Guide to visiting the iconic Wave Rock, Australia

Wave Rock is an impressive rock formation that looks like a breaking wave. 4 hours drive East of Perth it could be doable as a day trip but best explored along with a night out in the Golden Outback.

How to get to Wave Rock

It’s a 4 hour drive from Perth on relatively good road. While some roads become dirt tracks this was only for a short while and my 2 wheel drive managed perfectly. I would advise having jump leads and break down cover, however, I had no phone service 30 minutes outside of Perth so if I had broken down not too sure how I would’ve called the helpline!

Ensure you have plenty of petrol for the trip, there are a few fuel stations in Hyden (where Wave Rock is situated) so you can fill up before your return journey. Also bring plenty of water and snacks for this trip.

Where to stay

If staying overnight I would recommend camping at Wave Rock Resort as it means you can visit the Rock at night and see the Milky Way! As I was travelling on my own I didn’t feel comfortable camping alone so I stayed at the Wave Rock Motel down the road which was really lovely. And I guess I didn’t miss too much as it was a cloudy night and no chance of seeing the Milky Way but that is luck of the draw!

How much does it cost to visit Wave Rock?

Entrance fee for Wave Rock is $12 per vehicle so if you’re travelling in a group this is very cheap!

Wave Rock

It is a very short walk from the car park to the main attraction. If you want to stretch your legs a bit more you can walk on top of the rock or the 5km loop to Hippos Yawn which is also fun to look at.

What else is there to do by Wave Rock?

I went to the salt lake and paid an extra $10 to visit this but I would not recommend. The pools aren’t finished being built, there was a weird smell and what looked like an abandoned resort.

I wish I had went to Mulga’s Caves instead to see ancient Aborigine paintings as it’s only a 10 minute drive away.

What to Eat

Out in the outback there is limited food options. The Wave Rock Motel has a cook your own protein option where you can buy a steak and cook it on the BBQ. After a 4 hour drive from Perth I was pretty tired so just grabbed a Mrs Mac’s Pie from the servo next door. Perks of staying in a motel is there was a fridge and microwave so I could have grabbed a ready meal from the IGA down the road. While you won’t find big supermarkets like Coles or Woolworths in these remote towns there is usually an IGA which is expensive but you can get what you need.

Where to go next?

As as I said, you could visit Wave Rock from Perth as a trip in its own right but I stopped here on my first night down to Esperance. I’m really pleased I took this route rather than through Margaret River as it was quick and meant I could see a different kind of scenery and atmosphere to the city and beach towns of Australia.