Exmouth, WA - Whats it like

About 25 years ago we spent a week there, camping on the beach and eating oysters from the rocks. It is a small community and pretty isolated. If you need to go anywhere it is a long drive .Closest town is Carnarvon, about 370km to the south. Cape Range NP is closeby and there is supposedly some good fishing to be had along the coast. The weather should be mild all year round, except for the odd cyclone :o)

I would strongly recommend a holiday there to get a feel for the place.

Nothing wrong with it in my opinion, but I was only there for 4 days, september 2003, which was outside school holidays. Lovely weather, a couple of good pubs, but typical of an isolated town... expensive food and fuel.

Has a high tourist fluctuation depending on holidays and weather.

Cheers,

Muzz

We were there for a holiday a month and a half ago. Loved Cape Range. Tried to get tyres rotated and balanced at two tyre places and guess what neither one had the machinery to balance the tyres even though they sold new tyres.. Told we had to go back to Carnarvan.
ALso in a fishing supply shop heard someone asking where they could take their boat to flush out the motor as they had been using it and they were told it would be better to leave it as it was becuase the salt water would do less harm than the water at Exmouth apparently desalinated water leaves if I remember correctly lots of calicum and it would do more damage to the boat motor.

Should not have any problems finding work, particularly if you are machanical or construction minded
Cheers

Brick,
I was there for a few months after the cyclone in about '99
and loved the place, but I was not looking for work and the kids were not on my mind at all.
Is great fishing and I would say it is a good place to bring up the kids as the hospitality of the place was great, but.... it is a long way from anywhere :-(
I think it would be ok for work if you were in the building game etc, as it is a fast growing area.

Brick

I was there on Long Service Leave in March this year. It is a reasonable size town and if you like the sea you will like it.

I don't go surfing but there are good surfing beaches there.

Cape Range NP is worth seeing.

Ningaloo reef is great. The fishing is great.

I hate cities and like living in country towns. I don't know where you are from but if you are from Sydney you might suffer a bit of culture shock.

The idea mentioned previously of taking a holiday there and seeing the place before making a decision to live there has a lot of merits. We all have different perceptions and because I like a place does not necessarily mean that you will.

I lived there for 12 months way back in 1971, its claim to fame then was the American Navy Communications Base H E Holt , the town was home to both American Naval Personnel who ran the station with Australian support staff. In those days Exmouth was a dual currency town , you could buy anything with Australian or US currency which was fairlyt unique. The Yanks have now left and the station is run by Australian personnel -I think.
There is now a very good bitumen road into Exmouth so its a popular spot for the tourists to visit especially this time of the year, during summer its very hot with the occasional visit by a cyclone a possibility. I have been back numerous times for holidays , I think its a great spot , especially if you like the ocean and associated activities. I would imagine the town would be a great spot to bring up a family , its fairly well cater for with a primary school and a hospital, it is isolated and could be a bit expensive but , hey, this may appeal to some. I have not been back for several years now but tourism is very big up there so I'm sure the local tourist bureau could answer any questions you may have.

Brick,
My mum has lived in Exmouth for the past 8 years and reckons its the best place in the world.If you are a drinker and a fisherman you will love it.
My brother also lived there for some time (as he was young when he went up with mum) and got himself into a lot of trouble with the law.As with most country towns there is little for the teenagers to do.It does have a primary school,daycare centre,high school and a tafe(with limited subjects) a hospital etc. The town is mainly geared for tourism so alot of the jobs would be tourism based.
The rent is expensive as is the fuel and especially the food.Town centre has the basics like 2 shops(foodland and a convinience store) jeweller,baker,chemist,newsagent(which is also a toy store),laundromat,hairdresser and a couple of spec shops...and of course the shop like king kong(discount cheapy stuff)
AS for other employment I am unsure as mum only works part time as a cleaner at the sea breeze resort which is on the old naval base....This is pretty much deserted(the base) and runs with a skeleton staff both defense personal and locals.
My brother found fulltime work as a deckhand then he went "bush" as a station hand but as I said above he got into too much trouble when he returned to the town.He is now 22yrs and living back here in Perth.
I have just come back from a holiday from exmouth(suprised my mum for her 50th b'day) and I personally didnt like the townsfolk... too rude or too nosey or too drunk! I found them very clicky but heh that is my opinion only.
Like other advise given go for a visit first and see what you think.Go to the truscott(the local RSL club) to get a good mix of the locals.Friday nights at the yaught club were also good value but you need to get a member to sign you in.The Pot Shot Hotel was good for a laugh on Thursday night too!
One final bit my kids were pretty bored up there(they are 9 yrs and 5 yrs) and we were only there for a week!!
Just visit first thats all I can suggest!
thats my 2 cents!!
CHEERS
katrina

Thanks Everyone for the replies/information.

I grew up in a small country town in western NSW and it sounds a lot like it (except a lot less water).

I had thought of a visit beforehand, but is a long way so not sure if that will be possible.

Thanks again.