Written by Christi Sparrow
Welcome to part five of our Western Australia road trip series! On this section of our travels, we spent five nights at Bullara Station, a fantastic accommodation option for an authentic outback experience and for visiting the Ningaloo Reef. This was our northernmost stop on our Western Australia road trip. Bullara Station is 1,170 kilometers from Perth, and it’s amazing to look back at how far we have traveled and how much we have seen over six weeks. Endless two-lane dirt roads, lots of story time podcasts, bottomless snacks and picnic lunches, tons of silly songs, breathtaking sunsets, kangaroos, a few emus, and even a porcupine have made our time on the road pretty epic so far.
The main attraction in this region is the spectacular Ningaloo Reef. A World Heritage Site, it’s home to the world’s largest fringing reef at 260 kilometers, (162 miles). From tropical fish to sea turtles to whale sharks to manta rays, there is an extensive, thriving ecosystem to explore along the Ningaloo coastline. Read on to learn about our accommodation at Bullara Station and our day trips to Coral Bay and Turquoise Bay along the stunning Ningaloo Reef.
Bullara Station
Situated about 70 kilometers north of Coral Bay and 90 kilometers south of Exmouth, Bullara Station is a well-positioned accommodation option for day trips to the Ningaloo Reef. And on days when we didn’t feel like venturing out, the station itself offers plenty to do.
A working outback cattle station, Bullara Station has been owned by the same family for three generations. It spans 250,000 acres and offers guests a relaxing and engaging experience. There is a hosted happy hour most evenings near the communal fire pit complete with fresh damper, (like an Australian soda bread which is baked over hot coals), and a curious kangaroo. The station hosts burger nights on Fridays, live music on the weekends, and various dinner cookouts each week.
We met several animal residents of the station during our stay: lambs, an emu, horses, and cows. There are well-marked walking trails to explore, too. I followed the scenic “windmill trail” for a couple of my morning runs. And we hiked the “beer bottle trail” to the top of a dark red sand dune to enjoy the sunset.
Perhaps my favorite spot was the lovely garden by the main homestead. Here we indulged in large lattes and a fresh, warm scone with jam and cream. Sitting in the shade of that tranquil garden was a relaxing place to plan our day trips. We visited Bullara Station in early August, and the temperatures hovered around 29 Celsius or 85 Fahrenheit, so it got quite hot!
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The station has campsites, rooms in the shearers’ lodge and “outcamp”, and two self-contained cottages. We camped our first two nights, (which, luckily, was made infinitely more comfortable with mattresses we borrowed from the station!). The shared facilities are well-maintained, clean, and quite enjoyable. For our remaining three nights, we stayed in the Cappock Cottage, a beautiful, self-contained, three-bedroom house with a private pool and fire pit. The extra space, (and air conditioning), felt like luxury after camping, but our favorite amenity was our fire pit. We cooked over that fire, dined around that fire, and watched the stars while cuddled up by that fire.
Just secluded enough to relax and create intimate family memories, but close enough to gorgeous day-trip spots, Bullara Station was a wonderful experience. We highly recommend it!
Ningaloo Reef: Coral Bay
Mostly caravan parks, accommodation, and a few shops, the tiny town of Coral Bay is located at the southern end of the Ningaloo Reef. It is aptly named for its immaculate bay which provides easy access to the expansive Ningaloo Reef just steps from the shoreline. From our accommodation at Bullara Station, we reached this popular Ningaloo Reef bay in about 45 minutes.
First and foremost, the reef was as complex and colorful and awe-inspiring as its reputation suggests. Just a few swim strokes from the shore, we came face-to-face with coral beds, tropical fish, anemones, starfish, and manta rays. The current is gentle and so it makes for a perfect snorkeling spot.
The calm, clear water is an idyllic beach spot for families no matter what your swimming abilities are. It was easy for Jay and I to take turns snorkeling along the colorful reef while the kids played safely in the gentle waves. Do look out for sting rays— we encountered a bluespotted ribbon tail ray in just a couple of feet of water!
Coral Bay offers fishing charters, glass-bottom boat tours, whale watching tours, and even aerial tours. But we were plenty satisfied to linger on the pristine beach and marvel at the spectacular reef with a snorkel.
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Ningaloo Reef: Turquoise Bay
On a second day trip from our accommodation at Bullara Station, we visited Turquoise Bay, another stunning spot along the Ningaloo Reef. We drove through Exmouth, past the Vlamingh Head Lighthouse, (which is also worth a stop!), and down the peninsula to Turquoise Bay.
At the risk of repeating myself, this was yet another picturesque, serene beach spot that lived up to its descriptive name. We set up our tent for some shade on the north end of the bay. At the Exmouth tourist info center, we had learned that the current can be quite strong at the south end.
Again the kids enjoyed a safe, calm, postcard-worthy spot for splashing and digging while Jay and I alternated turns with the snorkel. With lots of large areas covered in coral reef close to the shore, there was plenty to see. The sheer variety of fish was amazing. Jay even swam with a sea turtle! The water was a little chilly, but we didn’t need wetsuits, (and we didn’t see many others wearing wetsuits either). As we enjoyed our picnic lunch from our sandy tent looking out over the bay, it felt like a dream. Never before has a peanut butter sandwich tasted so good!
Closing Thoughts
When we left Perth six weeks earlier, our ultimate destination was Exmouth and the Ningaloo Reef. Honestly we weren’t sure we’d make it this far north, and we’re so glad and grateful that we did! Chloe and Camden have shown incredible flexibility and resilience. And Jay and I have (mostly) enjoyed planning and prioritizing our family’s activities. It takes continuous conversations and awareness to manage expectations and balance ambitious days with days dedicated to rest and recharging. We’re still figuring things out as we go!
The Coral Coast is truly spectacular. And alongside all the dramatic, amazing, and photogenic moments, I count myself lucky to have experienced countless simple, intimate, and moving moments with my family. The feelings of adventuring together, arriving at a new place, spotting our first emu, collecting shells on a beach, roasting marshmallows, and witnessing colorful sunsets are just a few of the special moments that come to mind.
Watch this space for the rest of our Western Australia road trip adventures as we head south towards Perth. Next stop— Denham and Monkey Mia!
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3 thoughts on “Western Australia Family Road Trip Part Five: Bullara Station & Ningaloo Reef”
This is my dream, to travel with my family for a year. Australia looks like a wonderful family friendly place to tour around. Your photos really capture the essence of your adventure. That blue colour of the ocean at Ningaloo Reef is so inviting, I could use a warm weather swim about now.
Hi Donna! Thank you for your message! Australia is a magical place. So much to see and do. We hope you make it there one day! If you would like to learn more about how we planned our family trip, we have a blog that breaks down the steps we took the several months leading up to our departure. You can read it here: https://puddlesandpassports.com/travel-for-a-year-with-your-family/
Amazing post, Australia is a very beautiful country. I hope one day be able to visit with my family. Thanks for sharing your travel experience.