular light show of ever-changing colour holds court in this deeply spiritual place. The 717-metre summit is a six-hour hike, but the silence and views mesmerise. Rinse off the red dust with a swim in Cattle Pool, or one of the other cool watering holes. Trek west to Gascoyne Junction and into Kennedy Range National Park for the spectacular wildflowers on show in August. Sleepover in classic homestead comfort at Wooleen Station, a 380,000 acre holding studded with swimming holes, before zooming back to Perth via Coalseam Conservation Park for one last flower-power adventure.