Hey Crew
I'm looking at going to Exmouth for a weeks holiday over Xmas (probably leave Sat 21 Dec). It will be me and the fam - 2 adults, one 7 year old and one 8 month old. I'm thinking to drive up and get accomodation up there. I'll be going mostly to kiteboard but am also wanting to keep it interesting for everyone.
If anyone can give any advice on where to go, what to do, where to stay etc... any useful info at all would be much appreciated.
Also good location options for the first nights stay on the drive up and the drive back (possibly camping or motel type).
Cheers !
Just spent two weeks up there with two small children.
We stopped at the watersun caravan park in a shalet overnight to break it up, also its on the outskirts of Carnarvon so you don't have to drive in there....from someone who grew up there not recommended, something seriously amiss about that place.
We stayed at the yardie creek caravan park as it is close to some spots and the park. If you are going to go into the park heaps (which I recommend) get a 40 dollar pass from the tourist bureau as its a pain to line up to pay to go in every time.
Kids will love sandy bay and turquoise bay. Also their is the dunes accessed from the northern side of the peninsula.
The rest you will fill in once you are there.
Enjoy.
Take everything you've got, and go for as long as you can.
If there is a better place on earth, I haven't found it
Take plenty o beer it's expensive up there and hard to keep cool (dry ice would be the go).
There's a cheap/free river campsite on the way up, we camped there both ways. Forget the name, but it was a highlight of the drive for us, so nice to cool down in fresh water and escape the flies for a while. Was about 20 mins west of the highway.
...just back from 2 weeks up there. ..We had a 7yo and 10yo and 13yo.. Was our first time so I'm no expert .. but we had a fantastic trip.
Re accoms +1 for Yardie creek homestead caravan park. We camped there but if you have a small one I would recommend a cabin or chalet. In Oct chalet was approx. $200pn, Cabin $160pn, Powered site $40pn. Its got a pool as well so you can cool of its hot up there. The kids loved it. I think its better than staying in town because you are closer to the Nat Park and all of the beautiful beaches and kite spots. At the same time its only 30min drive into town for your Caf?? Latte etc.
Re the drive up .. that's a tricky one . there is nothing good on the way. Geralton is too close to Perth and Canarvon is too close to Exmouth. We left at 4pm and got half way ( Overlander ) at approx. 1am . slept in the car for a few hours and then pressed on at sun up . Got to Exmouth approx. 12noon. This was bloody difficult but we managed to kite at Sandy bay that arvo.
I think next time we will prob leave at 4am and get there late arvo.. drive straight thru if you can and max the time you have up there... !!
The camp spot recommended by Kiteboy Dave sounds interesting ... More info please Kiteboy ??
Re beer and supplies ... its not too expensive up there (compared to Perth) carton approx. $5 extra. 2 IGA's up there so u don't need to take much with u.
I'm interested to know what it is like up there at Xmas .. does anyone know what its like then .... wind ? Weather ? crowd ?
Enjoy !!
Xmas can be hot so aicon can be handy. One year you will be in jumpers by 5pm but others you will swelter all night it just depends on the wind. You can garentee town will be extremely hot so stay on the west side and hope the seabreeze comes in.
As for places to stop on the way up drummonds cove caravan park have decent chalets or you can camp on the river north of kalbarri (forgotten the name) or 70km south of billabong roadhouse is another decent camp ground. Billabong and overlander also have rooms available.
Beer, maybe I'm thinking of coral bay. We were skint (on long honeymoon) and Exmouth was mostly closed when we drove thru to nat park thanks to my mate noodling around packing up camp. Stayed in nat park 4 days (van/tent) and then drove back south. On the 3rd day we had nothing but warmish water left to drink. I lent my kite to a guy to try, later he gave me a cold stubby. It was the best stubby I've had in my life. Being generous I took it back and my mate and my wife and I all drank 1/3 each like lost explorers in the desert.
Snorkelling dawn and dusk and kiting in the avo was awesome, all worthwhile.
I'll try to remember the river, but I doubt it's an even 1/2 way. We took a few days going each way.
There was a big rest stop approx 50k's north of overlander . Just off the side of the road..I don't know what it was called... I stopped there for my morning ablutions .. Just in the nic of time . Quiet a few people camping there . V nice long drop... Would be worth checking out.
Don't worry moons I have some cold water, cloudy skies and naf wind waiting for you back home. See ya soon
I think I might try and join the merry band of Seabreeze nutters, trolls, gear sl*ts (thats you Eppo) and frothers for the Northern Adventure next year! Sounds like fun
Yeah there is a good camp on the murchison river bridge crossover. Maybe 10ks north of Binnu. Galena is actually an old lead mine, the first mine in the state and is about 15ks off the Nw highway along the murch towards Kalbarri. Rough dirt tracks. Interesting spot and Warribano chimney is nearby which is the old smelter on top of a hill. Huge structure.
There is also another good organised, free, camp spot maybe 50ks south of billabong roadhouse.. Huge amounts of qandong trees there for those into there bush tucker.
Can't resist saying that one of my all time favourite downwinders is from Sandy Bay to Turquoise Bay. Did it on a 12m Evo with a North Nugget. Sweet as. Waves (4-5 feet) all the way. Warm. Coral underneath. Long flat patches between sets. And no one else. And wifey waiting with cold beers at Turquoise. Who wouldn't want to live in WA?
So is the seabreeze forecast for Exmouth usually pretty accurate? I'm thinking about heading down next week but at this point its looking a little light on.
I left my credit card at brumby's and didn't realise until I went to pay for the next two tanks of diesel 8hrs away...
Loving this thread, heading up to Exmouth myself on monday to go kiting and then slowly head back south again (got about a month). If anybody needs a ride or something let me know!
Camping in the park is good, Osprey Bay is right next to Sandy Bay $7.50 per Adult per day. Mesa Camp is closer to town and has a good launching beach that you can drive on (4x4 let your tyres down).
Planning out a family Exmouth trip for 2014. Best bet for kiting from you experienced Exmouth peoples - May, June, or September?
Old fishing bloke at the camp ground (who has been there every year for the past 30 years ) said "Sept is the start of the 100 days of wind" ... Yeeeeow !!