Ningaloo Reef...Exmouth or Coral Bay? Sites along the way?
Feb 22nd, 2010, 10:14 PM
#1
Ningaloo Reef...Exmouth or Coral Bay? Sites along the way?
I'm in the very early stages of planning a Western Australia road trip, concentrating on the areas between Perth and Exmouth.
We've arranged the trip to coincide with whale shark season and plan to spend some time exploring Ningaloo Reef.
My first of many questions...which provides better access to Ningaloo Reef, Exmouth in the north or Coral Bay in the south - or does it matter?
I'm looking for a dive operator that specializes in small group diving - suggestions much appreciated. I'd also welcome any suggestions on what to see and do between Perth and Coral Bay (or Exmouth).
We've arranged the trip to coincide with whale shark season and plan to spend some time exploring Ningaloo Reef.
My first of many questions...which provides better access to Ningaloo Reef, Exmouth in the north or Coral Bay in the south - or does it matter?
I'm looking for a dive operator that specializes in small group diving - suggestions much appreciated. I'd also welcome any suggestions on what to see and do between Perth and Coral Bay (or Exmouth).
Feb 23rd, 2010, 12:19 PM
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Hi Mel,
I absolutely loved Ningaloo Reef - it's one of my favourite spots (probably after King's Canyon). We camped at Cape Range National Park near Exmouth and so that is where we went into the Reef. We were on a 12 month trip around the country and at that stage were heading south down the WA coastline, so that is why we headed in from Exmouth.
We didn't do any diving but I'm envious that you will be and that you'll have a chance to spend time with the beautiful whale sharks. We did do plenty of snorkelling though and had a wonderful time. The beaches are beautiful.
I understand there is a resort there now so not sure how that's affected the pristine-ness of the place.
We did love Coral Bay as well but preferred Ningaloo Reef. On the way up near Carnarvon is a little place called Quobba - they have huge king waves and a fantastic blow hole. We spent quite a few hours poking around there and I'm sure there is a memorial to the H.M.A.S. Sydney there ( small plaque) - but at that time of course, it's final resting place was unknown.
Kalbarri National Park, north of Geraldton is also a beautiful place to visit.
Will you have a 4WD Mel? Sometimes it's worthwhile to just follow a road out to the coast to see where you end up - my husband loves doing that. What about fishing? Lots of that along the coast as well.
Really, that whole stretch of coast is gorgeous - you won't be disappointed.
I absolutely loved Ningaloo Reef - it's one of my favourite spots (probably after King's Canyon). We camped at Cape Range National Park near Exmouth and so that is where we went into the Reef. We were on a 12 month trip around the country and at that stage were heading south down the WA coastline, so that is why we headed in from Exmouth.
We didn't do any diving but I'm envious that you will be and that you'll have a chance to spend time with the beautiful whale sharks. We did do plenty of snorkelling though and had a wonderful time. The beaches are beautiful.
I understand there is a resort there now so not sure how that's affected the pristine-ness of the place.
We did love Coral Bay as well but preferred Ningaloo Reef. On the way up near Carnarvon is a little place called Quobba - they have huge king waves and a fantastic blow hole. We spent quite a few hours poking around there and I'm sure there is a memorial to the H.M.A.S. Sydney there ( small plaque) - but at that time of course, it's final resting place was unknown.
Kalbarri National Park, north of Geraldton is also a beautiful place to visit.
Will you have a 4WD Mel? Sometimes it's worthwhile to just follow a road out to the coast to see where you end up - my husband loves doing that. What about fishing? Lots of that along the coast as well.
Really, that whole stretch of coast is gorgeous - you won't be disappointed.
Feb 23rd, 2010, 02:19 PM
#5
Thanks stormbird. I'll add Quobba to my wishlist.
We're actually one diver and one landlubber, but I might be talked into a bit a snorkeling.
Unfortunately, we won't have a 4WD, as we're driving up from Perth in our Toyota, but we're not adverse to taking a 4WD tour if the opportunity presents itself. As I reserarch, I'm taking note of which parks are 4WD access only so we won't be surprised when we get there.
I'm trying to come up with a reasonable driving itinerary, covering the Pinnacles, Geraldton, Kalbarri, Monkey Mia, Carnarvon, Coral Bay, Exmouth and the national parks and marine reserves surrounding them - there and back in 16 days.
I'm also toying with the idea of staying in country pubs, but
I haven't gotten that far yet.
A friend suggested Karijini National Park, but it looks to be a major detour from the coast and I doubt we have enough time.
The more I look, the more I find, so my head is swimming.
I'm off to buy a detailed map this morning.
We're actually one diver and one landlubber, but I might be talked into a bit a snorkeling.
Unfortunately, we won't have a 4WD, as we're driving up from Perth in our Toyota, but we're not adverse to taking a 4WD tour if the opportunity presents itself. As I reserarch, I'm taking note of which parks are 4WD access only so we won't be surprised when we get there.
I'm trying to come up with a reasonable driving itinerary, covering the Pinnacles, Geraldton, Kalbarri, Monkey Mia, Carnarvon, Coral Bay, Exmouth and the national parks and marine reserves surrounding them - there and back in 16 days.
I'm also toying with the idea of staying in country pubs, but
I haven't gotten that far yet.
A friend suggested Karijini National Park, but it looks to be a major detour from the coast and I doubt we have enough time.
The more I look, the more I find, so my head is swimming.
I'm off to buy a detailed map this morning.
Feb 23rd, 2010, 03:58 PM
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Karijini and Millstream NPS would certainly deserve their own time. I did see it on the map and was going to suggest but thought that you won't be able to do them justice. We had a wonderful time at Karijini and Millstream - beautiful places -but another time for them Mel!
I think your original plan is sounding good. I liked Monkey Mia though some people poo poo it but we really enjoyed ourselves there. I have to admit we weren't too fussed on Geraldton and really, opted not to spend any time there. That was just us though.
Keep chipping away Mel and give us an update on your thoughts and plans.
I think your original plan is sounding good. I liked Monkey Mia though some people poo poo it but we really enjoyed ourselves there. I have to admit we weren't too fussed on Geraldton and really, opted not to spend any time there. That was just us though.
Keep chipping away Mel and give us an update on your thoughts and plans.
Feb 25th, 2010, 11:44 PM
#8
Hi margo, lurkers are always welcome.
I've been here 18 months and I still can't get my head around how BIG this state is...Perth to Exmouth looks to be a 15 hour drive, some 1,200+ miles.
I've barely started to plan this trip and I'm already thinking ahead to the next one - flying in and out of Broome and exploring up that way.
At this rate we'll never get over east.
I've been here 18 months and I still can't get my head around how BIG this state is...Perth to Exmouth looks to be a 15 hour drive, some 1,200+ miles.
I've barely started to plan this trip and I'm already thinking ahead to the next one - flying in and out of Broome and exploring up that way.
At this rate we'll never get over east.
Feb 28th, 2010, 02:50 PM
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We only went as far as Kalbarri. It is amazing how far distances are and I'm used to distances living in Western US. We stayed a couple of days in Jurien Bay instead of Geraldton or Cervantes. I thought it was a good alternative. We stayed at the B&B The Heights. The owners were nice and very helpful. We had a chance to visit the Pinnacles at sunset which was beautiful. If you have a chance try to make it later in the afternoon when the color sare gold and there are long shadows. You do have to watch for roos along the road on the drive back to Jurien bay after sunset. We didn't get a chance to do much in Jurien Bay although we did explore the local parks for wildflowers (September) - Lesueur was very nice. For dinner in Jurien, we ate at Sandpiper Tavern. Depending upon what time of the year, etc, there are some other areas to explore in this region for wildflowers. Check the WA Wildflower Society for pages on wildflowers near Eneabba & Badgingarra if you are traveling during the season.
Between Jurien Bay and Kalbarri, we stopped in Geraldton for lunch and ate at Freemasons Hotel. It was good. I don't know if I really experienced Geraldton because the finals of Aussie Football was going on and everyone was watching the game. The streets were deserted and the shops all closed. From Geraldton, we turned off towards Horrocks drove along the coast instead of along Brand Hwy to Kalbarri. I recommend going this way if you are planning a stop in Kalbarri.
In Kalbarri, we stayed at the Best Western - it was okay - nothing special typical motel. We did enjoy dinner at Finlay's Fish BBQ. It took a bit of time to get our food but we loved the outdoors atmosphere. There are interesting drives and hikes in Kalbarri National Park. We didn't hike very far because it was pretty warm in September. We did the Loop to see Nature's Window and Z-Bend. At Z-bend we only walked a short distance down to the river. We loved the drives which are all on dirt but perfectly drivable in a passenger car. We also went to the Wildflower Center which was good.
I'm looking forward to reading your report. I still want to get back there some day.
Between Jurien Bay and Kalbarri, we stopped in Geraldton for lunch and ate at Freemasons Hotel. It was good. I don't know if I really experienced Geraldton because the finals of Aussie Football was going on and everyone was watching the game. The streets were deserted and the shops all closed. From Geraldton, we turned off towards Horrocks drove along the coast instead of along Brand Hwy to Kalbarri. I recommend going this way if you are planning a stop in Kalbarri.
In Kalbarri, we stayed at the Best Western - it was okay - nothing special typical motel. We did enjoy dinner at Finlay's Fish BBQ. It took a bit of time to get our food but we loved the outdoors atmosphere. There are interesting drives and hikes in Kalbarri National Park. We didn't hike very far because it was pretty warm in September. We did the Loop to see Nature's Window and Z-Bend. At Z-bend we only walked a short distance down to the river. We loved the drives which are all on dirt but perfectly drivable in a passenger car. We also went to the Wildflower Center which was good.
I'm looking forward to reading your report. I still want to get back there some day.
Feb 28th, 2010, 03:01 PM
#11
Thank you travel4flowers, you've been a tremendous help. We're going in June, so no wildflowers unfortunately, but it should be nice and cool for hiking (I hope). I'm thinking about three nights in Kalbarri to give us plenty of time to explore the tracks - do you think that's sufficient or too long? I'd read somewhere that the Pinnacles were best viewed at sunset, so I guess I need to plan a night there too...at first I thought we could stop on our first day and then continue on, but perhaps not.
Feb 28th, 2010, 03:55 PM
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Following this with interest, great to hear all these suggestions, we're doing Perth to Broome in August. Hope Melnq8 can tell us all about the plan and the trip when you get back so that we can get your highlights!
Melnq8, you might remember I'm looking into car hire from Perth to Broome, and I still haven't found anything without a hefty one-way fee but looks like we'll have to live with it. I have however discovered an interesting option at ozpodscampers.com.au - we probably don't want to camp all the time - maybe country pubs or similar like you, but thought it would be great to be able to stop where we want and have the option to camp somewhere nice and wild (any favourite camping spots, stormbird?).
Good luck with the planning, and would be pleased to get any tips!
Melnq8, you might remember I'm looking into car hire from Perth to Broome, and I still haven't found anything without a hefty one-way fee but looks like we'll have to live with it. I have however discovered an interesting option at ozpodscampers.com.au - we probably don't want to camp all the time - maybe country pubs or similar like you, but thought it would be great to be able to stop where we want and have the option to camp somewhere nice and wild (any favourite camping spots, stormbird?).
Good luck with the planning, and would be pleased to get any tips!
Feb 28th, 2010, 04:32 PM
#13
Just a thought ... http://www.standbyrelocs.com/
Feb 28th, 2010, 04:46 PM
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Thanks Bokhara2, someone did suggest this and it's a good idea, but I've noticed that there is a limited time to relocate the vehicle, for example Broome-Perth in 6 days, and we wanted to take 3 weeks for the trip. Also I'm a compulsive planner, so would like to get something booked rather than leave it until the last minute and not get what we want. But will definitely keep an eye on this site for developments, so thanks again.
Feb 28th, 2010, 05:08 PM
#15
Hi tockoloshe -
I'll post a proposed itinerary once I've got it sorted and I'll definitely post one of my much-too-detailed trip reports upon our return.
I just bought a great Perth to Broome map from a local bookshop - it's made by HEMA if you're interested.
I too, would like to get up to Broome, but alas, that's another trip for another time and we'll have to fly that one. My research tells me that the drive from Perth to Broome is 2,176-2,357 kilometers, between 27-29 hours, depending on the route.
It's been my experience that most car rental companies in Perth stipulate that their cars not be taken beyond a 500 km radius of Perth. Some will let you go further if you pay a higher rate, but I don't know if that includes Broome.
I certainly understand your dilemma and I hope you find a workable solution. Let us know what you decide to do.
I'll post a proposed itinerary once I've got it sorted and I'll definitely post one of my much-too-detailed trip reports upon our return.
I just bought a great Perth to Broome map from a local bookshop - it's made by HEMA if you're interested.
I too, would like to get up to Broome, but alas, that's another trip for another time and we'll have to fly that one. My research tells me that the drive from Perth to Broome is 2,176-2,357 kilometers, between 27-29 hours, depending on the route.
It's been my experience that most car rental companies in Perth stipulate that their cars not be taken beyond a 500 km radius of Perth. Some will let you go further if you pay a higher rate, but I don't know if that includes Broome.
I certainly understand your dilemma and I hope you find a workable solution. Let us know what you decide to do.
Mar 2nd, 2010, 06:12 AM
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We had a short time so we only spent two nights in Kalbarri. We only explored the area around ZBend and Nature's Window. It was easy to see both in a day although we didn't hike very far. We did spent the morning at the Wildflower Center before heading out to the park. If you want to see more than that one area, you will need another day.
If it doesn't work out to spend a night near the Pinnacles, you maybe able to fit it in on the drive. We wanted time to explore for flowers so we wanted to stay somewhere between Perth and Kalbarri. We didn't find a lot of options especially North of Geraldton. I think it is about a 7 hour drive direct on the Hwy. Or maybe you can do it on the return?
If it doesn't work out to spend a night near the Pinnacles, you maybe able to fit it in on the drive. We wanted time to explore for flowers so we wanted to stay somewhere between Perth and Kalbarri. We didn't find a lot of options especially North of Geraldton. I think it is about a 7 hour drive direct on the Hwy. Or maybe you can do it on the return?
Mar 2nd, 2010, 08:34 AM
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Hi Melnq8
Funnily enough I was just looking online for a good map - the exact title of the HEMA map would be very useful, thanks, good to get it on a recommendation.
Will let you know the outcome of the car hire problem, but it's proving more difficult than I imagined!
Hi travel4flowers, I am interested in flowers and flower photography - can you tell me if there will be a decent display in August, in the area you mentioned? Thanks!
Funnily enough I was just looking online for a good map - the exact title of the HEMA map would be very useful, thanks, good to get it on a recommendation.
Will let you know the outcome of the car hire problem, but it's proving more difficult than I imagined!
Hi travel4flowers, I am interested in flowers and flower photography - can you tell me if there will be a decent display in August, in the area you mentioned? Thanks!
Mar 2nd, 2010, 03:50 PM
#18
That's certainly a possiblity travel4flowers. I'm toying with the idea of doing a leapfrog route, making stops at certain points on the drive up, then making stops at different points on the return.
Mar 3rd, 2010, 05:06 PM
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Mel
Never think your trip reoorts are too detailed.
We all relish your discerning eye and skill at researching - and make use of your trip reports.
May have a Tassie trip coming up (again!) so off to see what's what!
Never think your trip reoorts are too detailed.
We all relish your discerning eye and skill at researching - and make use of your trip reports.
May have a Tassie trip coming up (again!) so off to see what's what!
Mar 3rd, 2010, 07:48 PM
#20
You're very kind margo - I hope you'll post a Tassie report when you get back. I'm itching to get back to Tassie myself, but there never seems to be enough time or money...
tockoloshe - A random thought about that one way car rental...have you looked into breaking up the rental? Maybe rent a car in Perth to drop off in Exmouth, and then rent another car in Exmouth to drop off in Broome? It may make no difference whatsoever, and may in fact be even more expensive, but maybe it's worth a look? I'm just thinking that if there's less distance between the pick up and drop off it might be less expensive. Then again, maybe not...
tockoloshe - A random thought about that one way car rental...have you looked into breaking up the rental? Maybe rent a car in Perth to drop off in Exmouth, and then rent another car in Exmouth to drop off in Broome? It may make no difference whatsoever, and may in fact be even more expensive, but maybe it's worth a look? I'm just thinking that if there's less distance between the pick up and drop off it might be less expensive. Then again, maybe not...
