Kalbarri to Exmouth ideas please

That sounds like a good way to burn off the calories of all the wine and chocolate I've had up the west coast! I guess that's what happens when you visit too many wineries and chocolate factories :-)

I had to look up stromatolites - I've been educated! Thank you.

Hi, I've just taken a look at your suggestion, thank you. I notice that the crossing is tidal - how about the rest of the road...is it sealed or unsealed? Our van is not a real off roader so would need to take that into consideration if it ends up being really rough.

The road is not a boggy one being mostly limestone/sand mix but it can be very corrugated. I did the trip in my truck last July and even with tyre pressures right down she was pretty bad. I've done the GRR and it wasn't as bad. Perhaps it was due for a grader but maybe it's just like that all the time. Personally, if I cared for my van, I would not be towing it along that track. But..can be done none the less.

The tidal crossing is a simple one when done at low tide with or without a van and the small section of beach sand to negotiate each side of the inlet will be the softest of the whole trip and is not an issue.

if u decide to do Yardie Creek make sure its a low tide, and once u get over the other side the track going south is heavily corrugated, taking a caravan is risky if its not built for the track conditions. I live locally and have done for the last 10 years.


Cheers
Mark

Don't forget the blow holes north of Carnarvon and the track north of the blowholes to red bluff and gnarloo station (Ningaloo reef off the beach). you can take your van up there without any dramas. Just stock up on supplies from Woolies in Carnarvon before heading up there. It's remote.

I agree snorkelling the Ningaloo reef is a must.
It is something I will remember always, I am not the most confident a swimmer but it was so easy, just walk out and the reef which is indeed just a few meters offshore, and in many places you can touch the bottom - on a sandbank, and just go with the flow as you slowly float past the beautiful corals and fish, and the water is warm, luckily you will be getting there before most of the tourists. in the season people cue from early morning to get in to get a spot,

I was surprised how crowded the trip up the coast was, WA is so huge but the coast is such a narrow strip that all the grey nomads going to all the same places

Turquoise Bay is gorgeous but there are limited spots to camp in Cape Range National Park and that is where everyone goes, the road is extremely good
we found the better the road the more crowded it was.

Gnarloo is gorgeous, a sheep station on the sea
Coral Bay is very touristy, it is just one huge caravan park, great for teens,

Also just after Kalbarri is Shark Bay and Monkey Miah, if you want to feed the dolphins it is much cheaper to stay at Denham and it is just a 20min drive across.

We stayed at Giraud Point on Tamala Station in 2008
on the other side of shark bay, we are self sufficient with water and solar panels, it was so beautiful though, crystal clear water, you could see the fish swimming around, we went right to the point and had the place to ourselves, though there were little clusters of caravaners if you prefer company, so I suppose the road is ok for vans, unless they were off roaders, we were in a big 4x4.

It is 2.5hrs from the nearest town of Denham though so it is a long way to get bread and milk

we spent 3 years camping and housesitting from Margaret River to Dampier Peninsula, with Carnarvon, Geraldton, Gnarloo, Tom Price in between so feel free to ask questions. It depends on what kind of camp grounds you like and what you want to do and see.

we loved Gnylmarung Retreat on the Dampier Peninsula

If you don't want to risk the Yardie Creek crossing and the corrugations with the van, you can stay on the highway and head towards Coral Bay and then turn back south to Warroora Station
I didn't visit there but I believe it is like Gnarloo but much easier to get to and there are different levels of camping so you can go bush if you want but you don't have to

I don't know if this is the time of year for the Whale Sharks at Shark bay
I believe it is an awesome experienced but be prepared I hear it is some $300 for 15 minutes in the water, and like whales you are not guaranteed of seeing them.
I still think it would be awesome if you are ok with those factors

Thank you to everyone that responded.

By what I've read I think we will give Yardie Creek a miss. However will now do some research on Tamala Station, Gnarloo. Unfortunately the last time I was up this way was 20 years ago and don't remember much except the blowholes at Quobba, so your assistance has been appreciated.

Swimming with the whale sharks is definitely a goer - it's the one thing I have always wanted to do besides a cruise through the Kimberley....that one will have to wait for a milestone birthday I think!

Thanks again for all your ideas.

By not going to Yardie creek, you're not missing anything compared to other places around. And, you can still go there easily enough on the bitumen from the Exmouth end anyway. The road goes all the way to the creek. A nice trip exploring the beaches down the Exmouth gulf (west side) to yardie creek. It's only an hours drive from Exmouth anyway.

There seems to be a lot of whale sharks aroud at the moment even down to Kalbarri where I live.

The Murchison river is still brown and flowing from the last high a week ago.

Depending on how well you van goes off road there is camping area's at Lucky Bay south of Kalbarri but there are no facilities just straight bush camping you must be self contained but the track in while winding and bumpy is not sandy or boggy with the camping amongst up to 3meter scrub with the sea just over the dune.
Tamala Station is a great stop over also, then False entrance is worth a visit.

cheers
wafarmer

Sounds like exploring from Exmouth is the way to go, thanks Andrew. I remember years ago doing some snorkelling around that way, so given that we have plenty of time this trip, we can explore at a slower pace.

Whale sharks already - now I'm getting excited. We've seen the brown water today of the Murchison River - hey, wafarmer, what's the story with all the flies - they're VERY friendly!

We have had a lot of rain inland and that allows them to breed well then you just need any wind with east in it and they head for the coast.

They are usually worse on the hill south of town.

How long you been here and how long you staying?

wafarmer

We only stayed a couple of days as we had to meet some friends in Monkey Mia. Arrived here yesterday and the flies are just as bad! We loved Kalbarri, it's changed heaps since my first visit some 20 years ago, but great given it's out of tourist season. You live in a great part of WA!