Pilbara’s Warlu Way added to top 100 Australian road trips

A nearly 3000km road trip through the picturesque Pilbara landscape has been named as one of the top 100 road trips in Australia.

The Australian Traveller magazine announced the Warlu Way, named after a spirit snake featured in Pilbara creation stories, as one of its top road trips on May 10.

The Warlu Way follows follows the path of the Dreamtime Warlu serpent that emerged from the ocean and travelled through the region creating its remarkable land forms.

A Warlu Way application developed by the Pilbara Tourism Association was launched last year and gives users four driving routes, tourist information and directions to sites and businesses, and sends notifications in case of emergencies such as cyclones, bushfires or floods.

The coastal route explores the Pilbara coast, showcasing the Mackerel Islands, Dampier Archipelago and Murujuga National Park, while the inland route explores red rock gorges, pastoral station stays and Karijini National Park.

The Manuwarra “Red Dog” Highway route links Murujuga to the national parks of Millstream Chichester and Karijini, and the East Pilbara Geo-heritage Trail links Karijini to Port Hedland and other Pilbara geographical features.

Australia’s North West Tourism chief executive Natasha Mahar said it was exciting to see the region increasingly receiving the recognition it deserved.

“The Pilbara’s an epic experience for travellers with world-class attractions like the Mackerel Islands and Dampier Archipelago off the coast, Karijini and Millstream Chichester National Parks inland, and the remarkable Indigenous art collection at Murujuga National Park,” she said.

Australian Traveller managing director Quentin Long said the Warlu Way connected ancient First Nations culture and modern Australia.