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Voykit pocket guide · Australia
Karratha
Two nights is enough: one afternoon for the Murujuga rock art at Ngajarli, one for Dampier and Hearson's Cove. Skip it unless you have a car.
Karratha is a modern mining and gas town built from 1968, not a resort. Almost everything worth seeing sits on the Burrup Peninsula 15–30 km northwest, so a rental car decides your trip. Come for the 47,000-year-old engravings at Ngajarli (Deep Gorge), the Dampier coast and the staircase-to-the-moon tides, then move on east to Port Hedland or west toward Exmouth.
- Country
- Australia
- Best months
- May–Aug (cooler, drier months)
- Avoid
- Dec–Mar (hot, humid and most rain); check cyclone warnings before coastal or peninsula drives
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- AUD
- Money
- Currency is the Australian dollar (AUD, A$). Contactless cards and phones are accepted almost everywhere, including public transport in the big cities; some small cafes are card-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget A$120–180 excl. bed · Mid A$180–280 excl. bed · High A$280+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telstra has the widest outback coverage; Optus and Vodafone (TPG) are cheaper and fine in cities and along highways.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 000 · From a mobile 112
- Plugs
- Types I · 230 V · 50 Hz · Angled two- or three-pin Type I, shared with NZ, Fiji and China; sockets have their own switch — turn it on.
- Tipping
- Cafés and casual meals: Nothing; a tip jar is optional.; Restaurants: Not expected; 10% for very good service in a nice restaurant if you wish.; Taxi / rideshare: Round up or nothing.; Tours and guides: Optional; A$10–20 for a great day guide.; Surcharges: Weekend and public-holiday surcharges of 10–15% are legal if shown on the menu.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in cities and towns; in remote places use signed drinking taps. Carry plenty on any outback drive or walk.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets in parks, beaches, shopping centres and petrol stations (servos); the National Public Toilet Map app lists them.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | 2026 estimate: check |
| Pub or bistro main | 2026 estimate: check |
| Beer at a pub or bottle shop | 2026 estimate: check |
| Supermarket shop for two, one day | 2026 estimate: check |
| Leisureplex casual pool or gym drop-in | 2026 estimate: check |
| Fuel, unleaded per litre | 2026 estimate: check |
| Airport to town taxi | 2026 estimate: check |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- KTA · Karratha Airport
- 14 km northwest of town, 5 km southeast of Dampier; car rental desks in the terminal8.7 mi northwest of town, 3.1 mi southeast of Dampier; car rental desks in the terminal
Typical fares
- Airport → Karratha town centre, taxi
- Fare and journey time: check
- PTA bus between Dampier and Karratha
- About 45 min; 2–3 services a day (check current timetable)
- Perth → Karratha flight
- About 2 h non-stop; current fares: check
Get around
You need your own wheels. Rent at the airport; 2WD reaches Ngajarli, Hearson's Cove and Mount Wongama, but the rough north-coast tracks to Conzinc Bay and Aremvee Beach need high-clearance 4WD. PTA buses 880/881 run 2–3 times a day between Dampier, Karratha, Roebourne, Wickham and Point Samson (about 45 min Dampier–Karratha); the stop is outside the shopping centre on Welcome Rd. Taxis wait at the shopping centre.
See and do
Known for
- Murujuga National Park rock engravings
- Ngajarli (Deep Gorge) boardwalk
- Dampier and the Burrup Peninsula
- Staircase to the moon tides
- Iron ore and North West Shelf gas
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Dampier and Hearson's Cove | Drive northwest from Karratha; check route and conditions before departure. | Check |
| Ngajarli (Deep Gorge), Murujuga National Park | Drive the Burrup Peninsula route; check road access before departure. | Check |
| Roebourne, Cossack and Point Samson | Drive east on the North West Coastal Highway and follow the local turn-offs. | Check |
| Montebello Islands | No scheduled service is confirmed; check for boat tours and access. | Multi-day |
Sleep
- Karratha town centre (Welcome Rd / Sharpe Ave)
- Walk to the shopping centre, cafés and the bus stop; the practical base without a car.
- Baynton and Nickol
- Holiday-park cabins and motels off Dampier Hwy, 3–5 km west; needs a car. Check current availability.Holiday-park cabins and motels off Dampier Hwy, 1.9–3.1 mi west; needs a car. Check current availability.
- Dampier
- Caravan park and the closest beds to Hearson's Cove and the peninsula; very quiet at night.
- Point Samson and Cossack
- Coastal village rooms 40–50 min east; Cossack has basic accommodation. Use only if you want beach time, not town services.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thanks |
| Where is the toilet? | Where's the toilet? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Is it safe to swim here? | Is it safe to swim here? |
| How far to the next fuel? | How far to the next fuel? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake or 'G'day' / 'How are you going?'; first names from the start; avoid: Formal titles; long answers to 'how are you'
- Rounds: Buy your round ('shout') when drinking in a group; avoid: Leaving before your shout
- Queues: Queue patiently; sitting in the front seat of a taxi when alone is common; avoid: Pushing in — it is noticed
- Country: Listen to Welcomes and Acknowledgements; use local place names when offered; avoid: Touching artefacts or photographing ceremonies without permission
- Beach: Swim between the flags; respect lifesavers' instructions; avoid: Swimming at unpatrolled beaches alone
- Humour: Expect teasing and understatement; laugh along; avoid: Taking dry sarcasm literally or boasting
- Walking and driving: Keep left on footpaths and escalators; wave thanks to drivers who let you in; avoid: Stopping on the road to photograph kangaroos
Scams and watch-outs
- Summer heat can be severe. Carry water, start drives early and check conditions before setting out.
- Mobile coverage is patchy beyond Karratha and Dampier; check coverage before remote drives.
- Keep to the Ngajarli boardwalk and follow signs protecting the engravings.
- Cyclone season is roughly Nov–Apr; check warnings before coastal or peninsula drives.
- Swim at Hearson's Cove only when conditions and tide are suitable.
Karratha is a working mining town and generally safe; the real risks are heat, long empty drives and patchy phone coverage. Lock the car, keep water in it, and tell someone your route before heading up the peninsula.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Karratha yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Murujuga National Park rock engravings
- Ngajarli (Deep Gorge) boardwalk
- Dampier and the Burrup Peninsula
- Staircase to the moon tides
- Iron ore and North West Shelf gas
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Karratha is Calling — official visitor centre: www.karrathaiscalling.com.au/
- City of Karratha: karratha.wa.gov.au/
- Karratha Airport: karrathaairport.com.au/
- Integrity Coach Lines: www.integritycoachlines.com.au/
- Wikivoyage: Karratha, revision 5277225 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5277225
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/karratha). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.