A change in plans…
The day before New Years Eve probably wasn't the best day for my first visit to Exmouth. There was people everywhere.
Lots of cars were towing boats, and caravans, jet ski’s - you name it. It was bloody hot and pretty windy, which I’ve learned over the years is pretty typical for the WA coast, particularly during the summer months. This part of the world is well known for fishing, diving, swimming with whale sharks and a load of other water based - and land based activities.
Still, its a pretty iconic part of the coast, and it was a good opportunity to stop in and check it out.
This was a bit of a Plan B trip, put together a bit last minute in response to the state border restrictions being put in place. A planned trip East to see family was cancelled, it was a good opportunity to explore places I’d not yet got to.
By the time Jack and I rolled into town, it was mid afternoon so finding somewhere to set up for the night was my first priority.
Over on the Ningaloo Coast I managed to book a last minute campsite at Yardie Creek. Perfectly situated across the road from the coast this was a perfect location to head to the beaches early the next morning.
Gorgeous turquoise waters sparkled in the early morning sunlight, the sound of the ocean on the not so distant reef a gentle roar.
Total bliss. A perfect place to relax after several days of driving.
With little to no wind, meandering along to coastline, from the sandy shores of the Ningaloo Coast through town to the pebbled beaches on the other side of Exmouth, I had a pretty good picture of where the best places to access the less populated beaches were.
This time spent exploring along the coastline would come in very handy just a couple of years later, but we’ll get to that in a week or so ;)
Being unfamiliar with the area, and not spotting anywhere to free camp, it was time to continue heading back towards Perth.
Not too far along the Exmouth Gulf I found a station stay with campsites both near the homestead and down along the coast. I wasn’t quite set up for fully off grid camping so it was near the homestead I had to stay.
Most of my travels are shorter weekend or long weekend trips, and showers and toilets are dotted all along the roads so there hadn’t been much need for me to have these onboard. Staying at Giralia Station showed me it was time to add to my onboard kit 🙂
The Exmouth Gulf is a stunning landscape, full of deep reds, brilliant greens, and the widest open skies, setting a perfect stage to watch rain bands drift over the land, spilling their precious bounty across the parched landscape… a beautiful show to watch.
