There's a fast way to get anywhere in WA, and then there's the long way round. We almost always take the long one. And if you're planning your first proper road trip, our strong opinion is that you should too.
The fast way gets you there. The long way gets you the stories. Here's what it's looked like for us, from a roadside honesty box to the red cliffs and stars of Shark Bay, and how to plan a trip that leaves room for the good stuff.
No servo. No staff. Just an honesty box.
The long way is where you find an honesty box on the side of the road. A table with eggs, gifts and homemade spreads, a tin for the money, and a bit of trust between strangers. Nobody watching. Nobody needed.
You rarely spot one from the highway. They turn up on the back roads, when you're not in a hurry. So carry some coins, pull over when you see one, and leave the right money. That's how they stay there for the next person.
No servo. No staff. Just an honesty box.
Where the red meets the blue
The long way is also where the red cliffs of Cape Peron drop straight into turquoise water, out at the tip of Shark Bay. Red earth, white sand and that blue, all in one look. You stand there for a while and don't say much.
Getting there means sand tracks inside François Peron National Park, so it's a 4WD-only run. Check the park page for access and track conditions first, let your tyres down before the soft stuff, and travel with another rig if it's your first time on sand. Then get in the water. The shallows under the cliffs are clear and green, which is perfect for a paddleboard if you've got room on the roof.
A sky full of stars
And the long way is where, once the fire's down and the torches are off, the sky fills up with stars. More than you knew were up there. That's Shark Bay, January 2025: a Prado with a rooftop tent, and the Milky Way right over it.
To see it properly, get away from town lights, turn every torch off and give your eyes a good while to adjust. Lie back on a Maasai shuka or a swag and just look up. No app needed. (Browse our accessories for camp throws.)
How to plan the long way round
- Build in slack. Plan fewer kilometres a day than you think, so you can stop when something's worth stopping for.
- Take the back road once a day. That's where the honesty boxes, the lookouts and the roadhouse yarns are.
- Carry cash and coins. For honesty boxes and small country stops.
- Arrive before dark. Camp's easier to set up in daylight, and the stars are better when you're settled.
- Check before you go. Park access, closures and conditions change, so look them up on the official pages, not old forum posts.
Why it's on a tee
That's what the Namelok tee is about. Namelok is Samburu/Maasai for beautiful woman, and the back carries our own artwork of a Maasai woman. She belongs to wide horizons and long roads, and she's never in a hurry to be anywhere but here. It's for the women who lead the convoy, read the map and dream up the next trip before this one's over. Some things are worth the detour. See the whole Namelok range.
Your takeaway
Next trip, add a day. Take the back road. Stop at the honesty box. Stay up for the stars. You'll get there a bit later and come home with a lot more to talk about. If you want a taste of what happens when the road runs out, read where the road floods.
Questions we get asked
Where is Cape Peron?
Cape Peron is at the tip of the Peron Peninsula in Shark Bay, WA, inside François Peron National Park. It's where red cliffs drop straight into turquoise water. Check the park page for access and track conditions before you go.
What is a roadside honesty box?
A table on the side of a country road with local goods, like eggs, gifts and homemade spreads, and a tin for the money. There's no staff. You take what you want, leave the right money, and keep the trust going for the next traveller.
What does Namelok mean?
Namelok is Samburu/Maasai for beautiful woman. The back of our Namelok tee carries our own artwork of a Maasai woman, made for the women who lead the convoy, read the map and plan the next trip.