It’s a 45-minute drive from Dampier, 35 minutes from Karratha or 20 minutes from Point Samson to reach the town of Roebourne. Once the capital of the North West, it’s the oldest surviving town between Geraldton and Darwin. Get a feel for convict and colonial life in late 18th and 19th century Roebourne as you wander through the museum pieces housed in the Old Roebourne Gaol. Visit the art workshops of Yinjaa Barni at the old Dalgety House, Wangaba Roebourne at the Ngurin Centre, or the Juluwarlu group work on display at Ganalilli. While there, stop at the Visitor Centre with its great modern digital interpretation desks. At Roebourne, you can take the Bush Tucker walking trail; a short walk along the banks of the Harding River, to discover more about the food and medicine of Aboriginal people. From Roebourne, follow in the tracks of the first white settlers in the area, taking the Emma Withnell Heritage Trail through Cossack to Point Samson. Throughout the ghost town of Cossack, explore Early European history. The Café at the Bond store provides a welcome respite. As for accommodation, The Old Police Barracks have limited space, and at Settlers Beach, self-contained vans may be available to stay in. On the way to Settlers, you will find historic European and Asian cemeteries. Further north (5 minutes from Cossack) is Readerhead Lookout. From here, you will see one of the oldest surviving lighthouses on Jarman Island. Continue on to Point Samson. At John’s Creek or Honeymoon Cove, you can swim, snorkel or fish at a town beach below the Tavern. Here, you may spot whales passing by from the jetty lookout. Try local fish and chips, have a drink or ice cream and take in an Indian Ocean sunset at Point Samson. Return to Karratha and make sure you have booked a rock art tour for the morning before you take the last plane back to Perth.