Thinking About Taking the Boat North? 4 WA Boating Destinations Worth the Drive
There’s something about owning a boat in WA that eventually makes you start looking north. Maybe you’ve done plenty of weekends around Perth and Mandurah, maybe you’re planning a longer road trip, or maybe you’ve seen one too many photos of boats sitting on ridiculously blue water around Exmouth and decided it’s finally time to see it for yourself.
Whatever the reason, heading north with the boat opens up a completely different side of WA. As you travel further up the coast, the water gets warmer, the landscape changes and the boating opportunities become very different from what we’re used to around Perth. You can be chasing offshore fishing around the Abrolhos, cruising the protected waters of Shark Bay, exploring Ningaloo from Exmouth or, if you’re ready for a serious adventure, taking on the remote waterways of the Kimberley.
The only difficult part is deciding how far north you want to go. So, if you’ve been thinking about hooking up the trailer and giving the boat a proper run, here are four destinations we reckon are worth putting on the list.
Geraldton and the Abrolhos Islands
Geraldton is a good place to start because it’s far enough from Perth to feel like you’ve gone on a proper boating trip without committing to the much longer drive to Shark Bay or Exmouth. The city itself has established boating facilities and gives you access to plenty of fishing along the Mid West coast, but for many boaties the real attraction sits around 60 kilometres offshore.
The Houtman Abrolhos Islands are made up of more than 100 islands spread across three main groups, surrounded by reefs and some pretty spectacular water. If fishing is what gets you out of bed before sunrise, there’s plenty to keep you interested, but the Abrolhos are about more than dropping a line. Diving, snorkelling, exploring the islands and simply cruising through an environment that feels completely removed from the mainland are all part of the experience.
It is important to remember that getting to the Abrolhos is a serious offshore run. It’s not somewhere we’d recommend heading without checking the forecast properly and making sure your boat is prepared for the distance. Fuel range, communications, safety equipment and the condition of your outboard all become much more important when you’re that far from the mainland. If everything lines up though, it’s one of those boating trips that reminds you just how lucky we are to live in WA.
Shark Bay
Keep heading north and you’ll eventually reach Shark Bay, and this is where having your own boat really starts to pay off. Denham and Monkey Mia are great places to visit from land, but getting onto the water gives you a completely different perspective of just how big the Shark Bay region actually is.
The area is made up of huge bays, islands, shallow waters, seagrass beds and kilometres of coastline that are perfect for exploring when the conditions are right. You can head out for a fish in the morning, cruise along the coastline around Francois Peron National Park, find somewhere quiet to stop for the day or simply explore without feeling like you need a strict itinerary. There are established launching facilities around Denham and Monkey Mia, which makes these areas a natural base if you’re towing a boat north for a holiday.
One thing you quickly learn about Shark Bay is that big water doesn’t necessarily mean deep water. There are plenty of shallow areas and extensive seagrass beds throughout the region, so keeping an eye on your depth and charts is important. When anchoring, it’s also worth taking the extra time to find bare sand rather than dropping the anchor onto seagrass or coral. Shark Bay contains marine park zones as well, so checking the latest fishing and boating restrictions before you head out should be part of the trip planning.
Then there’s the wind. Shark Bay can look absolutely perfect first thing in the morning and become a very different place once the breeze starts moving through. If you’re planning a full day on the water, check what the weather is expected to do later rather than only looking at the conditions when you launch.
Exmouth and Ningaloo
If there’s one northern destination that seems to appear on almost every WA boatie’s bucket list, it’s Exmouth, and it’s not difficult to understand why. With Exmouth Gulf on one side and Ningaloo Reef on the other, you’ve got access to two very different boating environments from the same town.
For anglers, there’s a huge variety of fishing available depending on your boat, experience and how far you want to travel. If fishing isn’t the only reason you’re there, Ningaloo gives you clear water, coral, snorkelling and the chance to see some of the marine life the region is famous for. It means you can spend one day focused entirely on fishing and the next cruising somewhere quieter with the family.
The great thing about Exmouth is that you don’t have to approach every day in the same way. Conditions might suit heading out on the Ningaloo side one morning, while another day could be better spent exploring the gulf. That flexibility is part of what makes bringing your own boat worthwhile.
It’s also a place where checking the weather before launching really matters. The distances involved can be significant and conditions can change quickly, so plan your day around the forecast rather than deciding where you want to go first and hoping the weather cooperates. Know your fuel range, understand where you’re launching and make sure someone knows where you’re planning to go, particularly if you’re heading further offshore.
And if you’ve driven all the way from Perth, give yourself enough time to enjoy it. Exmouth isn’t really somewhere you want to rush through over a couple of days. There’s simply too much water to explore.
The Kimberley
If Geraldton, Shark Bay and Exmouth are boating holidays, the Kimberley starts getting into proper expedition territory. This is one of the most remote and spectacular parts of WA, with red cliffs meeting the ocean, enormous river systems, islands, waterfalls, tidal creeks and stretches of coastline that are difficult to properly experience without getting onto the water.
The first thing to understand is that boating in the Kimberley requires a different level of preparation. Tides are a major part of boating here and can completely change the landscape over the course of a day. The region experiences some of the largest tidal movements in the world, creating strong currents and affecting everything from launching and navigation to where you can safely anchor. It’s one of those places where local knowledge and proper planning are worth far more than simply relying on what has worked for you back home.
There isn’t really one single place called “the Kimberley” that you launch from either. Depending on the trip you’re planning, you might base yourself around Broome, Derby or Wyndham, while Lake Argyle and Kununurra offer a completely different freshwater boating experience inland. More adventurous coastal trips can take you towards some of the landscapes the Kimberley is famous for, but the more remote you go, the more seriously you need to think about fuel, communications, tides, navigation and what happens if something goes wrong.
Wildlife is another consideration. Saltwater crocodiles occur throughout northern coastal waters, rivers and estuaries, so the usual habit of finding a quiet beach and jumping over the side isn’t something you want to do without knowing the area. Up here, asking locals, checking current information and understanding where you’re boating is part of the experience.
The Kimberley takes more planning, but that’s also part of what makes it special. If you’ve got the right boat, the experience and the preparation, it’s hard to imagine many places in Australia that offer the same sense of adventure.
So, Where Should You Take the Boat?
There’s no single answer because each destination offers something completely different. Geraldton is a great option if offshore fishing and the Abrolhos are calling your name, while Shark Bay suits boaties who want a mixture of fishing, exploring and long days cruising protected waters. Exmouth gives you the combination of Ningaloo, the gulf and some brilliant fishing, while the Kimberley is there when you’re ready to turn a boating holiday into something much bigger.
That variety is one of the best things about owning a trailer boat in WA. You don’t have to keep launching from the same ramp every weekend. Hook the boat up to the car and your options suddenly stretch for thousands of kilometres up the coast.
Before You Point the Car North
The further you travel, the more important it becomes to know your boat is ready before you leave. A small problem that is easy to sort out at home can become a much bigger headache when you’re hundreds of kilometres from your usual mechanic, and nobody wants to spend their Exmouth holiday trying to work out why the outboard suddenly isn’t running properly.
Before a big trip, give the whole setup a proper check. Make sure your servicing is up to date, inspect the trailer, tyres and wheel bearings, check your batteries and safety equipment and make sure you understand your actual fuel range. It’s also worth checking what fuel and boating facilities are available at your destination rather than assuming you’ll find everything when you arrive.
Weather and tides should be part of the planning too, particularly once you get into areas such as Shark Bay, Exmouth and the Kimberley. Conditions in northern WA can change quickly and some locations are extremely remote, so having a plan and letting someone know where you’re going is always worth the extra few minutes.
Maybe It’s Time to Take Your Boat Somewhere New
We’re pretty spoilt for choice as boaties in WA. You can spend years exploring the water close to Perth and still have an entirely different boating experience waiting for you as soon as you start travelling north.
You don’t have to make it all the way to the Kimberley on your first trip either. Start with Geraldton, keep Shark Bay on the list for the next holiday and maybe work your way towards Exmouth. Half the fun of owning a boat is discovering where it can take you.
And if a big northern trip has been sitting on your list for a while, make sure the boat is as ready for it as you are. At Chivers Marine, we’ve been helping WA boaties get out on the water since 1958. Whether you need to get your boat serviced before the trip, check your Yamaha outboard, sort out some new gear or you’ve started wondering whether your current boat is really the right setup for the adventures you want to do, come and have a chat with our team in Bibra Lake.
Then there’s only one question left.
How far north are you going?
