The Coral Coast is a relatively large section of the Western Australian coast line. As the name suggests, there is plenty of coral and it is the home of the World Heritage Listed Ningaloo Reef. This was one of the sections we’d been excited about, with prospect of snorkelling the corals and the possibility of seeing some of the aquatic life strong.
Onslow
We decided to make a short stop in Onslow. It would be a slightly slower and more relaxed stop than the rest of the trip. It’s a small beachside community and is a fishing hotspot with some history thrown in.
Not having fishing gear, we spent our time exploring the town, especially its beaches. We checked those on both sides of town. They weren’t the prettiest, but we enjoyed our walks. One of the best walks though was the foreshore. It was a combination of pathway and boardwalk going from town, past the War Memorial, through the dunes to the beach. There were interpretive panels which filled us in and we gave the Paparazzi Dogs a visit.
The other main attraction was Old Onslow. Although there isn’t too much to see. The town was relocated in the early 20th century and a visit to the old town site shows a few ruins with the highlight being the old Police Station and jail cells. Visiting takes you to the mouth of the Ashburton River. We stopped along the way and it looks exactly like a river in a Banjo Patterson poem. It was the second time we had found a place like that.
Exmouth
Exmouth is really the start of the Coral Coast and is one end of the Ningaloo Reef. We planned a total eight nights there, split with a visit to Cape Range National Park. This stop was all about the reef for us, the plan being to snorkel and marine life spot as much as possible.
Aquarium and Museum
The aquarium and museum were on the list of things to do in town and we enjoyed our time there. It’s in a single building with access affordable for what you get.
The aquarium section focusses on the Ningaloo Reef, the animals who inhabit it, the corals, the history and the challenges. It’s not a huge aquarium but for those unable to snorkel you get to a chance to experience things.
The museum section was very interesting. With the Exmouth skyline dominated by the Navy radio transmitter it tells the story of the transmitter and how the town was built. It is certainly interesting and would have been a unique place to live when the US Navy had control of the station.
The other main section focussed on the destruction of Exmouth caused by TC Vance. The devastation was enormous and despite the passage of time it explained a few things we’d noticed around the town. There was also a cyclone room, giving an experience of the noise and imagery. It wasn’t pleasant to say the least and brought back memories of our own terrifying night during TC Yasi.
North West Cape
Between Exmouth and Cape Range National Park is North West Cape. It’s a bit of an introduction to the National Park as you find your way in there. The area is an attraction in its own right and we spent an entire afternoon exploring it.
There is Vlamingh Head Lighthouse, which not only is an impressive structure, but the lookout area is filled with interpretive sign boards and has a stunning view both sides of the Cape. Here is where we learnt about the history of the fossil fuel industry in the area, with a series of unsuccessful drills before oil was struck. Some of the infrastructure could just be seen in the distance over the ocean.
There is also the wreck of the SS Mildura, the reason the previously mentioned lighthouse was built. It was an interesting stop to see the wreck, which despite its partial salvaging and use for bombing practice was very recognisable as a ship.
We also took the opportunity to stop at the Jurabi Turtle Center. It’s a large interpretive display showing the three types of turtles that nest in the area, as well as information about viewing them. They were laying while we were there, but we didn’t want to try hiding in the dunes at dusk with the strong winds. A sand blasting was not on our list of things to do. Talking to others though, you could watch them come up the beach and lay if you wanted.
It is impossible to miss the sight of the Naval Communications Station, given the radio antenna are the largest structures in the area (and once the tallest structure in the southern hemisphere). Built to allow the US Navy to communicate with its ocean going fleets (both submarine and surface) the structures are the reason Exmouth exists at all.
Bundegi Beach
While we were at North West Cape, we eventually found Bundegi Beach. It was the pick of the beaches in the area. Nicer than Town Beach, protected from the big winds and swells and didn’t have the rocks and structures in the water. It also had some crystal clear water than the girls spent quite some time enjoying. We ended up spending the rest of the afternoon there and it was very enjoyable.
Town Beach
Town Beach was almost a daily haunt for us. It was quite a pretty spot, with views up and down the coast, white sand and dunes behind it. We spent many afternoons there, with the kids playing in the sand, in the dunes or on the foreshore while we walked north along the waters edge.
You can take vehicles down onto it. Plenty did but we never saw the point. It was short enough that walking got you all the sights you needed.
Cape Range National Park
Cape Range has to be the highlight of the Exmouth area. It’s a huge National Park and the best spot from which to see the Ningaloo Reef without boarding a boat. The park is broken into two sections, the West section (along the coast) and the East section, on the other side of the range. The focus is really the west section, but we did enjoy an afternoon on the east side.
Cape Range East
The east side of Cape Range is pretty simple, two separated entrances to two separate gorges. They are not nearly as spectacular as some of the other gorges we’ve visited, but Shothole Canyon in particular is worth the effort.
We stopped at George Knife Canyon first. It’s a straight forward drive off the main highway, following the entry road to a variety of lookouts. From these you can see both the gorge system and back to the ocean. There is also a walking trail (a long and hot one) that links George Knife Canyon to Shothole Canyon, but given you can see the highlights by driving to each, we gave it a miss. It would be a very hot walk as the country there is very exposed, with little shade. Given the time of year we were visiting the walk made no sense.
Shothole Canyon was the pick for us. Access is either via the walk from George Knife or a 4WD only track (and it is a track) starting at the highway. We had done our research and knew the track would be tough, but doable. Track conditions aside, the drive in was very nice, with the changing scenery, rock faces, river beds and vegetation keeping you interested. The gorge got it’s name from the shotholes blasted during the unsuccessful search for oil. Although the end of the road takes you to a pair of amazing lookouts, we couldn’t spot any of the shotholes. What we could see made the drive in worth the effort.
Cape Range West
We absolutely loved our time on the western side of the Cape Range National Park. We managed to book ourselves three nights in the Mesa Campground. Despite the time of year we were lucky to find a spot as camping is so popular. The other campgrounds were all full!
As soon as we arrived we could understand why. There are a series of coastal camps, tucked in behind the dunes. A short walk takes you straight out onto the beach. We were lucky enough to have a more sheltered site from the winds, but you certainly ended up blown around regardless.
For us, the two main attractions in Cape Range were the snorkelling and the walks. Otherwise it was simply a case of enjoying the beautiful views from more beaches than you can imagine.
Snorkelling
Cape Range has four main snorkelling sites; Turquoise Bay, the Drift, Oyster Stacks and Lakeside. They are all different and each is worth a look. We enjoyed them all to the varying degrees, although strong winds dampened our experiences.
Oyster Stacks is in our opinion the best snorkel. It had the most coral and under water life, with a huge variety of different sites to see. It is however very restricted, with access only possible at sufficiently high tides. The entry and exit are also tricky as it’s rock ledges on the way in and out.
Turquoise Bay is best for kids and the inexperienced due to the sheltered bay and smooth sandy bottom. It does have the least coral, although we did see plenty of fish.
The drift is tough. As the name suggests, it’s a drift snorkel. The current pushes you out towards the break in the reef and you need to be out of the water before that. The current is strong; Abby and Christian are strong swimmers and with the flippers could just hold steady if we wanted to. The coral and underwater life are certainly worth the effort, but it’s not for the inexperienced.
Lakeside (lucky last for us) would be our recommendation, especially if the Oyster Stacks are not possible. Although you need to swim out a distance to reach the coral, there was minimal current and even with a little wind we found it enjoyable. Laura sat this one out (after several days of wind affected snorkels) and later regretted it. Good coral, good fish it’s the best all-rounder site.
No matter which you choose, you will enjoy it and no visit to Cape Range would be complete without at least one snorkel.
Walking
The last of the attractions to experience at Cape Range are the walks. There are only two to speak of on this side of the park; Mandu Mandu and Yardie Creek.
We did both of them, but did Yardie Creek first. It’s a short walk, sharing a path along the edge of Yardie Creek with the nature trail. Once it separates from the nature trail it climbs towards the top of Yardie Creek Gorge. It follows the ridge for a while, allowing several excellent views of the gorge. It once again left us wishing we’d brought the kayak, as paddling up Yardie Creek would have been very, very enjoyable.
The second and more challenging walk was Mandu Mandu. It first takes you along the very rocky and uneven gorge floor. You travel quite deep into the gorge before the trail climbs steeply up the wall, taking you back towards the start. For this high vantage point you can see both up the gorge and out to the ocean.
Beyond these marked trails, there are of course the beaches to walk and explore. Hardly a hardship when the chance to see turtles (or whales in the right season) is a distinct possibility.
We absolutely loved our time at Cape Range. The wind made it less pleasant that it could have been, but we all would have loved to stay an extra night. Surprisingly we even had enough water to do it. But, we had to return to Exmouth, leaving this rather special place behind.