Onslow is a small Pilbara port on a lonely stretch of Western Australia's northwest coast. It is not pretty in the lush sense; the appeal is harsher and more elemental, with salt flats, red earth, wide beaches, and a horizon that feels enormous.
The town earns its place because it has three very different anchors close together. The full-moon "staircase to the moon" appears over the tidal flats, Old Onslow preserves the ruins of the first settlement, and the Mackerel Islands sit offshore with reefs, fishing, and bright water.
It works best for travellers already moving between Exmouth and Karratha, or for anyone who likes remote coast towns more than busy beach resorts. Bring a car and check conditions before counting on island trips.