Meekatharra: Museum, Trails and the Outback

Meekatharra invites you to make local history and landscape the focus of your trip. In town, walking and driving trails lead to stories and historic buildings; beyond town, you’ll find granite formations, a habitat for diverse plant life and a confirmed meteorite crater. This lets you choose between discoveries in town and destinations in the surrounding area, rather than limiting Meekatharra to a single type of outing.

Discover stories in town

The Meekatharra Museum is located in the Shire of Meekatharra building on Main Street, inside the library. It contains more than 100 photographs and memorabilia from life in Meekatharra, as well as a collection of locally made quilts. The exhibits offer several ways to learn about the town: photographs and memorabilia tell stories of life in Meekatharra, while the quilts showcase local handiwork. If you enjoy including culture and everyday history in your travels, you can make the museum a dedicated stop on your visit to town.

The Meeka Heritage Walk Trail also focuses on Meekatharra’s history, offering insights into the town’s old buildings. The Meekatharra Drive Trail runs through and around Meekatharra, with information boards explaining the significance of each location. The drive takes approximately two hours, and a 4WD vehicle is not required. The two trails offer different experiences: the Heritage Walk focuses on old buildings, while the drive provides information about several locations.

Explore on foot or by car

The Meeka Creek Trail is an easy 3-kilometre walking trail around Meekatharra Creek. Its 17 information boards tell stories about Meekatharra. The trail combines exercise with local stories, without requiring a longer drive. If you’re looking for a more relaxed activity, you can include the walk in your itinerary; if you’d like to learn about several locations, the Drive Trail offers another way to explore. Each trail gives you a different impression of Meekatharra.

When looking for a holiday rental in Meekatharra, it may help to consider the focus of your trip: would you like to set aside time for the museum and trails in town, or include destinations outside Meekatharra as well? The town’s attractions and the more distant landscape destinations cater to different interests.

Granite, plants and a meteorite crater

Peace Gorge is 3 kilometres outside Meekatharra on the Landor-Meekatharra Road. It is a picnic and self-contained camping area, known for its granite rock formations. The rocks define the character of this destination and provide a clear contrast with the historic buildings and cultural experiences in town.

Mount Yagahong is 40 kilometres southeast of Meekatharra along the Meekatharra-Sandstone Road. More than 70 species of native plants grow there, including the bush tucker plants Wild Pear and Cogla. Barlangi Rock is 75 kilometres along the same road and lies at the centre of one of Australia’s 27 confirmed meteorite craters. If you’re interested in plants or geological features, you can consider these destinations as separate interests for an outing. The distances also make clear that these destinations are outside town.

Getting to know Meekatharra as a destination

Meekatharra is located on the Great Northern Highway. Transwa coaches stop on Main Street in the heart of town. Main Street is therefore a useful landmark for arriving by bus; the museum is also located on this street. Meekatharra is also the terminus of the Kingsford Smith Mail Run: the 834-kilometre 4WD route runs from Carnarvon on the west coast to Meekatharra, mostly along gravel roads. This route offers a different perspective on the region from the trails in town.

The Spirit of Meekatharra is an annual celebration for locals and visitors. The event was formerly known as the Meekatharra Outback Festival. If you’re interested in local events, this celebration is part of the town’s identity; its former name also helps put older references into context. Together with the museum, trails and destinations in the surrounding area, it makes Meekatharra a destination whose appeal lies in a range of very different discoveries.

Discover more places

More destination pages: Glen Forrest, Denham, Schroeder, Leeming, Chidlow, Kinross, Meadow Springs, Kalgan.

For the broader travel overview: Western Australia.