From the crossroads township of Norseman head south to Esperance, north to Kalgoorlie, westwards to Hyden and Wave Rock, or east across the Nullarbor. Note the 300km road from Hyden and Wave Rock to Norseman is unsealed, but is suitable for 2WD vehicles in dry conditions. Check at Norseman or Hyden before setting out.

Stretch your legs at the Beacon Hill Mararoa Lookout, where there's a walking trail, and stop at the Historical Museum (Battery Rd; adult/child $3/1; h10am-1pm Mon-Sat). Pick up the Dundas Coach Road Heritage Trail brochure, for a 50km loop drive with interpretive panels.

Norseman to Eucla

Around the 100km mark from Norseman is Fraser Range Station (%08-9039 3210; www.fraserrangestation.com.au; unpowered/powered sites $22/30, budget s/tw/d/f $55/95/95/120, cottage r $155) with heritage buildings and a camping ground. Next is Balladonia (193km), where the Balladonia Hotel Motel (%08-9039 3453; www.balladoniahotelmotel.com.au; unpowered/powered sites $19/28, dm $50, r from $130; ais) has a small museum including debris from Skylab's 1979 nearby return to earth.

Balladonia to Cocklebiddy is around 210km. The first 160km to Caiguna includes Australia's longest stretch of straight road (145km), ending at Caiguna's John Eyre Motel (%08-9039 3459; caigunarh@bigpond.com; unpowered/powered sites $20/25, d $85-120, tr/q $130/140; a).

Birds Australia's Eyre Bird Observatory (%08-9039 3450; www.birdlife.org.au/visit-us/observatories/eyre; full board adult/child $90/45) is in the isolated 1897 former Eyre Telegraph Station, 50km south of Cocklebiddy. Book ahead for accommodation. Day visitors are welcome ($10 per vehicle), but the last 10km are soft sand and 4WD accessible only; 2WD travellers who want to stay can arrange pick-up with the wardens. There's no camping.

At Madura, 91km east of Cocklebiddy and near the spectacular Hampton Tablelands, the Madura Pass Oasis Inn (%08-9039 3464; maduraoasis@bigpond.com; unpowered/powered sites $15/25, r $105-125; as) has a very welcome pool.

In Mundrabilla, 116km further east, the Mundrabilla Motel Hotel (%08-9039 3465; mundrabilla@bigpond.com.au; unpowered/powered sites $20/25, r $80-110; a) has cheaper fuel prices than roadhouses further west.

Just before the SA border is Eucla, surrounded by stunning sand dunes and pristine beaches. Visit the atmospheric ruins of the 1877 telegraph station, 5km south of town and gradually being engulfed by the dunes; the remains of the old jetty are a 15-minute walk beyond. The Eucla Motor Hotel (%08-9039 3468; euclamotel@bigpond.com; unpowered/powered sites $10/20, r $45-110; a) has good camping and spacious rooms.

In 1898 sleepy Coolgardie was the third-biggest town in WA, with a population of 15,000, six newspapers, two stock exchanges, more than 20 hotels and three breweries. It all took off just hours after Arthur Bayley rode into Southern Cross in 1892 and dumped 554oz of Coolgardie gold on the mining warden's counter. The only echoes that remain are stately historic buildings lining the uncharacteristically wide main road.

With well-preserved historic buildings, Kalgoorlie-Boulder is an outback success story, and is still the centre for mining in this part of the state.

Historically, mine workers would come straight to town to spend up at Kalgoorlie's infamous brothels, or at pubs staffed by 'skimpies' (scantily clad female bar staff). Today 'Kal' is definitely more family-friendly – mine workers must reside in town and cannot be transient 'fly-in, fly-out' labour.

It still feels a bit like the Wild West though, and the heritage pubs and 'skimpy' bar staff are reminders of a more rambunctious past.

There are historical and modern mining sites to discover, and Kalgoorlie is a good base from which to explore the ghost towns in the surrounding area.

Kanowna, Broad Arrow & Ora Banda

Easy day trips north from Kalgoorlie include the gold ghost towns of Kanowna (18km northeast), Broad Arrow (38km north) and Ora Banda (65km northwest). Little remains of Kanowna apart from the foundations of its 16 hotels (!), but its pioneer cemetery is interesting. Broad Arrow was featured in The Nickel Queen (1971), the first full-length feature film made in WA. At the beginning of the 20th century it had a population of 2400. Now there's just one pub, popular with Kal locals at weekends. The 1911 Ora Banda Historical Inn (%08-9024 2444; www.orabanda.com.au; sites per 2 people $20-30, r $75-120) has a beer garden, simple accommodation and dusty camping.

Menzies & Lake Ballard

The once thriving but now tiny township of Menzies, 132km from Kalgoorlie, is best known as the turn-off for the stunning Antony Gormley sculptures on Lake Ballard, an eye-dazzling salt lake 51km northwest of town. Camp here for free. There are toilets and a barbecue area.

The Menzies visitor centre (%08-9024 2702; www.menzies.wa.gov.au; Shenton St; h9am-4.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat & Sun; iW) has information on visiting the sculptures and other local sites, and runs the neighbouring caravan park (%08 9024 2702, after hours 0448 242 041; sites per 2 people $22-30). It also houses the Spinifex Art Gallery, exhibiting works from the Tjuntjuntjarra community, located 750km to the east.

Kookynie

Midway between Menzies and Leonora, a good dirt road leads 25km to Kookynie, another interesting ghost town, where the Kookynie Grand Hotel (%08-9031 3010; puseymin@bigpond.com; s/d $80/100) pulls pints and offers beds. Quiet Niagara Dam, 10km from Kookynie, has bush camping.

Leonora

North of Kookynie (237km from Kalgoorlie), Leonora is the area's service centre for mining exploration and farming. Old public buildings and pubs line the main street near the visitor centre (%08-9037 7016; www.leonora.wa.gov.au; Tower St; h9am-4pm Mon-Fri). Just 4km southwest of town, Gwalia Historic Site was occupied in 1896 and deserted in 1963, after the pit closed. With houses and household goods disintegrating intact, it's a strangely fascinating ghost town. The museum (www.gwalia.org.au; adult/child $10/5; h9am-4pm) is full of wonderful curios, and there's a good audio tour ($2). Hoover House (%08-9037 7122; www.gwalia.org.au; s $120-150, d $130-160; a), the 1898 mine manager's house, is named for Gwalia's first mine manager, Herbert Hoover, who later became the 31st president of the United States. It's beautifully restored, and you can stay overnight in one of three antique-strewn bedrooms.

Laverton

Laverton crouches on the edge of the Great Victoria Desert. The visitor centre (%08-9031 1361; www.laverton.wa.gov.au; Augusta St; h9.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat & Sun) is combined with the Great Beyond – Explorers' Hall of Fame (adult/child $10/5), which uses technology to tell pioneer stories. The not-for-profit Laverton Outback Gallery (www.laverton-outback-gallery.com.au; 4 Euro St; h9am-5pm) is a great place to purchase paintings, necklaces, woomeras and boomerangs – 80% of the price goes straight to the Aboriginal artist.

Laverton marks the start of the Outback Way. Expect to overnight and/or stock up on supplies of fuel and water here, and definitely check at the visitor centre for current road conditions.

Outback Way (Great Central Road)

The unsealed Outback Way (www.outbackway.org.au) links Laverton with Winton in central Queensland, via the red centre of the Northern Territory. From Laverton it is a mere 1098km to Yulara, 1541km to Alice Springs and 2720km to Winton!

The road is sandy and corrugated in places, but it's wide and suitable for all vehicles. It can be closed for several days after rain. Fuel is available at roughly 300km intervals on the WA side.

Coming from Laverton, three WA roadhouses (www.ngaanyatjarraku.wa.gov.au) all provide food, fuel and limited mechanical services – Tjukayirla (%08-9037 1108; tjukayirlaroadhouse@bigpond.com; unpowered/powered sites $20/30, s $75, units $120-160; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-2pm Sat & Sun) at 315km, Warburton (%08-8956 7656) at 567km and Warakurna (%08-8956 7344; warakurnaroadhouse@bigpond.com) at 798km. All offer camping (around $25 per person), budget rooms (around $70) and self-contained units (around $160). Book ahead as rooms are limited. The Tjukayirla roadhouse offers tours to caves with 5000-year-old rock art.

At Warburton visit the Tjulyuru Cultural & Civic Centre (%08-8956 7966; www.tjulyuru.com; h8.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri) containing an extensive collection of Ngaanyatjarra Aboriginal paintings.

Warakurna, Warburton and Giles run on NT time, 1½ hours ahead of WA time.